Projecting the Broncos' Week 1 Starting Lineup Right Now

With two-thirds of the preseason in the books, we know how the Broncos' starting lineup will shape up.

DENVER, CO - JANUARY 17: Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) leads his team onto the field before the AFC Divisional Round game against the Buffalo Bills at Empower Field at Mile High on January 17, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. | Dustin Bradford / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

The Denver Broncos now have two preseason games in the books.

We've learned a lot about the state of the 2026 Broncos since training camp started in late July. With only one final preseason game left to go, the early returns on the Broncos are exciting.

Sean Payton doesn't like the term "picking up where they left off," but it sure looks like that's exactly what the Broncos are poised to do, after winning 14 games, the AFC West, and pushing all the way to the conference title game before a shockingly untimely injury torpedoed the team's Super Bowl ambitions.

The Broncos will host the Minnesota Vikings on Friday to close out the preseason. Two days later is the NFL deadline for trimming rosters down to the final 53 players.

Based on what we've seen this summer, here's how the Broncos' 2026 starting lineups are shaping up.

Offense

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins (27) and quarterback Bo Nix (10) look on in the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Quarterback: Bo Nix

Running Back: J.K. Dobbins

Fullback: Adam Prentice

Wide Receiver: Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Pat Bryant

Tight End: 1a. Evan Engram, 1b. Adam Trautman

Left Tackle: Garett Bolles

Left Guard: Ben Powers

Center: Luke Wattenberg

Right Guard: Quinn Meinerz

Right Tackle: Mike McGlinchey

Analysis

Prentice seems poised to make the 53-man roster out of camp. He's likely to get a few starts this season, depending on the opponent and game plan.

The only real developments on offense are the emergence of Bryant as the No. 3 receiver, and how the Broncos are using the tight ends. Bryant was the star of Broncos camp this summer, and while it hasn't translated to the field in the preseason, he's played a very limited number of snaps because the team wants to preserve him for the season.

Last year, the Broncos started Trautman at tight end more often than not because the offense tends to run the ball early on the first drive, and he's a better blocker than Engram. However, Engram has been asked to stay in to block a lot more this summer, which may have something to do with Davis Webb taking over as the offensive coordinator, and we're seeing the Broncos run a lot of two-tight-end sets.

Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if the Broncos opened up in 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) as often as 13 (one running back, three receivers). In 12 personnel, Engram and Trautman will be on the field. Even if I'm wrong about the two-tight-end tendencies Webb has shown this summer, the Broncos seem determined to rely on Engram more as a blocker in order to keep him on the field more.

Going with heavy tight end sets will help the Broncos' run game, which then opens up the possibility for some deadly play-action passing. It'll be interesting to see how it all takes shape.

A quick note: Wattenberg has been hurt since Day 3 of training camp, but the Broncos have remained publicly confident he'll be good to go by the season-opener in mid-September.

Defense

Denver Broncos defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike (96) reacts after a sack during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defensive End: Zach Allen

Nose Tackle: D.J. Jones

Defensive End: Eyioma Uwazurike

Outside Linebacker: Jonathon Cooper

Inside Linebacker: Alex Singleton

Inside Linebacker: Justin Strnad

Outside Linebacker: Nik Bonitto

Cornerback: Patrick Surtain II

Cornerback: Riley Moss

Safety: Brandon Jones

Safety: Talanoa Hufanga

Nickel Cornerback: Ja’Quan McMillian

Analysis

Depending on the opponent, you can expect the Broncos to start many games in their nickel sub-package, which would take one linebacker off the field, to be replaced by McMillian. Consider him a starter.

This opening-day starting defense looks much the same as last year's, with one exception. Uwazurike will start at defensive end in place of John Franklin-Myers, who departed in free agency.

Like Engram and Trautman above, this defensive end spot could be a 1a. and 1b. situation split between Uwazurike and Malcolm Roach. However, in both preseason games, Uwazurike has gotten the start, with Roach rotating in regularly.

That could change come September, but I doubt it. About a week-and-a-half into training camp, Jones theorized publicly that Roach would win the Franklin-Myers job and "run with it," but Uwazurike hasn't allowed that to happen.

In the final analysis, these two trenchmen will likely end up getting even snaps, but this article is about projecting the starting lineup, and Uwazurike seems to have the edge.

Special Teams

Denver Broncos long snapper Mitchell Fraboni (48) snaps the ball to punter Jeremy Crawshaw (16) on the sidelines during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kicker: Wil Lutz

Punter: Jeremy Crawshaw

Long Snapper: Mitchell Fraboni

Punt Returner: Marvin Mims Jr.

Kick Returner: Marvin Mims Jr.

Kick Returner: Jonah Coleman

Analysis

The Broncos gave it the ol' college try this summer by signing undrafted rookie long snapper Luke Basso to compete with Fraboni, but the proof is in the pudding. If the Broncos want reliability, Fraboni is the guy; Basso had a bad long snap in preseason Game 1, leading to a botched field-goal attempt.

Again, this unit looks the same as last year's with the exception of the second kick returner. In a perfect world, the Broncos would rather not use Coleman back there, but he did get some returner action during camp, including in the planned scrimmage about halfway through.

The Broncos have been utilizing undrafted rookie receivers Kolbe Katsis and Cameron Ross as the kick returners in the preseason. At punt returner, it's been Katsis and undrafted rookie cornerback Sean Fresch Jr., who has looked great on defense and explosive on special teams.

Mims has not played in the preseason yet due to a soft-tissue injury suffered about a week into camp, but even if he were healthy, I doubt the Broncos would have done anything differently because they know what he can do; they want to see what Katsis, Ross, and Fresch can bring to the table.

Alas, though, unless the Broncos intend to keep six receivers or six cornerbacks on the 53-man roster, the likely outcome for Katsis, Ross, or Fresch is the practice squad. The Broncos could still utilize them on game day by elevating them, but it would be curious to elevate one player strictly to return kicks alongside Mims for, say, two to five plays per game.

Then again, the Broncos have mainly used their practice squad elevations on linebackers, cornerbacks, safeties, and receivers who can contribute on special teams kick and coverage units, and each game usually offers only a handful of such plays.

Still, I'm doubtful that Katsis, Ross, or Fresch make the 53-man roster, and given that the Broncos have one of the NFL's elite returners in Mims, I'm rolling with Coleman as the second kick returner, despite how good this undrafted trio has looked this summer.

It could be a running back other than Coleman, like Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, or Cody Schrader, but that's only if the Broncos opt to keep four running backs on the 53-man roster. That's what Denver has done over the past few years under Payton, but it feels like only three true running backs will be kept along with the fullback.

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