This Fantasy Duel Will Decide Jaguars Fate vs. Broncos

Fantasy football can be misrepresentative of what actually happens on the field, but this positional duel could decide the Jaguars' clash with the Broncos.

Dec 14, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen during the second quarter against the New York Jets at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars are going into a heavyweight bout in Week 16, as they're set to take on the AFC-leading Denver Broncos. This team might be 10-4, but they have a lot on the line in this upcoming game. Jacksonville is just one game above the Houston Texans in the division standings. A loss against the Broncos, paired with a presumed Houston win over the Las Vegas Raiders, would allow the Texans to take the top spot in the AFC South.

On the other hand, if the Jaguars can pull off the upset at Mile High Stadium, anything is within reach for them, including the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye. It won't be an easy task, though. There's a reason that Jacksonville is the underdog in this matchup.

Sep 19, 2021; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) against the Denver Broncos at TIAA Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Can Trevor Lawrence overcome the Broncos' defense?

The Denver Broncos have one of the best defenses in the league this season. They're currently fourth in yards allowed and tied for second in points given up per game.

That's been their staple, and the primary reason they're 12-2 right now. Trevor Lawrence has built a ton of momentum over the past month, but he faces a stiff challenge going up against the most complete defense he's seen since the Houston Texans. Jamey Eisenberg of CBS Sports isn't expecting much from him in Week 16, at least from a fantasy perspective:

"Lawrence is on fire coming into Week 16 at Denver with at least 23.1 Fantasy points in four games in a row, including 54.3 points in Week 15 against the Jets. But he should cool off against the Broncos, who have allowed only four quarterbacks this season and one in the past seven games to score at least 20 Fantasy points. And only one quarterback accomplished that feat in Denver, which was Jaxson Dart in Week 7. During his hot streak, Lawrence has beaten up on the Cardinals, Titans, Colts and Jets, but this is a much tougher matchup."

Dec 14, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) high-fives fans after defeating the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Can the Jaguars shut down Bo Nix?

This could wind up being a defensive showdown between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Broncos. Jacksonville's defense might not be quite as consistent or sturdy as Denver's, but they've shown the ability to take over games plenty of times this season. Like T-Law, Bo Nix has had his ups and downs this season. Eisenberg expects him to continue climbing against the Jaguars:

"Nix was a huge surprise in Week 15 against Green Bay with 302 passing yards and four touchdowns, and he added 10 yards rushing. He scored 37.1 Fantasy points, and he snapped a four-game skid where he scored 18.4 points or less. He should stay hot in Week 16 against the Jaguars, who have allowed five of six quarterbacks away from Jacksonville to score at least 20.6 Fantasy points.

The only one who failed to reach that mark was Cam Ward in Week 13. Nix has had mixed results at home this season, with four games of at least 29.7 Fantasy points and three outings of 12.6 or less, but I expect this to be one of his better performances in Denver."

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