The Denver Broncos blew out the Atlanta Falcons in the first preseason game of the 2026 offseason. They're back home on Friday to face the Green Bay Packers, which brings us one large step closer to the start of the regular season.
The team did see a lot of strong performances from many of their starters and even depth players, but it's an entirely new game for Week 2, which gives players another chance to make some noise.
There are some players who also have a lot to gain in the second preseason game of the season. With some runway to help themselves, let's dive into three players with the most to gain on Friday.
Denver Broncos players with the most to gain in preseason Week 2
RJ Harvey, RB
RJ Harvey had five carries for the Broncos against the Falcons. He gained 16 yards on those carries but did not register a target as a receiver. For Harvey, his receiving upside is huge and not necessarily something that the Broncos need to see more of.
With that said, rookie running back Jonah Coleman made the most of his carries, gaining 24 yards on four totes, and it does seem like Harvey is falling behind Coleman in terms of getting carries during games.
Harvey is the better receiving threat than Coleman at the moment, but Coleman does appear to be the more efficient runner. However, Harvey does have a 12-touchdown rookie season under his belt and more experience than Coleman, so the second-year player could still have some time to show off his ability and perhaps development as a runner.
Harvey did have his moments as a rookie, and with the uncertainty surrounding Coleman due to his being a rookie, Harvey could still come gunning for that de-facto RB2 job, especially if he puts together some strong performances to finish up the preseason.
Troy Franklin, WR
It's not that Troy Franklin has necessarily had a bad offseason, but he does seem to be overtaken by Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr in the pecking order. The Broncos also added Jaylen Waddle this offseason, which could further diminish Franklin's role.
With that said, Franklin was second to only Courtland Sutton last year in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. That isn't nothing, and with Franklin still just 23 years old, he could still have a ton of potential in front of him.
Quarterback Bo Nix also clearly has a connection with Franklin from 2025 and even during their days at Oregon together. Sure, Waddle and Sutton are going to get an overwhelming majority of the targets, but Franklin still has time to make some noise and prove that his breakout 2025 season was not a fluke.
While the Broncos won't have an 'official' WR3, there really isn't anything stopping Franklin from sliding into that role, especially if he can produce in the team's second preseason game.
Red Murdock, ILB
At this point, Red Murdock has done nothing but impress thus far for the Broncos. Heck, I am not sure we'd be saying anything differently if Murdock had been a third-round pick. Not only did he lead the Broncos in tackles in the team's first preseason game, but he was constantly around the ball and simply looked the part.
Murdock feels like a lock for the roster, but could he take this a step further? Yes, Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are entrenched as the starters at the position, but I don't see how Murdock can't still earn more snaps when the regular season rolls around given how uncertain of a duo Singleton and Strnad are. Singleton is an extremely limited player at this stage of his career, and Strnad has never been a full-time starter in this league.
If Murdock shows out again in preseason Week 2, would the coaches begin to think that he's potentially more ready than initially thought? Stacking another solid game performance would continue to push Murdock right on the tail of Singleton and Strnad, which is absolutely not a bad thing.
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