It's obvious that the Denver Broncos have what it takes to win it all in the 2026 NFL Season, but the roster is far from perfect. It is the best in the AFC West and absolutely the best in the NFL, and if you ask me, the only roster that could compete with Denver's from top to bottom might be the Los Angeles Rams, a team that many also think can win it all.
But there are obviously certain players and positions that stick out more than others. That was quite evident for the Broncos in 2025. Fortunately, the roster might be even better now than it was just a few short months ago, but that also turns up the heat in the kitchen for everyone in this organization.
And the Broncos Super Bowl hopes could ride on the success (or lack thereof) of these four key players.
These Denver Broncos players can make or break a Super Bowl team in 2026
Bo Nix, QB
Obviously, much of the Broncos success for the 2026 season will come down to Bo Nix. It's clear that he's a franchise quarterback, and most could at least agree he's top-16, at worst. Whether or not Nix can take his game to that top-10 or higher level remains to be seen.
We've seen Nix operate the team's offense at a high level; we've seen him come through in the clutch in both the regular and postseason, and there really isn't much he hasn't done through two seasons. There have been some yards left on the field, but the team has struggled with drops.
However, with Jaylen Waddle in the picture, there isn't really much of anything that Nix doesn't have. Taking his game to the next level - even just one 'notch' up would be plenty for this team to win it all.
Whoever wins the starting DE job
The defensive line is set outside of the vacancy left by John Franklin-Myers, who the Broncos probably didn't intend to re-sign, given how much he got from the Tennessee Titans in free agency. All of Sai'vion Jones, Tyler Onyedim, and Eyioma Uwazurike figure to compete for that starting job, and it's not just about replacing an average player.
In 33 regular-season games for the Broncos, Franklin-Myers racked up 14.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, and 33 quarterback hits. He got to the quarterback, on average, once per game, and was a 'plus' pass-rushing threat.
The Broncos led the NFL in sacks in each year he was with the team, as getting to the quarterback has become a hallmark of this defense, and that's something they'll continue to lean into in 2026. Without adequately replacing Franklin-Myers, the entire defensive line could regress.
And I am not necessarily sure it matters who wins the starting job - the best player should win the job, but at least getting close to Franklin-Myers' production in 2026 is going to at least keep the defense in the same spot it's been in for the last couple of seasons.
J.K. Dobbins, RB
Had J.K. Dobbins not gotten hurt, the Broncos may have been able to run their way to the Super Bowl, even without Nix in the AFC Championship Game. Dobbins' injury history is an unfortunate reminder of just how brutal this league can be, but it's something he can't change.
When he was on the field for Denver, Dobbins was averaging just under 80 yards per game on a stellar 5.0 yards per tote. Getting that kind of production even for 15 games in 2026 would be huge. It's clear just how much the unit regressed when Dobbins went down, as RJ Harvey just wasn't close to as efficient a runner.
Sure, Jonah Coleman is now in the mix, but there isn't any guarantee with him, either. Even if the Broncos lighten Dobbins' load in 2026 and give him, for example, an average of 10 carries per game, the odds that he stays healthy for a full 17 games are a lot better, and that's when, perhaps, the team could remove that cap and let Dobbins loose in the playofs.
But getting him healthy for the playoffs would likely mean the Broncos rushing attack was quite efficient and potentially good enough to win it all.
Jaylen Waddle, WR
The Broncos believe so much in Waddle being the right fit for this offense that they traded first and third-round picks this year. A three-time 1,000-yard receiver for the Miami Dolphins, Waddle's skillset as a true burner and legitimate separator fit right into this offense.
The duo of Waddle and Courtland Sutton may also be one of the very best in the NFL, and after this trade went down, it finally felt like Denver 'got with the times' on offense. And while most, if not all Broncos fans are ecstatic about this move, Waddle has to go out there and actually make this investment worth it.
And sure, predicting statistics can sometimes be arbitrary, but the Broncos likely hope that Waddle does eclipse that 1,000-yard mark and become a true difference-maker. One of the biggest issues for this roster in the Nix era thus far has been the play-makers - none of them have emerged as consistent, go-to options or separators.
The team has struggled with drops as well, so the hope here is that adding Waddle eases things up and allows the passing attack to open up more and perhaps flirt with top-10 or top-5 status in 2026.
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