In a roster filled with star-studded players and other above-average starters, there isn't a lot of room for some unsung heroes to make some noise on the Denver Broncos. The roster isn't perfect, as there are some positions that still might be on the weaker side, but you'd struggle to find a glaring weakness overall.
For the 2026 season, many across the NFL are expecting the Broncos to be among the league's best, which does put a ton of pressure on the team's best players. However, those who might not be considered among the best on the team are also going to need to contribute.
And this could lead to some lesser-thought-of players emerging as some fun surprises as the 2026 season progresses. Let's touch on that here and talk about for players who could become the team's biggest surprises in 2026.
4 Denver Broncos players who could become the team's biggest surprises in 2026
Jonah Coleman, RB
Jonah Coleman was the Broncos big addition at running back this offseason. He was taken in Round 4 of the 2026 NFL Draft and is not only a strong runner between the tackles, but his pass protection ability appears to be quite good already.
This could suddenly make Coleman a legitimate three-down back, and it was head coach Sean Payton himself who said that Coleman reminds the team a bit of J.K. Dobbins, who is a top-7 player at the position when healthy.
If Dobbins' unfortunate injury history follows him into 2026, and second-year back RJ Harvey can't become more efficient as a down-to-down runner, Coleman could suddenly see legitimate RB1 carries. Standing at 5-8 and weighing 220 pounds, Coleman has a David Montgomery-esque body type and could profile as that type of player.
Justin Joly, TE
The Broncos double-dipped at tight end in the draft, taking Justin Joly in Round 5 and Dallen Bentley in Round 7. Seeing as the team still struggled a bit at tight end in 2025 with Evan Engram and Adam Trautman running the show, there could be room for a player like Joly, who has a high-end receiving profile, to emerge as a legitimate weapon for Bo Nix and the offense.
The blocking foundation with Joly is already present, but it's really the receiving profile that sticks out. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein seems to echo this:
"Possesses good wingspan with huge hands.
Sturdy and strong with ability to catch through heavy contact.
Has the hips and feet to run routes on all three levels.
Route adjustments against coverage traffic come seamlessly.
Consistently scrambles to freedom when the pass play extends.
Good leaper with basketball body control to lean and adjust to the throw."
There's a lot to like with this player, and with both Engram and Trautman a year older, the Joly Show could begin quicker than you think.
Justin Strnad, ILB
With the Broncos having cut Dre Greenlaw, Justin Strnad appears to actually be in line to be an every-week starter for the team in 2026. He has started eight games in each of the past two seasons and has appeared in 33 total, not including the playoffs.
Despite not being an every-week starter, Strnad's 17-game averages over the course of the past two years look like this:
68 total tackles
4 sacks
7 tackles for loss
6 quarterback hits
3 passes defended
1 interception
Strnad has been a stat-sheet filler these past two seasons, and while the Broncos did add multiple new faces to the linebacker room, there's no guarantee that any of Jonah Elliss, Red Murdock, or Taurean York will end up being good enough to see significant snaps.
Elliss hasn't truly played inside linebacker in the NFL, and while Broncos fans are excited about Murdock and York, they were both nearly undrafted for a reason - Murdock was the final pick in the draft, and York was a highly coveted undrafted free agent signing.
It looks like Strnad could start all 17 games in 2026 if all goes well. He's a higher-upside player than Alex Singleton and has clearly had a nose for getting into the backfield as a blitzer. With the track clear of major threats, Strnad's breakout season could be coming.
Jeremy Crawshaw, P
How about some punter love? Jeremy Crawshaw carved out a solid rookie season. He ranked 15th in gross yards per kick and also ranked 3rd in punts landing inside the 20-yard line, with 30 such kicks. He also ranked 3rd among all punters in total punts, with 75.
Crawshaw had quite the workload for the Broncos, but he was quite efficient. With it looking very likely that all three specialists return in 2026, and special teams coach Darren Rizzi also returning, there will be a ton of chemistry present in the room, and now that Crawshaw has his rookie season under his belt, a natural year two progression could be on the table.
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