In the post-schedule release power rankings, the Denver Broncos are No. 1.
That per Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports.
He also gives the Broncos offense No. 8 in the NFL.
Post-schedule release power rankings have Denver Broncos No. 1
The Broncos finished one win away from making Super Bowl LX.
They were slightly edged out by the New England Patriots when Bo Nix went down with an ankle injury in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills.
With Nix, the Broncos would’ve won and made the Super Bowl. However, they likely would’ve lost to the Seattle Seahawks, who were the most well-rounded team in the NFL last year.
So, all to say the Denver Broncos entered the offseason stacked and ready to compete once again.
Then, they re-signed a ton of their own players who are ready to make 2026 end better than 2025 did. All before making a blockbuster trade for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who will push the Broncos offense over the top in all likelihood.
FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano is high on Sean Payton’s Broncos.
In his post-schedule release power rankings, the Denver Broncos are No. 1. They leapfrogged the LA Rams; Denver was No. 2 post-draft.
Post-Schedule release power rankings by FOX Sports.
From the article and Vacchiano:
Super Bowl odds: +2000
I agree here on both fronts.
First of all, the Broncos first six games are crazy-hard. They face five playoff teams from 2025 in their first six contests, and the other opponent is Kansas City in Missouri.
Getting through that at 3-3 should be considered a win for Payton and Co.
But after that brutal start, the schedule softens up very nicely. Two games against the Raiders, they face the Panthers, Jets, and Dolphins all in the middle of their schedule.
Even if they are only .500 through mid-October, there’s room for Denver to improve to well over .500 before Christmas.
Then it gets tough again. The Broncos finish against Buffalo on Christmas Day, then at New England, and the Chargers to close out the regular season.
There’s reason to believe playing that murderer’s row to start the year will toughen them up for the rest of the schedule, too.
Denver should be in the playoffs for a third straight year when it’s all said and done.
Broncos rank No. 8 offensively
Vacchiano is bullish on the Broncos in general, and that includes on offense.
Last year and in 2024 Denver was a defensive-first team. They are shaping up to be stronger on defense again in 2026, but there’s hope the offense has come along enough to really propel this team forward.
The addition of Jaylen Waddle is a huge reason why.
He’s now the No. 1 receiver in the offense, which will take a lot of pressure off Courtland Sutton and help not only Sutton, but Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, and Evan Engram get open more, too. Plus, Bo Nix is entering Year 3, RJ Harvey is in Year 2, and J.K. Dobbins is back for his second year in the offense.
FOX Sports ranked all 32 teams QB’s supporting casts, and the Broncos came in No. 8.
They were on the verge of a Super Bowl last year with an offense that was good but not explosive. The addition of WR Jaylen Waddle changes all that. He and Courtland Sutton form an elite tandem, and Troy Franklin can be one of the better No. 3 receivers in the league. Quarterback Bo Nix is also supported by possibly the best offensive line in the league and a solid, grind-it-out rushing attack (though that part depends on the always-iffy health of J.K. Dobbins).
Add in the brilliant offensive mind of Sean Payton, and there’s not much more Nix could ask for heading into his third season — assuming, of course, that he’s fully recovered from the fractured ankle he suffered in the playoffs. He’ll be well-protected whenever he returns, so he’ll have plenty of time to execute what are always well-conceived game plans.
If Denver lives up to the hype, they’ll be well on their way to Super Bowl LXI on Valentine’s Day next year.