Denver carries a 53-man roster with a 17-player practice squad for 2025, but six players sit on injured reserve — Kristian Williams, Michael Burton, Nick Gargiulo, Johnny Walker, Matt Henningsen (season-ending) and Drew Sanders (short-term) — reshaping the front seven and backfield to start the season. The Broncos host Tennessee in Week 1, and Sanders’ four-game return window will be a key factor in early defensive depth. Expect immediate shifts in run defense and pass rush as Denver leans on reserves and multiplayers roles at RB/TE.

Week 1 will test Denver’s depth as Titans come to town with a balanced attack. The IR crop highlights how quickly Denver can retool and who emerges in front of the crowd, while fantasy managers gauge early-season upside for Denver defenders and backfield role players amid arrival of reinforcements and potential injury settlements as the season unfolds.