Denver beat Tennessee 20-12 behind Nik Bonitto’s relentless rush and a lockdown defense, steering Week 1 drama with a steady hand from the edge. Bo Nix battled early miscues, but the Broncos showed a clear growth arc on offense as the game wore on. The quartet of Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and Courtland Sutton delivered splash moments, while the defense locked in late and Payton’s bold fourth-down call underscored the team’s aggressive, win-now mindset.

Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones anchored a swarming back end, and Denver’s outside-zone tweaks keep evolving into a more dynamic run plan. Denver’s added game-management pieces and a two-way chase for Week 2 highlight a team still ironing out Week 1 kinks but poised to grow sharper as the season unfolds.

Denver named eight captains: Bo Nix, Courtland Sutton, Quinn Meinerz, D.J. Jones, Pat Surtain II, Talanoa Hufanga, Alex Singleton and Wil Lutz. Sutton extends his long captain run to five years; Nix and Meinerz are entrenched leaders; Jones and Surtain II bring defense leadership; Hufanga, new to Denver, steps in quickly; Singleton and Lutz round out a balanced leadership core. Week 1 vs Tennessee tests this leadership-driven approach and fantasy upside across offense and special teams.

Bo Nix and teammates from the Broncos turned a rain-soaked Colorado night into a subtle fantasy signal, jamming with Riley Green at Red Rocks and gifting him a Broncos jersey. The moment highlights a tightly knit locker room vibe and signals depth in the QB room as Denver heads toward Week 1 with Tennessee on the horizon.

Off the field, Nix’s visibility pairs with a familiar arms-length QB group in Stidham and Ehlinger, while Wil Lutz, Mike McGlinchey, and Brandon Jones anchor the周 offense and defense. For fantasy, keep an eye on how this chemistry translates to on-field consistency, QB competition dynamics, and how Lutz’s leg and Denver’s run game could shape weekly scoring.

The Broncos’ Year 2025 opener against the Titans could set the tone for notable value in a crowded QB room and a resilient special-teams unit, where off-field camaraderie and leadership often foreshadow real on-field upside.

Week 1 kicks a strong kickers slate with Brandon Aubrey perched at the top, followed by a balanced tier of Chris Boswell, Cameron Dicker, and Jake Bates. Streaming options spotlight Ka'imi Fairbairn, Wil Lutz, and Daniel Carlson, while cautious rosters fade Harrison Butker, Jake Moody, and Tyler Loop. The guide leans into matchup-driven latitude, highlighting red-zone goals, FG volume, and waiver targets to land the best points from Week 1.

Fantasy managers should prioritize kickers in offenses likely to stall in the red zone, favoring high-volume legs with long-range potential. This Week 1 cheat sheet distills streamers, fades, and tiered rankings so rosters can pivot quickly as games unfold.

Sean Payton’s Denver rebuild leans Saints. Ten former Saints coaches and staff plus eight players are in Denver, highlighted by A.T. Perry, Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, Michael Burton, Adam Prentice, Malcolm Roach, Jordan Jackson, and Wil Lutz. The preseason finale with New Orleans doubles as a Saints reunion and a live lab for Payton’s system as rosters shake out next week.

A speed edge at receiver and a two‑TE look shape the Broncos’ offense, with Perry’s burst, Trautman/Krull’s versatility, and Prentice/Burton in backfield/goal-line roles. Lutz provides kicking stability while Roach/Jackson threaten rotational DL depth. The Saints‑to‑Broncos pipeline nudges fantasy lenses toward TE and K floor potential, and depth chart moves post-cuts will amplify the intrigue.