Denver’s Week 1 preseason win over San Francisco sparked mixed feelings from Sean Payton, who watched 30 unanswered Broncos points but still called for sharper operate on both sides of the ball. Nik Bonitto showed he’s ready to wreck games, Jarrett Stidham looked confident under center, and RJ Harvey flashed the speed the backfield craved. The first-team rust-off exercise sets the stage for another late-summer showcase as Denver hosts Arizona in Week 2, with a full roster look at the position battles and depth pieces that fantasy managers will be watching closely.

Week 2 against the Cardinals is set for Aug. 16 at Empower Field (9:30 p.m. ET), with KUSA and NFL Network carrying the broadcast. Pat Bryant flashed as a rookie receiver, drawing 34 snaps—top among Broncos pass-catchers—on the night he’s trying to carve out a role behind Sutton and the new additions (Mims, Vele, Franklin). Harvey’s burst was on display again, hinting at a potential hot-hand split with the backfield. Bo Nix’s leadership in the offense adds a rookie-quarterback dynamic to monitor as the QB competition tightens into the regular season.

In the trenches, Bonitto’s early impact signals Denver’s ceiling for pressure, while the duo of Bryant and Harvey represents intriguing upside as the team builds chemistry around a bolstered passing game and a fast, versatile ground attack. The Cardinals visit will be another data point for fantasy managers eyeing Denver’s Week 1 starters and breakout prospects who could swing shallow leagues or late-round targets this season.