Mile High Report

RJ Harvey had a great game against Arizona and should continue to be involved in the Broncos' running attack; the staff recommends keeping the momentum going with the young running backs as the passing attack opens up once teams respect the run.

Kenneth Walker remains a critical defensive challenge for Denver; the Broncos defense failed to tackle Walker effectively in Week 1, allowing the Chiefs to run away in the second half, and stopping Walker is essential to winning Sunday's game.

Jonah Coleman should be fed the ball and build off his strong performance against Arizona; the Broncos should commit to the running attack and get young players involved, as Coleman and RJ Harvey had great games in Phoenix and the passing attack will open up once teams respect the run.

Bo Nix and the Broncos offense must protect the ball and win the turnover battle against Kansas City; forcing Mahomes into rushed throws and punching the ball out will give Nix added possessions, but Nix himself needs to continue protecting the ball to put Denver in position to win.

The source notes that Tyler Badie is expected to return around week 12 or later, providing depth at running back alongside Jonah Coleman and reducing the urgency for the Broncos to trade for an elite back.

The source mentions Saquon Barkley as a potential trade target for the Broncos in win-now mode, but argues the team's cap space constraints (less than $5M available) and upcoming free-agent losses make such acquisitions difficult to execute.

The source mentions Jonathan Taylor as a potential trade target for the Broncos in win-now mode, but argues the team's cap space constraints (less than $5M available) and upcoming free-agent losses make such acquisitions difficult to execute.

The source argues that Jonah Coleman, healthy and looking like a stud in his first game back, already addresses the Broncos' running back need; the team does not require a trade for a premium back when Coleman is performing well and Tyler Badie returns around week 12.

Bo Nix demonstrated offensive versatility and decision-making in the Broncos' win over Arizona; he was spreading the ball around effectively, and the run game threat he created made the difference in the decisive victory. This performance quells doubts about his ability to manage the Broncos' offense and positions Denver at 5-2 heading into a critical divisional matchup against Kansas City.

RJ Harvey scored on a 52-yard touchdown reception on a short pass, one of three explosive plays that drove Denver's offensive success against Arizona; his big-play ability contributed to the Broncos' best offensive showing of the season.

Marvin Mims Jr. contributed a 47-yard reception that set up a touchdown in Denver's improved offensive performance against Arizona, demonstrating his role in the Broncos' explosive play generation.

Rookie running back Jonah Coleman has appeared in only three games due to an ankle injury but demonstrates elite efficiency; he 'might win the impact-per-snap-played quotient,' suggesting strong production relative to limited opportunities when healthy.

Jaylen Waddle leads the Broncos in receptions (26) and receiving yards (276) but left Sunday's game with an apparent shoulder/chest injury; his production has been limited by Denver's passing struggles, and if the injury is not serious and the Broncos increase his target volume, his output should improve alongside the offense.

Bo Nix showed signs of offensive improvement against Arizona with a 62-yard touchdown run and more aggressive downfield passing; described as looking like 'a functional quarterback Sunday in the team's best offensive showing of the season' and credited with opening up the Broncos offense after mixed early-season performance; faces critical test against Kansas City in Week 8 to prove consistency.

Marvin Mims Jr. got back involved with kickoff returns and made an impact with a 38-yard return; he should have drawn an unnecessary roughness foul from the Cardinals as he was hit 1 yard out of bounds and thrown to the ground, but the penalty went unflagged.

Adam Prentice got a big-time punt block to help put the team in scoring position; he made a great effort to focus on the ball and not just flail his arm into the punter's leg to avoid a penalty.

Trey McBride was too difficult for Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to contain, forcing Joseph to deploy extensive coverage schemes against him. The source notes that sometimes elite players cannot be held down, comparing McBride's dominance to JSN's performance against Denver.

Troy Franklin was ineffective as a receiver, missing both of his targets in the game. However, the source praised his blocking effort on Bo Nix's touchdown run, where Franklin blocked two defenders to help Nix reach the end zone.

Jaylen Waddle made several impressive catches including a difficult low throw on a 14-yard out and a 27-yard back shoulder downfield while taking a big hit from a closing safety. Waddle finished with 4 catches for 48 yards, demonstrating his value as a target for Bo Nix.

Cortland Sutton opened the game with an in-breaking route across the middle for a 20-yard gain. The source notes that Sutton appears to have lost a step athletically but credits his size and route-running ability for creating opportunities for Bo Nix.

Marvin Mims Jr. received increased offensive involvement this week, including a 47-yard gain on a busted coverage play to the sideline. The source identifies Mims as a threat to score when given the ball in space and suggests the offense is finding more ways to get him involved.

JK Dobbins carried 6 times for 23 yards and scored a touchdown by fighting through a tackle to lunge the ball over the goal line. The source notes this represents an improvement over recent games but acknowledges that Dobbins only saw 23% of snaps, suggesting limited role in the offense despite the touchdown.

R.J. Harvey scored on a screen pass touchdown in the 3rd quarter on a perfectly timed play with multiple blockers downfield, but was otherwise ineffective with 4 other touches producing only 2-3 yards each. The source characterizes Harvey as a home-run hitter whose value is dependent on big-play opportunities rather than consistent production.

Jonah Coleman received 50% of snaps for the Broncos, demonstrating the coaching staff's commitment to featuring the young running back. The source describes Coleman as a runner with vision, burst, and power who effectively cuts back and heads north when designed holes close. Coleman averaged 6 yards per carry on 9 runs for 54 yards and caught 2 passes for 15 yards, showing versatility across the offense. The source expresses excitement about Coleman's potential for the rest of the season.

Bo Nix demonstrated downfield passing ability against Arizona, attacking deep early and maintaining that approach throughout the game; he threw a 27-yard laser to Waddle and executed a nearly 20 mph touchdown run. The source notes that media narratives about Nix being a check-down merchant are misplaced, and that his ankle injury is not a health concern but rather reflects his need to regain accuracy and footwork as the season progresses. The source expects Nix's throws to improve as he settles his footwork and gets consistent work each week.

Played 15 snaps at WR, fifth-most among the receiver group.

Played 16 snaps at WR, fourth-most among the receiver group.

Played 28 snaps at WR, third-most among the receiver group.

Played 34 snaps at WR, second-most among the receiver group behind Sutton (43).

Played 43 snaps at WR, the most among the receiver group (Waddle 34, Franklin 28, Mims 16, Humphrey 15).

Played 24 snaps at tight end; combined with Trautman (37) and Adkins (24), the three TEs caught only one pass for two yards on four targets.

Played 24 snaps at tight end; combined with Trautman (37) and Engram (24), the three TEs caught only one pass for two yards on four targets.

Played 37 snaps at tight end but combined with Adkins and Engram (24 snaps each), the three TEs caught only one pass for two yards on four targets on the game.

Played 16 snaps at RB and leads the backfield in efficiency at 6.2 yards per touch for the season, ahead of Coleman (5.3) and Dobbins (3.4); his long catch-and-run inflated his per-touch average.

Played 14 snaps and was the third-string RB by snap count behind Coleman (30) and Harvey (16); his six touches resulted in 23 yards and one TD (3.83 yards per touch), an improvement from his season average of 3.4 yards per touch but still the lowest efficiency among the three backs.

Got the majority of offensive snaps at RB with 30 snaps; Coleman leads the backfield in efficiency at 5.3 yards per touch for the season, ahead of Dobbins (3.4) and Harvey (6.2).

Played 10 snaps at fullback on offense, a season high, and blocked a punt on special teams using perfect punt block form; special teams ace expanding offensive role.

Running back JK Dobbins continued his grinding effort in the Broncos' backfield alongside rookie Jonah Coleman and RJ Harvey. The trio combined to produce 159 total rushing yards, marking a significant improvement in the run game from earlier in the season. Even excluding Nix's 62-yard rushing TD, the Broncos' rushing total would have been close to 100 yards.

Running back RJ Harvey continued to contribute to the Broncos' improved run game performance, grinding alongside rookie Jonah Coleman and JK Dobbins. The trio combined to produce 159 total rushing yards, a marked improvement from earlier in the season. Even excluding Nix's 62-yard rushing TD, the Broncos' rushing total would have been close to 100 yards, demonstrating the collective effectiveness of the run game.

Rookie running back Jonah Coleman returned to action and made an immediate impact on the Broncos' run game, averaging 6 yards per carry on nine touches. Head coach Sean Payton praised his performance: 'He played well. The touches he had were explosive. He looked really good. Definitely have to get him more touches.' Coleman's efficiency and explosive plays caught Payton's attention enough to signal increased playing time going forward. The Broncos' run game improved to 159 total yards with Coleman's contribution alongside RJ Harvey and JK Dobbins, marking a marked improvement from earlier in the season.