Ranking Broncos' 2024 Opponents & Chances at Beating Each One

The Denver Broncos have some tough matchups this year.

Oct 29, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) reacts as Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton (49) gestures in the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. / isaiah j. downing-usa today sports

Fans have seen how analysts around the NFL have ranked the Denver Broncos and their chances at winning games this year. Many analysts expect the Broncos to win five or six games, given the lack of proven talent at many positions.

However, it's worth asking just how good the Broncos' opponents will be this season. While the Broncos will face some tough teams who are arguably in the running to reach the Super Bowl, some of these opponents have many questions of their own to answer.

The majority of the teams the Broncos will face are, on paper, league-average at best. These are the games the Broncos have a good chance to win if things go right. And for the teams who are among the top in the NFL, they have flaws.

I'm going to look at the Broncos' opponents and rank them in order of how strong they are overall. I'll examine what each opponent brings to the table and consider the Broncos' chances at winning.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

The defending Super Bowl champions are undoubtedly the toughest overall team the Broncos will face. The AFC West rival Chiefs have the best quarterback in the NFL in Patrick Mahomes, a top tight end in Travis Kelce and a quality front seven on defense.

But the Chiefs did have some issues last year that remain in question. It remains to be seen if one of their receivers will become a game changer, for instance. And on defense, the secondary took a hit after L'Jarius Sneed was traded.

Expecting the Broncos to beat the Chiefs in Week 10 on the road would be a bit much. However, the Week 18 game could be different.

First, the Broncos should hopefully be at their best. Second, the Chiefs could rest their starters if they have won the division and cemented their playoff seeding.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: Low in Week 10. Week 18 depends on what the Chiefs do with their starters.

2. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens arguably have the toughest defense in the NFL. It's hard to pinpoint any weaknesses here, as they have a quality pass rush and secondary.

On offense, Lamar Jackson is a top quarterback and Zay Flowers emerged down the stretch last season. But the question is whether or not other playmakers step up on offense. Derrick Henry played well last year but is aging and Mark Andrews missed time last season with injuries.

By Week 9 when the two teams meet, we should have a better idea about where the Broncos stand. However, it will be a road game against the Ravens, so coming away with a win will be a tall task.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: Low.

3. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals may have finished fourth in the AFC North last season, but they were 9-8 overall and didn't have Joe Burrow for six games. Burrow is healthy and the Bengals have some good playmakers on offense, so they should be improved.

The defense is another question, though. They do have some talent there but they were a league-average unit last season. The Bengals also lost DJ Reader to free agency and it remains to be seen if they have the players to replace him.

The teams will meet in Cincinnati in Week 17. The Bengals could be fighting for a playoff spot at that point. Will the Broncos be improved enough to get the win? Only time will tell, but right now, I'm not expecting it.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: Likely low.

4. Cleveland Browns

The Browns are a well-coached team. finishing 11-6 last season despite starting five different quarterbacks. They have a strong defense, featuring pass rusher Myles Garrett and a strong secondary.

On offense, the Browns have plenty of playmakers and a good offensive line. The biggest question is DeShaun Watson, who has yet to play a full season for the Browns. Can he stay healthy and elevate the offense to the point that the Browns are a legitimate Super Bowl contender?

The teams meet in Week 13 and we'll have a better idea about how they will measure up. The Broncos will have home field advantage but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to make the difference.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: 40-60 but much depends on Watson's play.

5. New York Jets

The Jets have a strong defense featuring many quality young players. Even after they traded John Franklin-Myers to the Broncos, and even without Hasson Reddick on the field, the Jets have some good pass rushers and a quality secondary.

The question is how good the offense will be. The biggest question, obviously, is if Aaron Rodgers can come back from a torn Achilles to play at a high level as he nears 41 years old. The other concern is the offensive line, which wasn't good last year and it's not a given the new additions will be an upgrade.

If any of the Broncos' opponents in the top five are ripe for an upset, the Jets may be that team. A lot hinges on Rodgers' health and how well he plays. The teams meet in Week 5, so this one comes early in the season and a Broncos win may turn some heads.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: 40-60 but much depends on Rodgers' health.

6. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons offense has plenty of playmakers, with Drake London and Bijan Robinson the two most notable, but the likes of Kyle Pitts and Tyler Allgier can do some good things. The question on offense is quarterback, whether that's Kirk Cousins' health or if Michael Penix Jr. takes over at some point.

On defense, the Falcons did make a couple of smart moves in trading for Matt Judon and signing former Broncos safety Justin Simmons. But will that be enough to take an average defensive unit and put it into the upper tier?

The teams will meet in Week 11 at Empower Field. How tough this matchup will be depends a lot on the Falcons' quarterback play and how well things come together with their defense.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: 50-50.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

Two factors will make the Steelers a challenging opponent. First is the defense, which is still loaded with talent and cause problems for any opponent. Second is the coaching, as Mike Tomlin has shown many times he can get the most out of whatever roster he has.

The issue the Steelers have is quarterback play. Russell Wilson was underwhelming in the preseason and Justin Fields wasn't that much better. The Steelers do have some good receivers but the lack of good QB play may hold them back.

The two teams meet in Week 2 in the Broncos home opener. Wilson is expected to be the starter that week, so the Broncos may be motivated to get a win over their former starting QB.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: 50-50.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers may have surprised some people last season but the question is whether they can follow up on a respectable showing. Baker Mayfield did good things last season and the Bucs return most of their playmakers, but they lost offensive coordinator Dave Canales, who took the Panthers head coaching job.

The Bucs do have talent on defense, but not enough to make it anything more than an average unit. And after they parted ways with a couple of starters, they'll need some younger players to step up.

The Week 3 matchup may not be one the Broncos win, though, if they are still trying to get everything into place. With that said, the Bucs could be in a similar situation. This one could certainly go either way.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: 50-50.

9. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are a well-coached team as Shane Steichen got them to a 9-8 record last year, despite losing Anthony Richardson early in the season. Richardson has a lot of potential and the Colts do have some playmakers who can help him out.

The defense could be another issue, though. DeForest Buckner and Kwity Paye are good pass rushers but Samson Ebukam is gone and the secondary has some issues.

One would expect the Colts to show some improvement if Richardson plays well. The Week 15 meeting might be on in which the Colts are fighting for a playoff spot, but it's still a game that could go either way.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: 50-50.

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10. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks were one of those teams that found a way to win games under head coach Pete Carroll. They have a new head coach in Mike Macdonald, but do return the bulk of their roster from last season.

As far as the units go, they have been league average the past couple of seasons. Much may depend on how well Geno Smith plays. The Seahawks did change offensive coordinators, so some may wonder if the new coaching staff can get the most out of him.

The Seahawks are a league-average team, though it's not a given the Broncos will win this one. The Week One matchup will be in Seattle, which is usually a tough place to play. Also, it may take the Broncos a game or two to get things figured out.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: 40-60, given Seahawks' home-field advantage.

11. Los Angeles Chargers

It's easy to think the Chargers will be a tough opponent because they have head coach Jim Harbaugh paired with quarterback Justin Herbert. But while Harbaught is a good coach and Herbert is a top QB, the Chargers are rebuilding this year.

The Chargers are lacking in proven offensive playmakers, which may be what keeps the offense from ranking among the top units. The defense will return Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, but the former player is aging and the latter player has missed 20 games in the past two seasons.

The Broncos and Chargers have split their meetings for multiple seasons and it wouldn't surprise if that happens again, given that the Chargers don't have all the pieces in place yet to be a bona fide playoff contender. The Week 6 meeting will be at Empower FIeld while the Week 16 meeting will be on the road, but we'll see if home field advantage actually proves to be the deciding factor.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: Both games are 50-50 but expect a split.

12. New Orleans Saints

The Saints were a league-average team last season. While Derek Carr did provide some stability at quarterback, he didn't do that much to elevate the team. The Saints have a good No. 1 wide receiver in Chris Olave but lack consistent playmakers. Alvin Kamara was a good one in the past but he's not the same player now.

On defense, the Saints have talent but don't have a top playmaker who can elevate the team. Dennis Allen deserves credit for getting the most out of what is on the roster but the lack of a true playmaker keeps the defense out of the upper tier.

Sean Payton will have plenty of reasons to want to win this one -- after all, it's his former team. The teams meet in Week 7 in New Orleans, at which point Broncos fans will hope the team is finding its groove.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: Better than one might expect.

13. Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders did better than some may have expected in 2023, with Antonio Pierce getting a lot out of the roster after he took over as interim head coach. The question, though, is whether he can do it again, especially with a roster that has some key flaws.

Davante Adams is a quality receiver, Brock Bowers is an intriguing player and Maxx Crosby is a top pass rusher. The Raiders also have a strong offensive line. However, the Raiders changed offensive coordinators and the question is whether Gardner Minshew wil do enough at quarterback and whether the Raiders can get enough out of the secondary.

The Raiders did make some good offseason moves but whether they were enough to improve the team over last year is another question. The teams will meet Week 5 in Denver, then Week 12 in Vegas. The Broncos haven't beaten the Raiders since 2019, though maybe they get at least a split this year.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: 50-50 both weeks with a split more than likely.

14. Carolina Panthers

The Panthers were a bad team in 2023 but hired a new head coach, Dave Canales, who did a lot of good things with Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay. He'll be tasked with getting Bryce Young back on track.

But while Young could improve this season, the Panthers are seriously lacking in playmakers. They'll be looking to Diontae Johnson to be their top receiver and they traded away their best defensive player in Brian Burns.

While the Panthers are arguably the worst team the Broncos will face, that doesn't mean fans should take it for granted that the Broncos will win. The teams meet in Week 8, at which points fans should have a better idea about where things stand with not just the Broncos, but with how much of a challenge the Panthers could present.

Broncos' Chances at Winning: Good but not a given.

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