Broncos may be early-season Super Bowl favorite according to new power rankings

In just three short years, Sean Payton has transformed the Denver Broncos from a downtrodden franchise that looked like it may never get back to what it once was into one of the more serious challengers to reach Super Bowl LXI following the 2026 season. 

But many critics outside Broncos Country don't see it that way, instead seeing the Broncos as an overrated team that was much luckier than good last season. But in doing his recent power rankings, Brett Sobleski of Bleacher Report likely made some new fans in Denver. 

With training camp on the near horizon, Sobleski positioned the Broncos at No. 3, behind only the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. With that being the case, he has them as the top team in the AFC at this stage of the offseason. 

"Sean Payton's squad was one step away from reaching the Super Bowl. Who knows? If not for awful weather during the AFC Championship Game, Denver could have faced the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.

Instead, the Broncos had to take a step back and find ways to improve. One significant acquisition can elevate the entire offense. Jaylen Waddle's addition via trade should provide Payton's offense with a difference-maker at wide receiver. The 27-year-old veteran is a proven target with multiple 1,000-yard campaigns already under his belt.

If not for the Miami Dolphins' upheaval in recent seasons, he could have five straight such campaigns to start his career. Instead, he became expendable after a regime change, and the Broncos wisely pounced to give quarterback Bo Nix an explosive receiving threat", wrote Sobleski. 

It's easy to see Sobleski's logic. The Broncos had little roster turnover this offseason and they added a dynamic new wide receiver to the group. If the defense can still perform as one of the best units in the league, the thought is that with an improved offense, this is one of the most complete teams in the league. 

And that all makes sense. However, predicting NFL games rarely makes sense, and that's why few preseason predictions come true. The Broncos will have to play a first-place schedule and compete in what nearly everyone feels is a much tougher AFC West division. 

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Big things are expected from this Broncos team this season, but it almost feels like they were more dangerous as an under-the-radar team last year. These kinds of predictions are going to place a big target on the Broncos and it's fair to question how Payton's squad will handle being put in that spot. 

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