Broncos Visit Atlanta in Preseason Opener – Who Wants It More?

The Broncos head to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for a Friday night preseason kickoff against the Falcons, and while the starters won't play much—if at all—this is where depth charts get written in blood. Denver's been tinkering with their offensive identity all camp, and we'll get our first live look at how the backup QB battle shakes out. Expect a heavy dose of young receivers fighting for WR3 and WR4 spots, plus a defensive front seven trying to prove last year's late-season surge wasn't a fluke.

Atlanta, meanwhile, has question marks in the secondary and along the interior O-line. Their second and third-string units need to show they can protect whoever's under center, because if injuries hit during the regular season, this roster gets thin fast. The Falcons' pass rush depth is also under the microscope—can the rotational edge guys generate any pressure, or will Denver's backups have all day?

Preseason openers are coin flips by nature, but motivation matters. Whichever coaching staff treats this like a real evaluation—keeping the foot on the gas, letting young guys play fast and loose—usually covers the number. DarkHorse hasn't weighed in yet, so we're flying blind on the sharps' lean. Keep an eye on second-half execution; that's where preseason games get decided.