Sunday’s battle against the Los Angeles Chargers will be a key divisional matchup for the Denver Broncos. It’s an opportunity for them to get back on track after their Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. In order to do so, these three players need to step up and play at a high level.
Jahdae Barron — Cornerback
The Broncos lost both Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss last week due to injury. That may pose some problems for their secondary, but thankfully, Denver has several young players with a lot of potential ready to be
the next man up. With Surtain out for the next few games it’s time for 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron to shine.
Many fans across Broncos Country have been critical about Barron’s lack of impact to date. Though it’s really no fault of his own. Can we really blame him for being behind Denver’s top trio of cornerbacks to date? I don’t think that’s necessarily fair. In fact, I remain optimistic about his future with the team.
In the second half versus the 49ers, I thought Barron played well. The former Jim Thorpe Award winner may not have the desired length or athleticism at the position, but his football intelligence and ability to make plays on the ball are valuable traits. I assume he will have to go head-to-head against Quentin Johnson for most of the game.
Johnson hasn’t made a strong connection with Justin Herbert thus far and is underperforming. Hopefully Barron is able to hold his own against him in coverage. Week 5 isn’t the time to let the former first-round pick to have his biggest impact game of the season.
RJ Harvey — Running Back
At some point in time, a skill position player will need to become a reliable fulcrum for Denver’s offensive endeavors. They need that on a week-to-week basis in order to win more football games. The Broncos have struggled to put points on the board through three games and have lacked explosive plays.
One player I hope can make a big impact on Sunday versus the Chargers is second year running back RJ Harvey. Harvey hasn’t had a lot of opportunities to run the ball this season. However, he had ten catches last week against the 49ers. He is a dual threat player and capable of making game-changing plays.
In just three games, Harvey already has 20 receptions on the season. He trails only Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London in yards after the catch. I’d like to see his yard per catch average go up and for him to get a hefty share of carries against a Chargers defense that is bottom ten in the NFL in run defense.
We saw flashes of brilliance and Harvey’s top-notch playmaking ability during his rookie season. I’m hopeful he will have a quality outing against Los Angeles on Sunday. I expect him to be a big part of the team’s offensive game plan.
Nik Bonitto — Edge Rusher
Over the past two seasons, the Broncos have boasted the best pass rushing defense in the NFL. So far this year, they only have eight sacks and haven’t looked quite up to par. Earlier this week, I wrote about the importance of Denver’s pass rush kicking into high gear.
Justin Herbert has been sacked twelve times this season and has thrown six interceptions. Herbert is definitely struggling. Due to that, the Chargers’ offense certainly isn’t firing on all cylinders. They also have a ton of injuries on that side of the ball. Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater will be out on Sunday and potentially their left guard. That may give edge rusher Nik Bonitto a favorable matchup and opportunity to shine.
Bonitto was dominant in 2024 and 2025 posting back-to-back seasons of at least 13 sacks or more. Alas, he hasn’t started off this year on a high note and has just one sack. Without Jonathon Cooper opposite of him, the fifth-year pro has faced a lot of double teams and extra chips to keep him from chasing down opposing quarterbacks with ease. We all know Bonitto can be a dynamic defender that impacts games. I think he finds a way to get back on track against the Chargers on Sunday.
