The Denver Broncos unveiled their final injury report and game designations for Sunday's first-place home meeting with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Denver will officially be without safety Talanoa Hufanga for another game as he tends to a weeks-long ankle issue. The team also ruled out running back RJ Harvey, who suffered a knee injury during Thursday's practice and was considered limited . Speaking Friday, head coach Sean Payton failed to elaborate on Harvey's status.
Rookie RB Jonah Coleman is slated to see an increased workload aside -- or perhaps ahead of -- veteran starter J.K. Dobbins. Former practice-squad S Taylor Rapp will continue filling in for Hufanga, who could be back for Week 9 at Carolina.
The Broncos listed wide receiver Jaylen Waddle ( chest ), safety Brandon Jones (hamstring), left tackle Garett Bolles (hip), and defensive end Zach Allen (hamstring) as questionable to suit up against the Chiefs. Each player was limited in practice Friday; Jones' injury first popped up Thursday, while Waddle and Allen were upgraded from DNP (Did Not Practice) earlier in the week.
Sai'vion Jones would likely start if Allen were forced to sit. Should Waddle miss Sunday's contest or be limited in any capacity, the Broncos should make a concerted effort to get WR Marvin Mims more involved .
"Sometimes it's coverage and then it's trying to find those personnel groupings where we've got a number of guys that are healthy and playing well. So hopefully we can find those opportunities," Payton said of Mims on Wednesday.
The team will make a final decision on the questionables at least 90 minutes prior to kickoff on Sunday, when inactives are due.
Denver also listed Mims (ankle), inside linebacker Karene Reid (elbow), defensive tackle Malcolm Roach (neck), and cornerback Patrick Surtain II (ankle) as full participants. None of these players carry designations and will play at Empower Field at Mile High. Surtain is making his return following a three-game absence.
On the other side, Kansas City ruled out defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott, and listed cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed and Mansoor Delane and defensive end R Mason Thomas as questionable. Wide receiver Rashee Rice (hamstring/knee) is expected to play after sitting the last two games.
Oct 15, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) warms up before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
One of the aforementioned players is quietly an anchor on a defense that's arguably playing the best ball in the league over the last month. That player is Malcolm Roach, who's recorded 20 total tackles, (12 solo stops), 2.5 sacks, and four passes defensed across the first seven games of the season.
Roach, who's in his first year with the Broncos, currently ranks as the 42nd-best interior defensive linemen among 126 qualifiers, according to Pro Football Focus. His 69.4 pass-rush grade is good for 25th.
Payton knows the importance of Roach to his elite defensive unit -- especially so with Allen now nursing his hammy.
"I think I would say this: he does a lot of things well," he said Wednesday. "The other thing as an NFL player, you know exactly what you're getting that's very helpful then when you're putting a gameplan together. Then all the other things with his personality and you guys have been around him, he's consistent. I think that's important to find those type of players in your front."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi as Broncos Week 8 Injury Report: Final Decisions on Harvey, Waddle .
