Three-game winning streak aside, the state of Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos passing game has been the subject of much consternation in recent weeks — and that was before the team's top target, Jaylen Waddle, left last Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals with a chest injury. With Patrick Mahomes and the division-leading Kansas City Chiefs coming to town in Week 8, simply checking the ball down and hoping to win on the margins likely won't be good enough, making Waddle's health a huge question mark.
The good news for Broncos fans is that Waddle seems to be on track to play on Sunday. But it remains to be seen just how close to 100 percent he'll be.
Is Jaylen Waddle playing today? Broncos WR 'trending in the right direction' for Week 8
Waddle didn't practice on Wednesday and put in only limited work on Thursday and Friday, leaving him with a questionable tag entering the weekend. But the news on Sunday morning is positive: NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the former Alabama star is "trending in the right direction to play" in Week 8. That's not a completely definitive answer, of course, but at this point it would be a surprise if Waddle didn't at least suit up against Kansas City.
#Broncos WR Jaylen Waddle, who has been dealing with a chest injury that he aggravated last week, is trending in the right direction to play, source says.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 1, 2026
The phrasing there does leave at least some wiggle room, though. And given that this is a chest injury that Waddle has been battling for some time now, one that he reaggravated last weekend seriously enough to not only take him out of the game but hold him back in practice this week, it's fair to wonder how much he'll be able to offer Denver's offense.
Broncos WR depth chart behind Jaylen Waddle has grown worryingly thin
Which is a concern, because if Waddle isn't in the lineup generating explosive plays, it's not clear just where the heck they'll come from for this offense.
Role | Player |
|---|---|
WR1 | Jaylen Waddle |
WR2 | Courtland Sutton |
WR3 | Troy Franklin |
WR4 | Marvin Mims Jr. |
WR5 | Lil'Jordan Humphrey |
Pat Bryant's injury leaves the Broncos already down one part of their regular wideout rotation. Courtland Sutton has looked like a shell of himself so far this year, while neither Troy Franklin nor Marvin Mims Jr. have made good on any of their downfield promise. Nix and the general offensive situation in Denver right now might have something to do with that underperformance, but still: If Waddle is compromised at all, it figures to be tough sledding against a salty Chiefs defense looking for revenge after a loss in Seattle last weekend.
Fantasy football outlook for Jaylen Waddle in tough Chiefs matchup
If you drafted Waddle and have held onto him through a very disappointing start to his first season in Denver, you'll likely be starting him again in Week 8. But that's no sure thing, even if he is in fact able to play. Waddle has posted 50 or more receiving yards just once so far this year, with just 26 catches for 276 yards on 45 targets. There's just no downfield juice in this passing game, and that figures to remain true as long as Nix remains a checkdown merchant.
Add in a matchup against a tough Chiefs secondary in which points should be at a premium, and that likely bumps Waddle down to WR3/FLEX territory for this week. You could certainly do a lot worse with your final receiver slot, but if you've grabbed someone like Omar Cooper Jr., Germie Bernard or KC Concepcion off of waivers in recent weeks, all of them feel like slightly better bets in your ilneup on Sunday.
Add us as a preferred source on Google