The Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos will complete their 2026 regular season series this Sunday. Kansas City got a dominant win on the Monday night stage in Week 1 at Arrowhead Stadium. But after receiving a beating by the Seattle Seahawks last week, this trip to Denver will be no easy task for the Chiefs.
Can Kansas City avoid a second straight loss? The Chiefs have certainly had much more competitive and emotional battles at the Broncos' house in recent years compared to the early years of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes together.
While the Chiefs already saw the Broncos once, some Denver players have jumped out since then. Here are three Broncos players who are experiencing a breakout in 2026.
DB Ja'Quan McMillian
Ja'Quan McMillian was already a dynamic back-end player for Denver entering this season. From 2023 to 2025, he tallied 7 interceptions, 25 passes defensed, five forced fumbles, and 17 tackles for loss, including playoffs. His plays on the football largely came down the field.
But in 2026, McMillian is serving an even greater role for this incredible Broncos defense. It is truly showing up in all situations, adding to the further breakout for McMillian. Interestingly, it is his ability as a blitzer on slot blitzes that has added another element to his game. McMillian already has two sacks and two pressures this season.
Adding that to his length against the pass, quickness in space, and instincts at the catch point, McMillian continues to be a major find for Denver as a former Broncos undrafted free agent signing. But he is simply enjoying his best season so far.
DT Malcolm Roach
Malcolm Roach is similar to McMillian. He was a serviceable role player during the early part of his career. But in 2026, Roach has been one of the more dependable Denver defensive linemen in terms of production.
Roach ranks as follows on the Broncos' defense so far this season: He is third in sacks (2.5), tied for first in tackles for loss (four), second in quarterback hits (11), and tied for second in pressures (12). His 12 solo tackles are also top 10 on the team's defense.
Roach's number of quarterback hits is already a career high for a single season entering Week 8. He would need just two more sacks to notch a single-season career high in that category as well. Patrick Mahomes just faced a heavy dose of pressure and panic last game. Roach will be a player the Chiefs have to stand tall against in order to keep Mahomes comfortable.
CB Kris Abrams-Draine
Kris Abrams-Draine only played in 5 games in his rookie season. He was a lower-level role defender in 17 games played last year. And even in 2026, the Broncos have still started Abrams-Draine only once.
He is quietly becoming another solid defensive back that Denver can trust when rotating packages, coverages, and players in. Abrams-Draine has five passes defensed, one interception, and one tackle for loss this season. Teams are completing just 60.9 percent of passes when targeting him. Additionally, Abrams-Draine has limited opponents' yards after the catch (8 ypc) against this defender.
Per Pro Football Reference, Abrams-Draine has played 41.52 percent of the Broncos' defensive snaps this year. There are other top defensive backs whom the Chiefs will be careful with. But among the more unheralded Denver defenders, Abrams-Draine is becoming a more reliable presence in one-on-one chances.
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