The Denver Broncos defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 23-17 in their Week 5 matchup at SoFi Stadium, and while head coach Sean Payton’s return to play-calling didn’t dazzle, the team flew home to Colorado with positive vibes and an improved position in the AFC playoff hierarchy. This post-game stock report takes an ‘at-a-glance’ perspective regarding which players saw their value rise and which saw them fall based on their individual production and situational impact.
Stock Up
Nik Bonitto Bonitto anchored a defensive front that controlled the line of scrimmage, recording two sacks for a loss of 12 yards. He generated consistent backfield disruption – finishing with two quarterback hits and three tackles for loss totaling 14 negative yards – while compiling four combined tackles overall. Bonitto’s consistent threat to embattled Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was instrumental in helping the Denver defense tally five total sacks and limit Los Angeles to 17 points.
J.K. Dobbins Handling the bulk of the rushing workload, Dobbins carried the ball 18 times for 68 yards (3.8 yards per carry) and one touchdown, to go along with a pair of catches for six yards. Across his first four games this season, Dobbins averaged 11.5 rushing attempts and 40.3 rushing yards per game – numbers he comfortably exceeded against Los Angeles – and the 18 carries tied for the second-most he’s had in a single game since joining the Broncos prior to the 2025 season. His usage yielded three rushing first downs and included four red-zone rushing attempts, serving as the focal point of the offense. Dobbins accounted for 78 percent of the team’s 23 rushing attempts by running backs.
Evan Engram Engram was a productive option in the passing game, catching all four of his targets for 55 yards on Sunday. Engram’s four catches matched the total output of starting wide receivers Jaylen Waddle (two) and Courtland Sutton (two), and he outgained the Broncos’ leading trio of wideouts in receiving yards, as well – Waddle (19), Sutton (18) and Troy Franklin (16) combined for only 53. The Broncos’ top tight end averaged 13.8 yards per reception and generated 23 yards after the catch, accounting for 44.7 percent of the team’s 123 passing yards. Engram secured one receiving first down and saw one red-zone target. In a matchup where the passing attack struggled to find consistency, his perfect catch rate provided necessary stability.
Stock Down
Bo Nix Nix completed 16 of his 27 (59.3%) passing attempts for 123 yards and one touchdown, finishing with an 82.8 passer rating and a 27.6 QBR. He also struggled with ball security, fumbling twice and losing one to the defense. Across four games this season, Nix has averaged 204.8 passing yards and 6.1 yards per attempt; his 4.6 yards per attempt against the Chargers fell noticeably short of his already-low, early-season baseline. The passing offense’s lack of rhythm directly contributed to Denver converting just 1-of-12 third-down opportunities – an abysmal 8.3 percent success rate. Nix now sits 24th among qualifying NFL signal-callers with a 43.1 QBR on the season; by far, the lowest of his two-plus seasons as a Bronco.
Jaylen Waddle Waddle saw five targets but secured two receptions for 19 yards, averaging 9.5 yards per catch. He generated 7 yards after the catch and was targeted once in the red zone. While he added a 9-yard run, his overall efficiency in the passing game was limited. Waddle’s 3.8 yards per target Sunday reflects the passing offense’s broader struggles, but the Broncos’ top offseason acquisition was also expected to improve all aspects of Nix’s game – and the two players still appears to have a ways to go in order to get on the same page with any consistency.
Wil Lutz The Broncos’ place-kicker went 3-for-4 on Sunday, missing a 42-yarder that could’ve cut the Chargers’ lead to four in the fourth quarter. Lutz did make a 34-yarder in the first half, and hit 19- and 36-yard field goals following the miss, but his 8-for-11 (72.7%) rate on the season ranks him only 28th in the league in accuracy. In a season in which kickers have not been increasingly accurate, but accurate from distance, Lutz’s 3-for-6 (50%) success rate from past only 40 yards is concerning – none of the other 19 NFL kickers with 8 or more made field goals this season has a worse rate from that distance.
The individual performances reflected a game defined by defensive pressure and a ground-focused offensive attack. While the offense struggled to sustain drives through the air, key contributions in the backfield and a consistent pass rush secured the road victory.
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Sportradar Content Studio contributed to this story.
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