The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers will meet at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, for a Week 5 AFC West showdown.
Listed as 3.5-point road favorites, my Broncos vs. Chargers prediction and NFL picks have Denver earning a win in a high-scoring divisional battle.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS.
TOP Pick
Broncos vs Chargers prediction: Over 41.5
Playable to 54%.
Both the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers could have a difficult time playing defense in Week 5.
Denver will be missing both starting corners, Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss, who exited last weekend’s game against San Francisco with injuries. Meanwhile, Los Angeles will be without star safety Derwin James and CB Donte Jackson.
Head coach Sean Payton will take over Denver’s play-calling duties this weekend, too, which could lead to more downfield passing attempts. Bo Nix had just two completions of 10+ air yards in Week 4, which presumably contributed to Davis Webb losing the play-calling duties.
An improved Denver offense with Payton calling the shots should find success against an injury-plagued Los Angeles secondary. Justin Herbert and company will also benefit from Denver’s defensive injuries, setting the stage for a shootout.
COVERS INTEL: Brock Purdy went 9-of-10 passing on San Francisco’s final three offensive possessions in Week 4 after Denver lost both of its starting corners to injury. The Broncos could have a tough time slowing down the Chargers’ passing attack in Week 5.
Broncos vs Chargers combo
Playable to 36%.
Denver's offense has struggled mightily early in 2026, but much of those struggles are likely a result of Davis Webb's unimaginative play-calling. The Broncos scored on their opening possession 43% of the time from 2023-to-2025 with Sean Payton calling plays — a rate 10% higher than the league average. Denver hadn't recorded a single first down through four weeks on their opening possession with Webb calling plays to begin 2026.
The Chargers starting offensive line in Week 5 is likely to feature three rookies and an undrafted free agent who hadn't played a regular season snap prior to being forced into action in Week 4 against the Seahawks.
The Broncos have the better head coach and are the healthier team heading into this weekend. Their defense might not be at full strength, but their offense should be able to score enough points to win this game.
Broncos vs Chargers combo
- Broncos moneyline
- Over 41.5
Broncos vs Chargers touchdown scorer: Tre Harris
Playable to 25%.
Tre Harris figures to be a focal point in the Chargers passing attack in Week 5, with Quentin Johnston already ruled out and Ladd McConkey listed as questionable due to a foot injury that forced him to exit last weekend's game early.
Harris played 66 snaps in Week 4 — the most of any Chargers skill position player. He had four first-read targets, which was more than any other wideout on the team, and that was with Johnston playing 53 snaps.
Harris is a big target at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, making him a great target in the red zone against the diminutive starting cornerback combination of Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine, both of whom are 5-foot-11.
- Top picks: 1-2, -1.00 units
- Combos: 1-2, +1.17 units
Broncos vs Chargers odds
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
- Spread: Broncos -3.5 | Chargers +3.5
- Over/Under: Over 41.5 (52%) | Under 41.5 (49%)
- Moneyline: Broncos 64% | Chargers 38%
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Broncos vs Chargers weather
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Broncos vs Chargers trend to know
The Over is 4-0 in the Chargers' last four games in October. Find more NFL betting trends for Broncos vs. Chargers.
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How to watch Broncos vs Chargers
| Location | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA |
| Date | Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 4:05 p.m. ET |
| TV | CBS |
Broncos vs Chargers latest injuries
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