Jaylen Waddle’s status is the big Broncos question heading into Sunday’s Week 8 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Denver wideout has been dealing with a chest injury since Week 6 against the Seattle Seahawks. He didn’t carry an injury designation in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals, but the issue flared up again after he was tackled on a reverse play, and he was limited in practice this week leading into the Chiefs game.
Denver has officially listed Waddle as questionable.
Jaylen Waddle (chest) listed questionable for Week 8.
Earlier in the week, Broncos report Mike Klis said the team was hopeful Waddle would be able to go in what’s shaping up as a major AFC West showdown. A win would push Denver into first place in the division.
The matchup also sets up as a potentially favorable one for the Broncos passing game. Kansas City has ruled out rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane, and the Chiefs also placed L'Jarius Sneed on injured reserve. Even so, Waddle didn’t do much against Kansas City in Week 1, finishing with just one catch.
Through seven games, Waddle has been targeted 45 times by Bo Nix, turning those looks into 26 receptions for 276 yards and one touchdown. He’s also caught a 2-point conversion. The production hasn’t matched expectations, and Denver’s offense has struggled overall with Nix taking a step back from his 2025 form.
If Waddle is active, the betting market is thin. Because of the questionable tag, sportsbooks have only posted touchdown props for him in Week 8, which leaves fewer angles to attack. Still, with Kansas City shorthanded on the back end, the touchdown play is the one that stands out.
Waddle has only one score this season, but he has been on the field for 66.2 percent of Denver’s snaps, and the expectation is that he would be a featured part of the game plan if he suits up.
The concern, of course, is the injury itself. Waddle has aggravated the chest issue in back-to-back weeks, and that makes him a risky play even in a matchup that looks inviting on paper.
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