Chargers at Broncos: Week 18 preview, odds and injuries

Week 18 · Sun, Jan 10 · Empower Field at Mile High12 AM ET

at12 AMET · TBD

At a glanceUpdated Nov 10, 2026, 6:03 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers (0-8) visit the Denver Broncos (7-2) on Sun, Jan 10, time TBD at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, CO (Week 18, 2026 season).

When and where is Chargers vs Broncos?

Sun, Jan 10, time TBD at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, CO.

Who is injured for Chargers vs Broncos?

Chargers: Brenen Thompson (WR, questionable, quadriceps), Deane Leonard (CB, questionable, concussion), Isas Waxter (CB, questionable, ankle), Justin Eboigbe (DT, questionable, ankle), Justin Herbert (QB, questionable, finger) and Kayode Awosika (G, questionable, lower leg) (plus 2 more). Broncos: Brandon Jones (S, out, hamstring), Kris Abrams-Draine (CB, out, ankle), Talanoa Hufanga (S, out, ankle), Jaylen Waddle (WR, questionable, concussion) and Riley Moss (CB, questionable, concussion).

Cite this page

Pigskin Nightly, “Chargers at Broncos: Week 18 preview”, https://pigskinnightly.com/games/2027-01-10-lac-at-den (updated 2026-11-10).

How we calculate Plain-text version Report an error

Regular season through week 17 · rank out of 32

Where this game will be decided

1Chargers third-down defense vs Broncos third-down offense
The Chargers' third-down defense ranks 7th in third-down conversion rate (35.1% allowed, 97 third downs faced) and faces a Broncos third-down offense ranked 31st (33.6%, 110 third downs).
31stDEN offense24 spots apart7thLAC defense
2Broncos pass defense vs Chargers dropback offense
The Broncos' pass defense ranks 12th in EPA per dropback (-0.00 allowed, 383 dropbacks faced) and faces a Chargers dropback offense ranked 32nd (-0.24, 296 dropbacks).
32ndLAC offense20 spots apart12thDEN defense
3Broncos pass protection vs Chargers pass rush
The Broncos' pass protection ranks 3rd in sack rate (3.5% sacked, 310 dropbacks) against a Chargers pass rush ranked 25th (5.1% of dropbacks, 255 dropbacks faced).
3rdDEN offense22 spots apart25thLAC defense

When the Chargers have the ballEdge DEN · +20 ranks

LAC dropback offenseEPA per dropbackDEN pass defense

32nd-0.24296 dropbacks

DEN +20

-0.00 allowed383 dropbacks faced12th

LAC run gameEPA per rushDEN run defense

32nd-0.25201 rushes

-0.02 allowed225 rushes faced29th

Dropbacks include sacks and scrambles; rushes are designed runs. What EPA measures.

When the Broncos have the ballNo big edge

DEN dropback offenseEPA per dropbackLAC pass defense

20th+0.02310 dropbacks

+0.06 allowed255 dropbacks faced18th

DEN run gameEPA per rushLAC run defense

15th-0.07207 rushes

-0.06 allowed218 rushes faced20th

Third downEdge LAC · +24 ranks

LAC third-down offensethird-down conversion rateDEN third-down defense

27th36.0%114 third downs

41.5% allowed130 third downs faced20th

DEN third-down offensethird-down conversion rateLAC third-down defense

31st33.6%110 third downs

LAC +24

35.1% allowed97 third downs faced7th

Conversions are third-down snaps that gained a first down or scored.

Red zoneEdge DEN · +17 ranks

LAC red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateDEN red-zone defense

29th47%19 trips

DEN +17

52% allowed29 trips faced12th

DEN red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateLAC red-zone defense

8th65%26 trips

53% allowed32 trips faced13th

A trip is a drive with at least one snap inside the opponent's 20; the rate is trips that ended in an offensive touchdown. Small samples swing fast here.

Explosive playsEdge DEN · +9 ranks

LAC big-play offenseexplosive-play rateDEN defense against big plays

26th7.8%497 plays

DEN +9

9.5% allowed608 plays faced17th

DEN big-play offenseexplosive-play rateLAC defense against big plays

30th7.0%517 plays

10.1% allowed473 plays faced25th

Completions of 20+ yards and runs of 10+, per snap. Definition.

Pressure & sacksEdge DEN · +22 ranks

LAC pass protectionsack rateDEN pass rush

31st10.5% sacked296 dropbacks

DEN +19

6.8% of dropbacks383 dropbacks faced12th

DEN pass protectionsack rateLAC pass rush

3rd3.5% sacked310 dropbacks

DEN +22

5.1% of dropbacks255 dropbacks faced25th

Sacks per dropback. The public play-by-play has no pressure charting, so this is the sack side of it only.

TurnoversEdge DEN · +19 ranks

LAC ball securityturnovers per gameDEN takeaway defense

32nd2.3 giveaways a game8 games

DEN +19

1.3 takeaways a game9 games13th

DEN ball securityturnovers per gameLAC takeaway defense

4th0.7 giveaways a game9 games

1.4 takeaways a game8 games10th

Interceptions and lost fumbles on offensive snaps, per game. Turnover rates are among the least stable numbers in football.

AbsencesLAC 0 · DEN 3 regulars out or doubtful

Chargers8 listed

0 of them are regulars ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QJustin HerbertQB97% offense · 8 wk
QKayode AwosikaG69% offense · 2 wk
QLadd McConkeyWR53% offense · 6 wk
QJustin EboigbeDT47% defense · 8 wk
QDeane LeonardCB32% defense · 4 wk
QIsas WaxterCB26% defense · 4 wk
QBrenen ThompsonWR18% offense · 2 wk
QKendall WilliamsonSno snaps

Broncos5 listed

3 of them are regulars ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

OUTTalanoa HufangaS93% defense · 5 wk
OUTBrandon JonesS91% defense · 8 wk
QRiley MossCB75% defense · 8 wk
OUTKris Abrams-DraineCB72% defense · 8 wk
QJaylen WaddleWR59% offense · 9 wk

Snap share is the average of the weeks each player was on the field this season. Full injury report ↓

Rest & travelSame rest · LAC travels 837 mi

AwayChargers

7days since last game

837miles to get here

1time zones

Last: Sun wk 17 vs KC · 9,074 mi flown this season

Normal week

Rest edgeEvensame restTravel gap 837 mi

HomeBroncos

7days since last game

0miles · home

0time zones

Last: Sun wk 17 at NE · Foxborough · 8,549 mi flown this season

Normal week

League splits for these situations ↓

Sample: LAC 8 games, 497 offensive and 473 defensive plays · DEN 9 games, 517 offensive and 608 defensive plays. Rank 1 is the best offense or the best defense in each stat. Keys are the largest rank gaps (12+ spots) between an offense and the defense it faces, one per stat. Ranks are not schedule-adjusted.

Season to date · rank out of 32