Our Broncos vs Chargers preview covers the latest odds, point spread, moneyline, total, kickoff time, TV channel and where to watch for the NFL Week 5 matchup between the Denver Broncos (2-2) and the Los Angeles Chargers (0-4) on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. Kickoff is 4:05 PM ET (1:05 PM PT), and the game airs on CBS.
Week 5 storyline: The Chargers are 0-4 and on a four-game losing streak in Jim Harbaugh’s third season, and Harbaugh said offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s job is not in jeopardy after another poor offensive game. Denver visits SoFi Stadium at 2-2 but without CB Pat Surtain II, who avoided a long-term injury but is projected to miss about two weeks with a sprained ankle (ESPN, NFL Network).
As of Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, 2:18 AM PT (5:18 AM ET), DraftKings via ESPN lists the Broncos as 3.5-point favorites over the Chargers, with the moneyline at Broncos -185 / Chargers +154 and the over/under at 42.5. Since the open, the spread has moved from LAC -2.5 to DEN -3.5 and the total has moved from 44.5 to 42.5. Below are the full Broncos vs Chargers odds, both team previews, the latest Week 5 injury news and TV details.
Broncos vs Chargers Odds & Preview Info
| Matchup detail | Line / info |
|---|---|
| Matchup | Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers |
| Records | Broncos 2-2 (0-2 road) · Chargers 0-4 (0-2 home) |
| Spread | Broncos -3.5 (-110) · Chargers +3.5 (-110) |
| Moneyline | Broncos -185 · Chargers +154 |
| Total | 42.5 (Over -110 / Under -110) |
| Venue | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA |
| Date/Time | Sunday, October 11, 2026 · 4:05 PM ET (1:05 PM PT) |
| TV | CBS |
| Head Coaches | Broncos: Sean Payton · Chargers: Jim Harbaugh |
| Starting QBs | Broncos: Bo Nix · Chargers: Justin Herbert |
Odds: DraftKings via ESPN as of Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, 2:18 AM PT (5:18 AM ET). Opening line: LAC -2.5, total 44.5, moneyline Broncos +120 / Chargers -142. Line movement: the spread has moved from LAC -2.5 to DEN -3.5, the total has moved from 44.5 to 42.5, and the moneyline has gone from Broncos +120 / Chargers -142 at the open to Broncos -185 / Chargers +154. Spread and total prices are shown in parentheses. Lines can move before kickoff.
Denver Broncos Preview
2026 results through Week 4: Week 1: at Chiefs, L 10-31 · Week 2: vs Jaguars, W 20-13 · Week 3: vs Rams, W 30-26 · Week 4: at 49ers, L 14-24. Points: 74 scored, 94 allowed.
Season so far: Denver lost 31-10 at Kansas City, beat Jacksonville 20-13 as Jaylen Waddle turned a quiet start into a 138-yard day, edged the Rams 30-26 on Sunday night and lost 24-14 at San Francisco last week. The Broncos are 2-0 at home and 0-2 on the road (AP).
Quarterback and key players: Bo Nix is 81 of 135 for 819 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions (ESPN). J.K. Dobbins has 161 rushing yards, Waddle has 16 catches for 185 yards in his first Denver season, Zach Allen has three sacks and LB Alex Singleton leads with 47 tackles.
This week: Surtain (ankle) is listed doubtful, CB Riley Moss had imaging on his ribs Monday, WR Pat Bryant sprained his right ankle and is set to miss a few weeks, and LB Dondrea Tillman (hamstring) is listed out. RB Jonah Coleman (ankle) is on injured reserve (ESPN, NFL Network).
Los Angeles Chargers Preview
2026 results through Week 4: Week 1: vs Cardinals, L 14-26 · Week 2: vs Raiders, L 14-26 · Week 3: at Bills, L 16-24 · Week 4: at Seahawks, L 23-30. Points: 67 scored, 106 allowed.
Season so far: Los Angeles lost 26-14 to Arizona and 26-14 to Las Vegas at home, then 24-16 at Buffalo and 30-23 at Seattle. The Chargers have not scored more than 23 points in a game (AP).
Quarterback and key players: Justin Herbert is 71 of 119 for 816 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions (ESPN); he threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in Seattle. Omarion Hampton has 238 rushing yards and three touchdowns, Tre’ Harris leads with 13 catches for 209 yards, Khalil Mack has three sacks and LB Daiyan Henley has 26 tackles.
This week: LT Rashawn Slater suffered a high ankle sprain and is projected to miss four to six weeks, per NFL Network, and OT Joe Alt (neck) left the Seattle game. S Derwin James Jr. (hamstring) and WR Ladd McConkey (foot) are week-to-week, and TE Charlie Kolar (forearm), DT Dalvin Tomlinson (hamstring) and WR Brenen Thompson (quadriceps) are listed out (ESPN, BoltBeat).
Broncos vs Chargers Key Injuries
Source: ESPN’s injury tracker as of Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, 2:18 AM PT (5:18 AM ET), with team-site, ESPN and NFL Network reporting for context. These are tracker statuses after Week 4, not official game designations: official Week 5 reports for this game run Wednesday through Friday, with game designations on Friday, Oct. 9. Some players listed questionable left Week 4 games and have not been updated yet.
Denver Broncos — Out: LB Dondrea Tillman (hamstring) · Doubtful: CB Pat Surtain II (ankle sprain); WR Pat Bryant (ankle sprain) · Questionable: CB Riley Moss (ribs) · Recent injured reserve moves (ESPN): RB Jonah Coleman (ankle sprain).
Los Angeles Chargers — Out: S Derwin James Jr. (hamstring); OT Rashawn Slater (ankle sprain); WR Brenen Thompson (quadriceps); DT Dalvin Tomlinson (hamstring); TE Charlie Kolar (forearm surgery); G Kayode Awosika (lower leg) · Doubtful: none · Questionable: WR Ladd McConkey (foot); G Trevor Penning (concussion); OT Joe Alt (neck); CB Donte Jackson (hamstring) · Recent injured reserve moves (ESPN): FB Scott Matlock (undisclosed).
Context: Both secondaries are short-handed: Denver’s top two cornerbacks are hurt, and the Chargers are without James.
Broncos vs Chargers Key Matchup Notes
- Herbert’s protection: The Chargers are without Slater and may be without Alt, and Herbert has six interceptions in four games.
- Denver’s cornerbacks: With Surtain doubtful and Moss hurt, the Broncos face Harris, who leads the Chargers in receiving.
- Road form: Denver is 0-2 away from home, and Los Angeles is 0-2 at SoFi Stadium.
- Points: Denver has scored 74 points and allowed 94; the Chargers have scored 67 and allowed 106.
- Market snapshot: DraftKings opened LAC -2.5 with a 44.5 total and now shows DEN -3.5 and 42.5 (DraftKings via ESPN, as of 2:18 AM PT Tuesday).
Kickoff, Venue & How to Watch Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers
- Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026
- Kickoff: 4:05 PM ET (1:05 PM PT)
- Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
- TV / Streaming: CBS (regional broadcast; check local listings). Streaming: Paramount+ carries the local CBS feed, NFL+ streams local games on phones and tablets, and out-of-market viewers can use NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube / YouTube TV
Where to watch: the Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers game airs on CBS at 4:05 PM ET. Final inactives are released about 90 minutes before kickoff.
This preview is for informational purposes only. It reports odds, injury designations and broadcast details from DraftKings via ESPN, NFL.com, team sites, ESPN and AP, and it is not gambling advice. Odds, injury statuses and inactives can change before kickoff, so confirm with official sources. If you gamble, do so legally and responsibly; help is available at 1-800-GAMBLER. Information current as of Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, 2:18 AM PT (5:18 AM ET) for the Broncos vs Chargers game on October 11, 2026.