Packers vs. Broncos Prediction, Spread, NFL Preseason Picks – Friday, August 21

August 21, 2026

NFL
AP Photo/Chris Szagola
Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix looks to pass during an NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Following up Thursday night’s two-game slate, the NFL preseason is back in full force on Friday with three matchups, including the Green Bay Packers hitting Empower Field at Mile High to clash with the Denver Broncos under the bright lights.

Ahead of the 9 p.m. ET bout on NFL Network, Denver is a considerable favorite on PrizePicks Team Picks and returns a 1.38x payout with an outright victory. With both teams expected to field their starting QBs for at least part of the contest, could there be some early fireworks in this one? 

Below, we'll break down our Packers vs. Broncos prediction and picks for Friday’s NFL preseason game, including the spread, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.

Make your Packers vs. Broncos prediction and picks on PrizePicks now.

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Packers vs. Broncos Prediction, Spread, Over/Under for NFL Preseason – Friday, August 21

The Broncos enter Friday’s game as 5.5-point home favorites against the Packers, returning a 1.38x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.

Here are the full payouts for the Packers vs. Broncos NFL preseason game on PrizePicks.

Winner Spread Total
GB Packers 2.85x +5.5 | 1.92x o40.5 | 1.81x
DEN Broncos 1.38x -5.5 | 1.81x u40.5 | 1.92x
Make your Packers vs. Broncos prediction on spread or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 36 states!

Payouts show potential returns on correct Team Picks predictions. A 2x payout returns $200 on a $100 entry. Lower multipliers reflect outcomes users are picking as more likely. Payouts are live as of writing and subject to change.


Packers vs. Broncos Prediction on Spread for NFL Preseason – 8/21/26

Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Packers vs. Broncos prediction on the spread for Friday, August 21’s game. 

  • Denver has simply looked like a much better team thus far in the preseason. Week 1 of the August stretch saw the club dispatch the Atlanta Falcons with a convincing 27-7 road triumph, whereas Green Bay fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-9 in hostile territory. 
  • The Broncos are a proven preseason team, having gone 3-0 in 2025 with a +50 point differential and earning a 3-0 mark in 2024 with a +55 differential.
  • With a 14.2% total DVOA last year, this Denver crew returned many key pieces after being ranked as the seventh-best team in the NFL. 
  • Mile High is a tough place to play when in midseason form, let alone while players are still getting conditioned. The Broncos are 6-1 against the spread in home preseason outings since 2020; the altitude could come into play again here.
  • During Denver’s eight-game preseason winning streak, six opponents have been limited to fewer than 14 points. 
  • Packers HC Matt LaFleur is a losing 9-11 ATS in the preseason
Lock in your Packers vs. Broncos prediction on PrizePicks before tonight’s NFL preseason game.

Packers vs. Broncos Picks, Player Stats for NFL Preseason on PrizePicks: 8/21/26

Here are the top Packers vs. Broncos picks to target on Friday, August 21. Today’s NFL preseason picks for PrizePicks include QBs Jordan Love and Bo Nix and K Wil Lutz. 

Packers QB Jordan Love vs. Broncos: 25.5 Pass Yards

  • Love and the Packers’ key starters will begin Friday’s game after logging just one series in last week’s loss to the Steelers.
  • Over the last three preseasons, the star signal-caller has attempted just 12 passes and thrown for 88 yards and a TD.
  • Denver’s defense was dominant a season ago, allowing the sixth-lowest EPA/pass mark (-0.11) according to SumerSports.
  • Green Bay ran the ball 44.4% of the time in its first preseason outing, right in line with its rush rate from the 2025 regular season. LaFleur’s pass rate over expectation of -4.4% ranked ninth-lowest in the sport, via nfelo.
Add Jordan Love to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

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Broncos QB Bo Nix vs. Packers: 42.5 Pass Yards

  • According to HC Sean Payton, Nix is expected to play about 14 snaps in Friday’s game, which will be his preseason debut. 
  • Green Bay’s defense struggled to slow down opposing QBs outside the red zone last year, ranking 20th by ceding 0.07 EPA/pass.
  • Per NFL Pro, Nix’s 39.4 dropbacks per game last year trailed only Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and Arizona Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett for the most in the sport. 
  • Don’t necessarily expect Nix to be under duress with the first-stringers protecting him. The Broncos’ offensive line was top 10 in pass block win rate in 2025, and the Packers’ defense registered the 12th-lowest QB knockdown clip at 7.6%. 
Add Bo Nix to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Broncos K Wil Lutz vs. Packers: 1.5 FG Made

  • Lutz was 2-for-3 in last week’s Broncos win, but in the four preseasons prior to this one, he went a combined 21-for-22 on field goal tries.
  • Last preseason was a display of dominance from Lutz, as he drilled each and every kick (8-for-8) below 50 yards.
  • The Packers routinely got after the QB in the red zone in 2025, sitting second with a sack percentage of 11.11%. If Nix or a backup is behind the sticks, it could force Denver to settle for field goals.
  • Payton ranked just 17th out of 34 qualified HCs in FTN’s aggressiveness index last season. That trend hints at him being a bit conservative when it comes to situational football, especially in the preseason.
Add Wil Lutz to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Make Packers vs. Broncos Picks for NFL Preseason on PrizePicks

Green Bay and Denver couldn’t have gotten off to more opposite starts to their respective preseasons. With Friday’s game in the elevation approaching, however, there’s ample opportunity for either side to generate some momentum while the 2026 regular season awaits on the horizon.

Don’t wait until kickoff for more preseason football — make your Packers vs. Broncos picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

Pick NFL players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on preseason NFL game winners, spreads, over/unders, and futures, now available in 36 states.

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Jordan Foote is a seasoned sports writer with years of experience covering the NFL, NBA and MLB for multiple outlets. He is a Baker University alumnus, earning his degree in Mass Media with an emphasis in sports journalism. Foote was born and raised in Kansas City, where he still resides to this day.