Vikings vs. Broncos Prediction, NFL Preseason Picks – Friday, August 28

The final week of the NFL preseason is upon us, with a fun 10-game slate, highlighted by the nightcap between the Minnesota Vikings and the Denver Broncos at Empower Field in Denver.

Ahead of the 9:00 p.m. ET bout on NFL Network, the Broncos are a considerable home favorite on PrizePicks Team Picks and return a 1.51x payout with an outright victory. 

Denver’s two preseason games have been total opposites: a dominating 27-7 victory over Atlanta before a 33-13 home shellacking by the Green Bay Packers. Minnesota is also 1-1 in the preseason and has shown solid defensive depth, holding their opponents to a combined 23 points. But the Vikings have only scored only 16 points of their own.

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

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Vikings vs. Broncos Prediction, Spread, Over/Under for NFL Preseason – Friday, August 28

The Broncos enter Friday’s game as 3.5-point favorites against the Vikings, returning a 1.51x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.

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

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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.

Vikings vs. Broncos Prediction on Over/Under for NFL Preseason – 8/28/26

Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Vikings vs. Broncos prediction on the over/under for Friday, August 28’s game. 

• The under is a combined 3-1 for both teams in the preseason—2-0 for the Vikings and 1-1 for the Broncos.
• The single most impressive unit for this game is likely the Vikings' defense, which has smothered its opponents.
• The unit has allowed a combined 23 points and just 2.6 yards per carry to a couple of formidable rushing offenses: the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Giants.
• Meanwhile, the Broncos' run defense has been almost as formidable, allowing just 3.7 YPC to the Packers and 2.6 YPC to the Falcons.
• No starters are expected to play for either side, which should create a choppier game environment, more conducive to offensive procedure penalties and miscues, both of which generally favor a lower-scoring game.
• The Vikings QB room of Carson Wentz, J.J. McCarthy, and Max Brosmer may read as fairly competent for a preseason game, but the latter two have not been good, combining to go 21 of 36 for 219 yards, 0 TDs, and 1 INT.
• We will talk more about QB Sam Ehlinger later in the article, but the Broncos' presumed backup QB Jarret Stidham showed some concerning regression in his last game against Green Bay, going just 9 of 15 for 82 yards and an INT.

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Vikings vs. Broncos Picks, Player Stats for NFL Preseason on PrizePicks: 8/28/26

Here are the top Vikings vs. Broncos picks to target on Friday, August 28. Today’s NFL preseason picks for PrizePicks include RB Demond Claiborne and QB Sam Ehlinger. 

Vikings RB Demond Claiborne vs. Broncos: 29.5 Rush Yards

• Claiborne is averaging just 26.0 rushing yards per game in the preseason.
• As mentioned above, the Broncos' run defense has been as solid as it comes in the preseason, allowing just a little over 3.0 YPC.
• Claiborne is certainly dangerous in the open field, but his vision is not great, making it difficult for him to find holes in the offensive line to exploit.
• He has averaged just 2.3 and 2.8 YPC in his two preseason games. At that rate, it would take him over 10 carries to clear this projection.
• Reaching 10+ carries could be difficult to come by, especially with the Vikings projected to play this game from behind, which could lead to a more pass-heavy game plan.

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Broncos QB Sam Ehlinger vs. Vikings: 127.5 Pass Yards

• I actually like this spot for Ehlinger for a couple of reasons, the primary being the number of opportunities he should get.
• Broncos Country has been clamoring for Ehlinger to get an extended look to be the backup behind QB Bo Nix, and it looks like that look may come tonight. Ehlinger is expected to play the majority of this game, potentially entering in the second quarter and playing for the rest of the way.
• There is a lot of motivation for Ehlinger to play well tonight, as a strong showing could be the difference for making the team, with roster cuts ahead on Sunday, August 30.
• The Vikings' run defense has been their strength, which could make it prudent for Denver to attack through the air.
• Ehlinger has shown a solid ability to complete passes, going 12 of 16 this preseason, while the Vikings defense hasn’t forced many incompletions (just 14 in 51 throws). If the Broncos receivers can show some YAC tonight, Ehlinger may clear this projection with ease.

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Both defenses have shown out so far in the preseason, which could lead to a low-scoring game. QB Sam Ehlinger will aim to carry his team to a victory to not just secure his own roster spot but also secure the Broncos a winning preseason record.

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