After beating the Kansas City Chiefs and moving into first place in the AFC West, there's the hope that the Denver Broncos might do more than win the division, but also clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, just as they did last year.

The Broncos still have some tough games ahead, with the Pittsburgh Steelers sitting at 5-2 and awaiting them in Week 12, plus the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots in two of the final weeks. But most of Denver's remaining games are against opponents far from the NFL's top tiers.

With the Broncos in position to chase the No. 1 seed, a midseason trade makes sense — and finding an offensive playmaker would be the fastest upgrade.

Of course, the Broncos are rumored to be interested in Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and are the new betting favorites to land him. But there are other running backs who might be available, along with tight ends and wide receivers, who could help the Broncos' offense.

With the NFL trade deadline now less than a week away (November 10), let's examine the positions to see what makes the most sense for Denver to acquire and which players might be available on the block.

Running Back

Let's start with the position that may be getting the most attention. RJ Harvey and Tyler Badie are on injured reserve for at least a few weeks, and J.K. Dobbins continues to underperform, so the Broncos could use some help here.

It makes the most sense to acquire a running back, but it may be best to find one for the short term rather than the long term. That's because Jonah Coleman has shown he could be a No. 1 back for the long term, and Harvey, while not a primary back, has shown he is a quality No. 2 option.

In this case, the Broncos may be better off with a short-term option who can replace Dobbins. That means that, as appealing as Taylor would be, he might not be the right option because he would be a long-term solution — and would push Coleman and Harvey down the depth chart.

Tennessee's Tony Pollard might actually be the best option. He's in the final year of his contract, and the Broncos might be able to include Dobbins in a deal. A possible deal could be the Broncos sending Dobbins and their fifth- and sixth-round picks to the Titans for Pollard and their sixth-rounder.

And if Lamar Jackson is going to miss the bulk of the season because of his thumb injury, the Baltimore Ravens could be talked into dealing Derrick Henry. A deal involving Dobbins, plus draft pick swaps, is possible here.

The Broncos would also get Henry on a cheap salary for 2026, and they could easily cut him next season with no dead money charges. Don't rule out Henry as a potential option.

Tight End

This would be the position to pursue if Broncos fans want a player here for 2026 and beyond. With Evan Engram's deal expiring after the season and no other tight end on the roster standing out, it makes sense to find one.

However, the trade options aren't ideal if you're trying to get a long-term option. Trey McBride would be the dream scenario, but all indications are that the Arizona Cardinals are unwilling to trade him.

The Philadelphia Eagles are rumored to be ready to move players and could make Dallas Goedert available. Goedert would be a cheap player to acquire because of how the Eagles structured his deal. 

However, Goedert would be a rental for the remainder of the season and not a long-term guy, as he's 31 this season. That doesn't mean the Broncos would have to dismiss Goedert as a possibility — only that they wouldn't be acquiring him for anything more than the short term.

Wide Receiver

In this case, the Broncos could find lots of options to add a playmaker. Among the names that have been mentioned are Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, Quentin Johnston, Brian Thomas Jr., and Josh Downs.

However, this is the least likely option among the offensive playmaker positions. The Broncos have a viable option who should be available after the bye week: Pat Bryant.

Bryant was placed on injured reserve after he sprained his ankle in Week 4. He's eligible to come off injured reserve this week, though the Broncos could wait until after the Week 10 bye to give him more time to get healthy.

But once Bryant is back in the lineup, that should give the Broncos the receiving boost they need. The Broncos need not worry about seeking a trade here.

The Takeaway

A running back to replace Dobbins for the rest of the season makes the most sense here. It would allow the Broncos to get help now in their pursuit of a Super Bowl and have a player who can provide help until Harvey returns from injury, but make it clear that Coleman is the top guy moving forward.

Doing so would mean the Broncos would have to part ways with some draft capital but not a lot — and while it's easy to say "forget them picks," Broncos fans must remember there are key players with expiring contracts or one year left after 2026 who need to be replaced.

It's easy to look at a trade like the Jeffery Simmons deal, but it's better to think about somebody like Rashid Shaheed, whom the Seattle Seahawks acquired last season for 2026 fourth- and fifth-round picks. Shaheed not only provided immediate help but was a key reason the Seahawks won the Super Bowl.

Sometimes the best trades to make are not of the blockbuster variety. It's often the under-the-radar deals involving Day 3 picks that turn out to be important for a deep playoff run.

It's my belief that the Broncos need to talk to the Titans about Pollard, while keeping an eye on the Ravens situation when it comes to Henry. A deal for Pollard or Henry might not be as sexy as Taylor, but it could do just as much to boost the Broncos' Super Bowl chances.