The Minnesota Vikings close out the preseason on the road against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Kickoff is set for 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday. Kalshi traders have Denver at 66% and Minnesota at 36%, as of this writing.
Minnesota enters 1-1 in the preseason after a 13-10 win over the Giants and losing to Baltimore 13-3. Denver is also 1-1 after a 27-7 win over Atlanta and losing to Green Bay 33-13. Both teams face the mandatory cutdown to 53 players on Aug. 30.
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Snapshot
Matchup: Minnesota Vikings vs. Denver Broncos
Kickoff: Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, 9:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colo.
Watch: NFL Network
Kalshi traders' current number: 36% Minnesota Vikings / 66% Denver Broncos (as of this writing)
Minnesota Vikings vs. Denver Broncos, Friday, August 28, 2026
According to Kalshi's 2026 NFL market-implied power rankings, Denver enters as the No. 8 team in the league while Minnesota ranks 19th.
Kyler Murray sat out Minnesota's Week 2 loss to Baltimore and is not expected to play Friday. That leaves J.J. McCarthy as the story for the Vikings, after a rough outing against the Ravens' backups raised questions about whether he has lost the backup job to Carson Wentz. Head coach Kevin O'Connell is expected to give McCarthy extended snaps to answer the question.
Denver's Bo Nix will likely sit after a strong return last week, when he went 6-of-9 with a touchdown. That turns the Denver backup competition into a battle between Sam Ehlinger and Jarrett Stidham, both of whom have had uneven moments this preseason. Stidham struggled against Green Bay's defense last week after a strong preseason opener, while Ehlinger finished last week's loss with a touchdown drive of his own.
Both teams enter with clear roster-bubble stakes. Minnesota's backup quarterback pecking order behind Murray remains the most closely watched position battle in the league heading into final cuts.
Margin of victory
Kalshi traders have Denver winning by more than 3.5 points at 48%, as of this writing.
Point total
Kalshi traders have the total priced at over 39.5 points at 44%, as of this writing.
NFC North Division
Kalshi traders have the Minnesota Vikings at 19% to win the NFC North, as of this writing. Detroit leads the division at 35%.
AFC West Division
Kalshi traders have the Denver Broncos at 31% to win the AFC West, as of this writing, third in a division led by Kansas City at 34%.
The takeaway
Kalshi markets now predict:
When is Minnesota Vikings vs. Denver Broncos? Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. ET.
Where is the game? Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo.
How can I watch? NFL Network.
What is Kalshi traders' current number? Minnesota 36%, Denver 66%, as of this writing.
Denver enters as the clear favorite with Kyler Murray expected to sit out at altitude. J.J. McCarthy's performance against Denver's backups stands as the game's central storyline.
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