The Atlanta Falcons kick off their 2026 preseason schedule on Friday night at home against the Denver Broncos, offering their first outside challenge before a new chapter begins for Atlanta. Head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters a couple weeks ago that he plans to play Falcons starters in Week 1 and Week 3 during the preseason, relying on the joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts for starter reps in Week 2. AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementAs for the Broncos, head coach Sean Payton has a different idea in mind. On Monday, he told Denver beat reporters that his starters will play during the preseason, but he will be playing it by ear as to how much. This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: What Sean Payton said about preseason plan for Broncos starters