2025 Denver Broncos Fantasy Preview
2025 Denver Broncos Fantasy Preview The Denver Broncos were one of the league’s biggest surprises last year, making the playoffs after a 10-7 season that far surpassed the preseason over/under of 5.5 wins. Sean Payton did a tremendous job rebuilding both sides of the ball and hit a home run with first-year quarterback Bo Nix. Integral to Denver’s success is an offensive line that ranked first in pass protection. Nix jelled after a slow start. He averaged 165 passing yards with one touchdown and four interceptions in his first four starts. After that, Nix totaled 31 touchdowns and eight picks the rest of the way. With an improving cast of pass-catchers supporting him, Nix enters his second pro season firmly in fantasy QB1 territory. Payton has long preferred a committee backfield approach. However, with Javonte Williams in Dallas, Payton nabbed UCF RB RJ Harvey with the 60th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Harvey became just the fourth running back taken before Day 3 of a draft by Payton. The other three- Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram, and Alvin Kamara. Harvey is a tackle-breaking machine and offers a three-down skill set. One of the top sleeper RBs of 2025. Courtland Sutton returns as the top wideout in Denver. Sutton had the best season of his career with Nix, posting WR15 numbers that included five games with 95-plus yards in the second half of the season. Marvin Mims also excelled down the stretch and will be one of the top third-year breakout wide receivers to target. Third-round Illinois WR Pat Bryant has excellent hands and shows well in contested-catch situations. Payton compared the rookie to Michael Thomas. He’s the favorite to earn Denver’s WR3 role. Evan Engram signed a two-year, $23 million deal to stabilize Denver’s tight end position. Payton’s offense has an extensive history of utilizing the tight end heavily, and Engram will be a massive upgrade over Denver’s previous trio of unassuming veterans. Engram posted back-to-back top-5 fantasy finishes in 2022 and 2023 and has sneaky potential to contend for those lofty numbers again in 2025. Fantasy Grade: B- QB Nix, Bo, DEN [QB1] One of the biggest surprises of last season, Bo Nix finishing as the QB9 overall. His 5.1 percent touchdown rate surpassed rookie-year marks of Joe Burrow and C.J. Stroud. Nix amassed 3,775 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 430 rushing yards with four scores, ranking fifth among quarterbacks in carries. Nix demonstrated deep-ball prowess, completing 31 of 73 passes over 20 air yards for 932 yards and eight touchdowns. His explosive play rating (EPX) of 103.2 ranked 14th league-wide. With Sean Payton’s system and Denver’s strong offensive line, Nix projects as a high-floor QB1 in 2025 drafts ADVICE: Value target in the second tier of fantasy quarterbacks. RB Harvey, RJ, DEN [RB1] Sleeper Sean Payton has only selected three running backs before Day 3 of any NFL Draft. Those backs, Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram, and Alvin Kamara, turned out to be excellent fantasy bets. R.J. Harvey rushed for over 1,400 yards in back-to-back seasons at UCF and showed elite tackle-breaking ability. In 2024, Harvey ranked 2nd in FBS in breakaway runs (32), 7th in missed tackles forced (69), scored 22 touchdowns, and reeled in 20 catches. Harvey checks all the boxes to be a three-down weapon and landed with a coach who knows how to make that happen. ADVICE: One of the top sleepers to target, with top-15 upside in Sean Payton’s scheme. RB Dobbins, J.K., DEN [RB2] The Broncos signed Dobbins to a one-year deal. This is good news for Dobbins, but bad for RJ Harvey and the Denver backfield from a fantasy perspective. It looks like the Broncos will stick with a frustrating committee, limiting the potential for each player. RB McLaughlin, Jaleel, DEN [RB3] McLaughlin got an extended look down the stretch, surpassing double-digit carries in three of his final four outings. However, Sean Payton using Day Two draft capital on RJ Harvey ends any chance McLaughlin had of making a fantasy impact in his third season. Harvey will be given every opportunity to command a three-down workhorse role, which will reduce McLaughlin and Audric Estime to change-of-pace duties. McLaughlin is a decent receiver who caught 24 of his 27 targets in 2024. Expect him to see limited carries this season as Harvey’s understudy. ADVICE: Change-of-pace option with limited upside. RB Estime, Audric, DEN [RB4] ADVICE: Estime is over two years younger than R.J. Harvey, who is expected to lead Denver’s backfield. Of course, Sean Payton isn’t adverse to trotting out a committee, so Estime makes sense as a late-round flier. WR Sutton, Courtland, DEN [WR1] The ascension of Bo Nix led to a career-best 14.8 PPR points per game average for Courtland Sutton, who finished as the overall WR15. Sutton was a man-coverage killer, who ranked 2nd among all wideouts with 1,787 air yards and 3rd in contested catch rate. He ended the season on a heater, catching 45-of-77 targets for 582 yards and six touchdowns in Denver’s final eight regular-season contests. He’s indisputably Denver’s No. 1 wide receiver and could benefit from Sean Payton’s reinforcements that arrived in the draft. ADVICE: Locked-in No. 1 wideout on an offense that is trending up. Sutton is an excellent WR2 target for fantasy managers who attack RB early. WR Mims, Marvin, DEN [WR2] Sleeper If you’re looking for players who ended the year on a hot streak, then Marvin Mims is your guy. Over the final three games of the 2024 season, Mims had 16 receptions for 216 yards and four touchdowns. That average of 20.6 PPR points per game ranked 7th for Weeks 16-18. After a nearly invisible first half of the season, Mims became a factor in Denver’s offense beginning in Week 10. From that point on, he averaged 14.4 PPR points per game, which would have ranked as the WR24 for the full season. Mims excels at creating separation, and Sean Payton finally figured it out. ADVICE: Must-have mid-round sleeper with
Sunday Playoff Preview
Sunday Playoff Preview The 6-game NFL Wild Card Weekend continues Sunday with a full day of games. FullTime Fantasy‘s Sunday Playoff Preview breaks down the slate from a fantasy football and sports betting perspective. And just because the fantasy regular season has ended doesn’t mean the fun is over. FFWC Playoff Fantasy Football is a great way to extend the fantasy fun and win amazing prizes! Denver Broncos (10-7) at Buffalo Bills (13-4) Time: 1:00 Eastern Line: Bills -8 Total: 47.5 Money Line: Denver +375, Buffalo -465 Broncos Offense Sean Payton’s offense made huge strides in 2024. Most of that can be attributed to landing Bo Nix in the 2024 NFL Draft. Nix proved to be the perfect fit in Payton’s short-passing attack. The results were the Broncos’ first post-season appearance in eight seasons. However, as eight-point dogs, the run could be brief. Per ESPN, rookie QBs are 0-5 in road playoff games over the last 10 seasons. Speaking of Bo Nix, the matchup is neutral. However, the atmosphere will be inhospitable. Buffalo allowed the 14th-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, allowing 28 TD passes and an additional 263/2 on the ground. Nix has the athleticism to escape the pocket against a subpar pass rush, but questions remain about Denver’s supporting cast. Denver employs a full-on committee backfield that is fantasy-unfriendly. Our RDA* projections favor Jaleel McLaughlin to lead the way in touches. However, in a game where the Broncos are 8-point underdogs, McLaughlin and Javonte Williams will be involved as receivers. Rookie Audric Estime came on down the stretch and has a 34% chance of punching in a short-yardage score per our Week 19 rankings. The Bills excel at shutting down slot receivers and are vulnerable on the outside. That favors Courtland Sutton (17% slot rate) well. Sutton (81/1081/8) posted WR15 numbers this season and remains a solid Week 19 start in a game with a positive game script. Marvin Mims became a bigger factor in Denver’s offense as the season developed. Mims is Payton’s big-play threat who can make an impact downfield, out of the backfield, and as a returner. Our RDA* projections like Mims this week. However, slot receiver Devaughn Vele is a fade. Also, fantasy footballers should avoid Denver’s messy tight-end rotation. Payton will use Lucas Krull, Adam Trautman, and Nate Adkins indiscriminately. Additionally, Buffalo allowed just five touchdowns to opposing tight ends all season. Bills Offense Josh Allen is 4-1 in the Wild Card round. And as a sizable home favorite, Allen and the Bills were 6-2 against the spread at home this season. Although Denver’s defense ranks as a top-10 unit against opposing quarterbacks, they allowed an enemy QB to surpass 25 fantasy points in three of their final five games. Therefore, Allen remains the top signal-caller to target in Fantasy Playoff Drafts. RB James Cook was tied for the NFL lead with a Buffalo team-record 16 rushing scores. Conversely, Denver allowed 13 total scores to backs in 17 games. Our RDA* projections have Cook as the RB4 in this slate, with a 65-percent chance of finding the end zone. Ray Davis and Ty Johnson will fill in behind Cook. Johnson offers more pass-catching upside, while Davis will see 5-10 carries. Both have some DFS appeal. Khalil Shakir ran 75% of his routes out of the slot, so he’ll mostly avoid Denver CB Pat Surtain. However, Shakir still has a subpar matchup against Denver slot CB Ja’Quan McMillian. Surtain could potentially shadow Keon Coleman, seriously hampering the rookie’s appeal. Additionally, Amari Cooper has been a non-factor in multiple games and missed practice time due to personal reasons. If the Broncos can contain Buffalo’s wideouts, the tight ends stand to benefit. Dalton Kincaid is our No. 3 tight end in PPR scoring. Also, teammate Dawson Knox has some DFS appeal. I think Denver can hang around in this game, which will benefit the offense. Green Bay Packers (11-6) at Philadelphia (14-3) Time: 4:30 Eastern Line: Eagles -5 Total: 45.5 Money Line: Packers +200, Eagles -240 Packers Offense Game No. 2 is projected to be closer but lower scoring. This is a rematch of a Week 1 contest that Philadelphia won 34-29. The Eagles have won three straight against Green Bay, scoring over 30 points in each contest. There were some questions about the health of both quarterbacks. However, both signal-callers will start. Speaking of Jordan Love, his passing yardage prop is 222.5 yards, and a big lean (-149) on the UNDER 1.5 touchdown passes. Love threw for 260 with a pair of TD strikes in Week 1. However, this is a different Philly defense. The Eagles allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing passers, putting Love near the bottom of our Week 19 quarterbacks. Expect RB Josh Jacobs to get plenty of touches as a runner and receiver. Jacobs had 18 touches for 104 scrimmage yards versus Philly in Week 1. Our RDA* projections see a similar result with a roughly 70-percent shot at hitting pay dirt. Things are more difficult to project for the passing attack. Christian Watson tore his ACL last week and will miss the rest of this season. Subsequently, Jayden Reed is Green Bay’s unquestioned No. 1 wideout. Reed was huge in Week 1, snagging four balls for 138 yards and a score. However, he’s cooled off. Reed hasn’t surpassed 100 yards since Week 9 and has failed to score in his last five. Romeo Doubs is the next man up. Doubs scored nine fantasy points in the season-opening loss to Philadelphia. However, Doubs is a streaky player, with two touchdowns in two games and single-digit PPR points in eight others. Dontayvion Wicks will move up to the WR3 role, giving him some sleeper appeal. No team allowed fewer receiving yards to tight ends (591) than Philadelphia, so it’s a sub-optimal situation for Tucker Kraft. And our RDA* projections agree, projecting Kraft to score an innocuous 6.2 fantasy points. Eagles Offense Jalen Hurts cleared the NFL concussion protocol and practiced in
Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 7
Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 7 Only in a season as cruel as 2024 would we have to sit through…Bo Nix vs. Spencer Rattler. No, seriously. We have to pay for it and everything. Lamentably, duty calls and even bad
Only in a season as cruel as 2024 would we have to sit through…Bo Nix vs. Spencer Rattler. No, seriously. We have to pay for it and everything. Lamentably, duty calls and even bad football is still football. The FullTime Fantasy Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 7 breaks down all the fantasy-relevant players in this Denver Broncos at New Orleans Saints matchup.
Losers of four straight, the New Orleans Saints are reeling. The team that started 2-0 and outscored their opponents 91-29 is barely represented on the field in Week 7. The Saints are missing their quarterback, both wideouts and have other injury concerns.
Meanwhile, the Broncos seem fortunate to be 3-3 with their offensive struggles. Denver started 0-2 before rattling off three straight wins against the Buccaneers, Jets, and Raiders. However, things fell back to earth last week with a poor showing against the Chargers.
Unsurprisingly, the Saints opened as 4-point favorites. However, we’ve seen a massive shift as the Broncos are now 2.5-point favorites.
The opening line has also seen a precipitous dip, falling a full four points from his opening total of 41.5 points.
Matchup
| TEAM | OFFENSE | PASS | RUSH | YDS/PLAY | POINTS |
| Denver Broncos | 29 | 26 | 18 | 28 | 22 |
| New Orleans Saints | 18 | 17 | 12 | 18 | 4 |
Seeing the Saints rank competently in offense is a bit of a surprise. However, most of that production came in the season’s first two weeks when the Saints were rolling. Since then, injuries and fading quarterback play have tanked the Saints’ attack.
Additionally, the New Orleans defense has struggled. The Saints have lost four straight games to drop to 2-4. And the injury woes that decimated the Saints’ offense have also taken a toll on the defense. New Orleans ranks 30th against the pass and next to last in surrendering yards per play.
Conversely, the Denver offense has been one of the worst units in football all season. This was not expected starting a rookie quarterback who rarely pushed the ball downfield in college. Only four teams are averaging fewer yards per play than Sean Payton’s Broncos.
Things have been much better for Denver on the other side of the ball. The Broncos’ defense ranks sixth overall and versus the pass. This is a formidable unit that will make it hard for the Saints to mount much offense in Spencer Rattler’s second start in four days.
Denver Offense …
How will Thursday’s Broncos vs. Saints game go?
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2024 Denver Broncos Fantasy Preview
2024 Denver Broncos Fantasy Preview You know it went south if a team was willing to pay someone $38 million not to play for you. Last season, Denver averaged just 298.4 yards per contest. Now Sean Payton and the Broncos
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Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 6
Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 6 Last week’s Bears/Commanders tilt has a lot more offense than projected. That’s a good thing for fantasy football. Speaking of offense, this week’s AFC West battle offers much potential. The FullTime Fantasy Thursday Night
Last week’s Bears/Commanders tilt has a lot more offense than projected. That’s a good thing for fantasy football. Speaking of offense, this week’s AFC West battle offers much potential. The FullTime Fantasy Thursday Night Football Preview: Week 6 looks at the Chiefs vs. Broncos game from a fantasy football, DFS, and sports betting lens.
Andy Reid’s defending champions are off to another fast start. Kansas City sits atop the AFC West standings with a 4-1 record. That includes winning four straight after losing in the first Thursday night game of 2023.
Meanwhile, the Broncos are reeling. Sean Payton’s squad sits in the basement of the division at 1-4. There are rumblings that change is on the way in Denver. The Broncos defense has been atrocious and this has been a one-sided rivalry.
Because of that, the Chiefs are 10.5-point favorites. However, we’ve seen the over/under drop from 51 down to 47.5.
Matchup
| TEAM | OFFENSE | PASS | RUSH | YDS/PLAY | POINTS |
| Denver Broncos | 15 | 13 | 19 | 5t | 10 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 6 | 7 | 12 | 5t | 9 |
Both teams are above average on offense. However, that is where the similarities end. Denver has allowed 181 points. That is the sixth-most in NFL history through the first five games.
Patrick Mahomes boasts an 11-0 record against the Broncos. Conversely, Denver has allowed an NFL-worst 13 touchdown passes in 2023. It is easy to see why Vegas likes Kansas City in this…
How will Thursday’s Broncos vs. Chiefs game go?
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2023 Denver Broncos Outlook
2023 Denver Broncos Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview
2023 Denver Broncos Outlook
The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview of all 32 teams from football legend Shawn Childs.
Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.
Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Denver Broncos Outlook.
— Offense —
Even with another losing season, the Broncos played well enough on defense to run the ball more than 26 times a game. They threw 56.3% of the time while ranking 20th in combined yards (5,942). Sean Payton has a history of having one of the best offenses in the league, giving Denver a chance to be much improved in all areas in 2023.
— Quarterback —
Russell Wilson
Over 10 seasons with the Seahawks, Wilson went 104-53-1 with eight trips to the postseason (9-7 with a Super Bowl win and loss). His completion rate (65.0) and yards per passing attempt (7.8) graded well, but he has never played behind a stellar offensive line (361 sacks from 2013 to 2020, with a low of 41 sacks in 2016).
From 2017 and 2020, Wilson delivered 150 passing touchdowns (eight on the ground) with 36 interceptions. In 2021, he missed games (3) for the first time in his career due to a broken right middle finger. Wilson finished with a career-low in rushing production (43/183/2) while being on pace to pass for 3,780 yards and 30 scores.
Wilson finished his first season in Denver with a career-low in his completion rate (60.5) and passing touchdowns (16). Opposing defenses sacked him 55 times, earning him the league high for the season time in four years. He only passed for more than 300 yards in Week 1 (340/1). In 12 of his 15 starts, Wilson delivered one passing touchdown or fewer, ranking 15th in fantasy points (274.00) in four-point passing touchdown leagues.
Fantasy Outlook: The new coaching staff for the Broncos is going to air out the ball in 2023. From 2006 to 2020, Drew Brees averaged 38.3 passes per game, with a low 32.5 in 2020 at age 41. Their offense featured the running back position in the passing game, pointing much more completion by Wilson. I expect a career-best in completions and passing yards, leading to a minimum of 4,700 combined yards and 30 touchdowns. In the early draft season in the high-stakes market, Wilson is the 17th-ranked quarterback. His price point has removed his risk, painting a high-reward QB2 in fantasy leagues.
Other Options: Jarrett Stidham, Jarrett Guarantano, Ben DiNucci
— Running Backs —
The switch to Russell Wilson and a dismal pass-blocking offensive line led to the Broncos setting three-year highs in catches (96), receiving yards (751), targets (132), and yards per catch (7.8). Their running backs combined for 2,402 yards with 10 touchdowns and 96 catches (23.32 FPPG in PPR formats).
Javonte Williams
Coming into the NFL, Williams has a chain-mover feel while relying on his power and fight to finish off carries. He runs with a smooth rhythm while waiting for a hole to open. Once Williams sees daylight, his acceleration pushes into the second level of the defense. He won’t hit on many long touchdowns, but his short-area quickness plays well. Williams shows plenty of grit, and his style should wear defenses down. Despite a limited role as a receiver, he projects well in the passing game while having the smarts to pick up an NFL offense on all downs.
The Tarheels used Williams in a split role over the last two seasons, leading to 2,554 combined yards with 28 touchdowns and 42 catches. He played at the highest level in 2020 (1,445 combined yards with 22 touchdowns and 25 catches).
I sense some of Frank Gore’s traits in his game. Williams has a winning feel, and I expect him to do the dirty work in the run game. He’ll bring punch after punch on his runs, leading to productive showings on most days.
In his first season with Denver, Williams gained 1,219 combined yards with seven touchdowns and 43 catches. He finished 17th in running back scoring (206.30) in PPR leagues. His best value came from Week 12 to Week 14 (372 combined yards with four touchdowns and 10 catches). Williams gained more than 100 yards in one other matchup (17/111). On the downside, he scored fewer than 10.00 fantasy points in eight games (5.50, 8.40, 8.90, 9.80, 6.80, 6.80, 6.80, 6.90, 4.20, and 8.40).
Williams left Week 4 last season after 23 snaps due to torn ACL in his right knee. He gained 280 yards with 16 catches on 63 touches over his four starts.
Fantasy Outlook: With 11 months to recover, Williams should be ready for Week 1, but that news will trickle in over the summer. In May, he ranked as the 27th running back drafted in the high-stakes market, with one drafter willing to take him late in the second round. Players coming off significant injuries tend to disappoint, highlighted by JK Dobbins year in 2022. Williams should be the Broncos’ top running back choice for touchdowns and catches, making him a value based on his current price point. I’ll set his bar at 1,400 combined yards (58% of their 2022 RB stats) with double-digit scores and 50+ catches, as long as there isn’t any negative news about his health over the summer.
Samaje Perine
After kicking around the NFL for three seasons with minimal chances, Perine played well off the bench for Cincinnati over the past three seasons. He gained 1,409 combined yards with 11 touchdowns and 76 catches on 289 touches. Last year, the Bengals gave him a career-high 133 touches, leading to 681 yards with six touchdowns and 38 catches (RB36).
He proved more than worthy over three-game stretch midseason with starting snaps (30.20, 19.30, and 21.50 fantasy points in PPR formats). With Joe Mixon on the field, Perine only had two other games with more than 10 touches.
Fantasy Outlook: Perine’s growth and value in pass-catching should carve out…
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE BRONCOS IN 2023?
To finish reading Shawn’s in-depth 2023 team outlook, with in-depth offseason reports, projections, and fantasy outlooks for all players
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Javonte Williams 2022 Fantasy Outlook
Javonte Williams 2022 Fantasy Outlook Although the 2021 Denver Broncos stumbled to a 7-10 record, second-round rookie RB Javonte Williams had a promising debut. Despite splitting the backfield touches nearly evenly with veteran Melvin Gordon, Williams accumulated 1,219 scrimmage yards, scored seven touchdowns, and compiled overall RB16 numbers in PPR leagues. With Gordon set to hit unrestricted free agency ahead of the 2022 NFL campaign, fantasy fanatics made Williams a popular early target for a potential top-5 showing as Denver’s featured back. But after flirting with the idea of joining a crowded Baltimore backfield, Gordon ultimately re-signed with the Broncos to re-form a deep and talented tandem in Denver. Now that we know the rejuvenated Broncos, who made one of the biggest offseason splashes by trading for nine-time Pro Bowl signal-caller Russell Wilson, will once again feature a committee backfield, fantasy managers are wondering what to expect out of Denver ahead of the 2022 draft season. 2021 Usage After opening last season 3-0, Vic Fangio’s Broncos squad endured two separate four-game losing streaks, which led to Fangio and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s dismissal. Despite having a top-10 run-blocking offensive line and rushing for 2,025 yards, suboptimal quarterback play sunk the team’s playoff hopes down the stretch. One thing that Shurmur’s play-calling did last year was utilize both Williams and Gordon in a strikingly similar fashion. PLAYER GAME RUSH YARD AVG TD TGT REC YDS TD Javonte Williams 17 203 903 4.4 4 53 43 316 3 Melvin Gordon 16 203 918 4.5 8 38 28 213 2 Both backs received 203 rushing attempts and had nearly identical efficiency numbers running behind Denver’s solid front five. Williams finished his rookie season as the overall RB16, while Gordon was one spot behind thanks to accumulating double-digit touchdown numbers for the fifth time in his last six NFL campaigns. Because the Broncos rotated backs in drives rather than situationally, Gordon’s elevated red-zone touches appear to be coincidental. Williams cashed in 3-of-10 carries inside the opponent’s five-yard line, while Gordon succeeded in 4-of-11. Presence of Melvin Gordon But it was Williams who looked like the better overall producer when exploring advanced analytics. The rookie outperformed Gordon in yards after contact, breakaway rank, and was more elusive. Williams ranked second among all NFL running backs with 63 missed tackles forced. Gordon was no slouch in those areas either, ranking ninth in missed tackles forced and top-20 in breakaway rushing yards. Williams was, however, more effective in the passing game and performed exceptionally well in pass protection for a first-year running back. This should bode well for Williams in his sophomore season as Denver’s passing attack should be significantly better with Wilson taking the snaps. With recent reports indicating that Williams will see an uptick in touches and should lead Denver’s backfield committee, fantasy managers are questioning how they should prioritize both backs in 2022 fantasy drafts. 2022 Fantasy Outlook Williams was a top-10 pick in early fantasy drafts but has started to slide after the Broncos brought Gordon back into the fold. Still, Williams is more explosive and played a bigger role in the passing game a year ago and new head coach Nathanial Hackett has a history of successfully employing multiple backs. With a slight increase in touches and an offense that should be drastically better with Russell Wilson under center, a season with 1,000-plus rushing yards, 50-plus receptions, and approaching double-digit scores seems perfectly within the realm of possibilities for Williams, who will be an intriguing fantasy option in the second round of 2022 fantasy football drafts. Even if Gordon sees a slight reduction in carries, he’s still an effective fantasy option who has top-10 upside if forced into a featured role. View the eighth-year pro as a solid RB3 with weekly flex value and a solid value pick to target in the middle rounds. Be ready to dominate your drafts using FullTime Fantasy’s vast arsenal of tools, expert analysis, and award-winning accurate rankings! JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
Breaking Down Committee Backfields
In today’s NFL, it seems like there are fewer three-down feature backs than ever. More and more teams are employing a committee backfield and that makes things awfully difficult for fantasy football enthusiasts. It also can lead to an opportunity to exploit value for those that can stay ahead of predicting how these committee backfields will play out. Let’s look at some of the confusing backfields of 2021 and how fantasy football fans should approach them Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Bucs backfield has plenty of names Fantasy owners have become familiar with over the years, however, it’s tough to figure out who has the most value. With Ronald Jones, Leonard Fournette, Giovani Bernard, and even Keshawn Vaughn in the mix, I fully expect this backfield to frustrate fantasy owners weekly this season. The two big-name backs with the most upside to be a workhorse are Jones and Fournette. Jones appeared to have a stranglehold on the job last season before playoff Lenny showed up and dominated in the postseason. Now it’s anyone’s guess who will be the RB1 to start the season. Head coach Bruce Arians will bench either back on a whim after a missed block or fumble as well making this backfield all the more volatile. The most defined role in this backfield, although limited, is Bernard. While his lack of early-down work will surely cap his upside, he’s locked in as the pass-catching back. He could carve out a nice little role in this offense and have flex potential in PPR leagues. Behind all of these backs is Keshawn Vaughn, who when he got an opportunity last season in limited touches averaged more than four yards per carry and looked just as good if not better than the other backs. Nonetheless, he would need an injury to have any real fantasy value. Ronald Jones offers the most upside as an early-down back and should be the first Bucs’ back drafted. Fournette should be the second back off the board but is riskier than any back on this team. Gio is a nice late-round stash in PPR leagues. He has sneaky value and could emerge as a nice flex option in 12-team drafts. Look for him to be Tom Brady’s new James White in Tampa. Philadelphia Eagles The Eagles’ backfield is much easier to decipher for me. This committee is more smoke than fire. Fantasy owners are projecting rookie Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott to have significant roles this season. I doubt their roles are as significant as people think. Gainwell and Scott will have a role in this offense, but Miles Sanders will be the clear-cut RB1 and is a steal as he continues to fall in drafts. Lately, he’s being drafted as a low-end RB2 or in some cases even a flex option. He has league-winning upside going that late. While his floor does bring some risk it is currently baked into his ADP. Scott and Gainwell don’t need to be rostered in non-dynasty leagues unless you have deep rosters and one needs to stash a player. Sanders is the man here as long as he’s healthy. If he were to go down I expect Gainwell to be the next man up to lead the backfield. Houston Texans Houston’s backfield is looking like a three-headed nightmare comprised of David Johnson, Phillip Lindsay, and Mark Ingram with Rex Burkhead lurking as a darkhorse to further muddy the waters. Lindsay and Ingram are listed as co-starter while Johnson appears to be locked in as the pass-catching back according to all the reports we’ve heard out Houston this summer. This is an unpopular opinion, but Lindsay being drafted as the RB47 has huge upside. I expect him to lead this team in carries and he’s always been a productive fantasy producer when healthy. Mark Ingram is washed and a non-factor. Johnson will take the PPR value, nevertheless, this coaching staff wants to limit his carries. Lindsay is a low-risk option who could pleasantly surprise this season. He’s well worth the risk. Denver Broncos Unlike the other backfields in this article, the Broncos have a strong rushing attack and two good backs. Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams will both see plenty of work. As much as many owners want to project Williams into a larger role, Gordon isn’t going away and will likely lead this team in carries and goal-line touches. Williams’ role should grow as the season goes on, but Gordon’s role is secure as long as he’s healthy. If both backs were to stay healthy all season, Gordon would have a slight edge on Williams. As much as fantasy owners would like him to go away, he’s not and is the RB1 in this backfield until further notice. Where it gets interesting is if one of these two backs were to go down with an injury. If either Williams or Gordon was to get hurt, the back left standing has legitimate low-end RB1 upside. With Javonte Williams being drafted as the RB28 and Gordon as the RB30, they are potential game-changers this season. I like Gordons’ value this season more than Williams in redraft despite the excitement surrounding Williams. I’d be happy to have either player on my team as a high-upside flex option. New York Jets Back to the dumpster fire backfields. No matter how much fantasy owners want to will Michael Carter into being a lead back it’s not going to happen. He’s currently the third man in a three-back committee on a bad offense that will often be in a negative game script for running backs. Ty Johnson currently looks like the RB1 in New York with Tevin Coleman behind him. Johnson isn’t the sexy pick, but all reports out of camp say after looking good in camp, he’s the top guy in this backfield. He should be the first running back drafted off this roster. Despite being the RB2 on this roster, Coleman is less appealing than Carter. I
2020 Fantasy Football: Denver Broncos Team Outlook
In this 2020 Denver Broncos Team Outlook, Senior Expert Shawn Childs provides an in-depth Fantasy Football breakdown of the entire franchise.
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Three Best Fantasy Football Landing Spots for Royce Freeman
Jaime Eisner discusses the best landing spots of Royce Freeman since the Broncos signed Melvin Gordon.