It’s the time of year to draft your fantasy team again, and there are a few Denver Broncos in fantasy football to target.
For the last few years, the Broncos offense has been so awful it did warrant taking any players for fantasy teams. But, this year is a little different.
There are three players who will likely go in every fantasy draft, and a few more you could target in deeper leagues, too.
Javonte Williams leads Denver Broncos in fantasy football drafts
Williams is likely going to share the workload in the Broncos backfield, but he’s still the best fantasy football player Denver has.
Williams came into 2024 leaner, losing some weight in a search to find that explosiveness we saw from him as a rookie.
“He looks good,” coach Sean Payton said. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed it—you guys get a chance to get up and close—but he’s lost weight, he looks trim. I thought he looked sharp today. He looked much different. His weight is down. I’m proud of him.”
And now, with Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime backing him up, this offense is his. At least, mostly.
Williams is a do-it-all kind of back whereas McLaughlin is the speed guy and Estime is the bruiser. Williams can run over guys and run away from them. He’s a solid pass-blocker and has good-to-great hands, too.
Fantasy Pros is somewhat high on him, listing Williams as their 23rd best running back. So, he’s a No. 2-3 back on fantasy football teams who could be played as a FLEX or be a solid bench option. His ADP is No. 78, so if he’s still available in the 8th round or later, consider grabbing him.
They write, “Could he bounce back in 2024 and look more like the eventual stud we saw in 2021 and 2022? Yep, it’s possible. In limited work this preseason, Williams posted 3.43 yards after contact per attempt (per PFF), which is quite encouraging.”
Courtland Sutton, Jaleel McLaughlin and other potential Denver Broncos fantasy football players
Next up behind Williams is Courtland Sutton, the Broncos’ No. 1 wideout. He totaled 10 touchdowns as Russell Wilson’s go-to guy in the red zone. He’s unlikely to hit double digits again this year, but 6-8 TDs definitely seems possible. Plus, Denver cut ties with Tim Patrick, who could’ve been a valuable asset in the red zone for Bo Nix.
Of course, Nix being a rookie means Sutton’s fantasy value is dependent on a first-year starter playing well. The rookie has shown some flashes in preseason, but he’s likely to go through some struggles this year.
Fantasy Pros has Sutton listed as their 41st receiver, making him a No. 3 receiver on fantasy rosters. His average draft position is No. 112, and seems like a decent value there.
Finally, there’s the aforementioned McLaughlin. He’s going to definitely see some carries this season, even with Williams as the starter. McLaughlin is fast, shifty, and he’s showed off his hands in the preseason, too. Last year, he totaled 410 yards on 5.4 yards per carry with one touchdown. This year, he’s being projected to rush for right around 500 yards with four combined scores.
His ADP is No. 145, so consider McLaughlin a late-round flier or even a post-draft pickup. Peter Schrager added him to his top 10 breakout NFL players for 2024, too.
Peter Schrager’s top 10 breakout players, Nos. 10-5. Credit: NFL.com
“Just his patience. I think his patience has gotten way better,” Williams said of McLaughlin. “Last year he was doing well, and I feel like he was just running, running and running. Now, it seems like he really understands the play, he knows where to get to and does his job.”
Other Denver Broncos in fantasy football
Denver’s got a deep wide receiver room, but none of the other guys warrant draft picks. Unless for some reason Bo Nix falls in love with Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims, or one of the tight ends, none of them should be on your roster.
Mims is the next-highest receiver, at No. 73 among wideouts per Fantasy Pros.
Also of note, Greg Dulcich is the 35th tight end. In terms of kickers, Will Lutz is ranked 19th, so not worth a pick. And Denver’s defense is ranked down at No. 22, also not worthy of a roster spot.
The Denver Broncos kick off their season Next Sunday, Sept. 8 at Seattle with a 2:05 p.m. start. The NFL season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 5, with Baltimore taking on Kansas City.
