As far as Denver Broncos fantasy football players go, Tim Patrick is a sneaky success story.
Yes, there’s Courtland Sutton, the undoubted No. 1 receiver. He was expected to be the best fantasy option from the orange and blue. But, he also likely went in the middle rounds to a fellow Broncos fan in your league.
Then, there’s Melvin Gordon, who’s been surprisingly successful mostly on the ground, but also through the air. Gordon has proven to everyone he’s still the lead running back on the Broncos — even if Javonte Williams is exciting whenever he runs the pigskin — but he’s probably rostered, too (90.2% in ESPN).
But, let’s come back to Patrick.
He’s actually the No. 31 receiver in the NFL currently, while Sutton is No. 39 per fantasy data. This year, Patrick has 12 receptions on 13 targets, and with zero drops for over two years, the one missed catch came on a poorly thrown ball by Teddy Bridgewater. He also has compiled 174 yards and two touchdowns, scoring in back-to-back weeks.
Patrick, an unsung hero on the Broncos last year, has caught on quickly with the new Bridgewater, enjoying a score in each of the last two weeks. And there’s a good chance he’ll continue to produce.
Unfortunately for Denver, both Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler are currently on the Injured Reserve, with Hamler down for the year and Jeudy out another 4-6 weeks at the earliest.
That means Patrick’s importance to the team’s offense has only increased as the season has gone on, and he’s a perfect addition to fantasy football owners who are wide receiver needy for multiple reasons.
And the good news is, most owners don’t know about Patrick. At least not yet.
He’s only rostered in 24.7% of teams in ESPN leagues as of Wednesday night, but as of Thursday morning, ESPN included him in their weekly email as one of their “featured five.” So, expect a run on Patrick starting today.
He’s been a solid fantasy option as a FLEX player since last year when the tall receiver enjoyed three touchdowns over the last five weeks of the season, and he’s on pace to best last year in every aspect.
Even if/when Jeudy returns, Patrick will hold some fantasy value, so go get him now if he’s still available in your league and you need another receiver.
This week, the Broncos face their toughest test in the Baltimore Ravens, with the opponents coming in 2-1 after their comeback win over Detroit. While Baltimore is usually tilted towards defense, this year their offense is much better and the Ravens’ passing defense is lacking, ranking 30th in yards allowed through the air (944).
Denver and Patrick host the Ravens at 2:25 p.m. MT this Sunday on CBS.
