Ahead of the 2022 NFL season, which Denver Broncos players could lead the team’s offensive production in receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns this year?
Our Mile High Sports Broncos staff shared their picks for the upcoming season.
Who leads the Denver Broncos in total receptions?
Cody Roark’s pick: Courtland Sutton
Courtland Sutton should lead the team in receptions. After an injury derailed his 2020 season, and QB play impacted his production in 2021, he should return to form as the team’s top receiver. With Russell Wilson under center, Sutton will be a high-volume target wideout in 2022.
Zach Segars’ pick: Courtland Sutton
Courtland Sutton. He’s the bonafide No. 1 receiver of this offense and can attack the defense and create plays across all levels of the field.
Rich Kurtzman’s pick: Courtland Sutton
Courtland Sutton will be the team leader in receptions when the season is said and done. Sutton has been the best receiver on the team for a few years but now he has a superstar quarterback in Russell Wilson, meaning he will have more catchable passes thrown his way. Plus, he’s the best at 50/50 balls on the team, so I expect him to go up and get some of those, too.
Lindsey Bebout’s pick: Courtland Sutton
I’m going to play it safe here and say, Courtland Sutton. Even though he hasn’t had more than 70 receptions since 2019, Sutton has shown what he’s capable of even with way less talented quarterbacks. What’s so intriguing about this wide receiving core is that I wouldn’t be shocked to be wrong about this as every one of the main four has the potential for a career year.
Who leads the Broncos in receiving yards?
Cody Roark’s pick: Jerry Jeudy
Jerry Jeudy will lead the Broncos in receiving yards in 2022. While Courtland Sutton may lead the team in receptions and volume, Jeudy will be the beneficiary of teams having to focus their coverage on Sutton and Patrick on the outside. In this offense, Jeudy should expect to see high levels of production over the deep intermediate areas of the field. Plus, with his run-after-the-catch ability, he’ll rack up a significant amount of yards.
Zach Segars’ pick: Courtland Sutton
Sutton will lead in both receptions and receiving yards. He’ll be used vertically a good deal, so if he leads in receptions, he’s bound to lead in yards, thanks to a high YPC number.
Rich Kurtzman’s pick: Courtland Sutton
Give me Sutton here again. I almost said Jerry Jeudy, but Jeudy needs to prove himself and prove he can stay on the field more consistently.
Lindsay Bebout’s pick: Courtland Sutton
I said Sutton would have the most receptions, and I also think that will translate into receiving yards as well. I predict he will hit at least 1,000 yards for the second time in his career!
Who leads the Broncos in receiving touchdowns?
Cody Roark’s pick: Jerry Jeudy
Jerry Jeudy will lead the Broncos in receiving touchdowns in 2022. With how great of a route runner Jeudy is, his ability to create separation when the Broncos get into the red zone will be something he and Russell Wilson capitalize on a lot against opposing defenses this season.
Zach Segars’ pick: Tim Patrick
To remain interesting I’ll go with Patrick over Sutton here. Patrick is better in the red zone by a hair, though he’ll ultimately play second fiddle to Sutton overall.
Rich Kurtzman’s pick: Jerry Jeudy
OK, I’ll take Jeudy here, in the hope he starts to shine this season, starting in the red zone. Coming out of college, Jeudy was the most polished route runner in the NFL Draft, and maybe he’s able to put that on display this year in the red zone with Russell Wilson.
Lindsay Bebout’s pick: Tim Patrick
This might seem like a bit of a curve ball, but I am going with Tim Patrick. Little known fact: He lead the team in receiving touchdowns in 2021. He’s very rarely dropped the ball and has proven to be a reliable weapon, so I definitely think Russell Wilson will view him the same.
Who leads the Broncos in receptions of 20+ yards?
Cody Roark’s pick: Courtland Sutton
Courtland Sutton will lead the Broncos offense in 2022 with receptions of 20+ yards or more. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Sutton ranked 2nd in the NFL last season in average targeted air yards (15.4) while maintaining a 34.5% share of the Broncos’ air yards last season with Teddy Bridgewater as the quarterback. In Seattle, D.K. Metcalf averaged 12.1 targeted air yards and held a 36.71% share of the Seahawks’ air yards last season. In other words, Russell Wilson should let it fly to Sutton this season downfield.
Zach Segars’ pick: Courtland Sutton
The Russell Wilson offense is the Russell Wilson offense, and that means a lot of aggressive deep shots for Denver’s receivers. That aligns perfectly with Sutton’s skill set, and he’s likely to experience an across-the-board breakout campaign.
Rich Kurtzman’s pick: KJ Hamler
KJ Hamler. Hamler’s shown his straight-line speed running ability, and that he’s a big-play threat even with subpar quarterbacks. It will be exciting to see how he plays this year with a superstar slinging him the pigskin.
Lindsay Bebout’s pick: KJ Hamler
I think he’ll have the lowest stats of the core four in the previous three categories, but I think KJ Hamler is going to be the guy they turn when the Broncos need big, explosive plays. He’s by far the fastest wide receiver on the team, and I think the coaching staff is going to do everything they can to work to each player’s strengths. Hamler just needs to stay healthy!
As the Broncos prepare to report for training camp on July 27, the team’s wide receiving core will have a lot of attention on them as they work to come out of the gates firing when they face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.