After a lackluster start to the season, Sean Payton is taking over play calling duties from offensive coordinator Davis Webb. The offense ranks No. 27 in points per game and No. 24 in yards per play so far this year.
Jaylen Waddle and Bo Nix should be the biggest beneficiary of the change. Waddle, in particular, is averaging only 11 ppr points per game and ranks No. 73 in yards per target among qualified NFL wide receivers. This change can only help Denver’s offensive weapons.
Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton has not been ...
Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton has earned ...
DenverBroncos.com's Susanna Weir suggests that Denver ...
According to Adam Schefter, Broncos WR Pat Bryant will miss “a few weeks” with a sprained right ankle. Bryant was carted off in the third quarter of Sunday’s loss to the 49ers after catching 3 passes for 47 yards. Bryant has 9 receptions for 133 yards and 1 TD over the first four games of this season.
With Bryant sidelined, Denver’s remaining active WRs are Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, and Marvin Mims. Fantasy managers will want to monitor Franklin and Mims as primary candidates to fill the void. Franklin is an intriguing speculative add given his history and chemistry with QB Bo Nix, and his career best 65 catches for 709 yards and 6 TDs last season. ~Jason Diaz
Surprise! Marvin Mims has been an analytics darling since the day he entered the league, boasting an 18.5 (97th percentile) Breakout Age. His collegiate speed and route-running prowess has so far translated to the NFL field where he ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in target separation the last two seasons respectively. For Broncos fans and fantasy managers who have long clamored for more playing time, the latest depth chart release offers a glimmer of hope after he finished the 2025 season with a career high snap share of 38%.
Mims will begin the season ahead of former fourth round pick, Troy Franklin while rookie third round pick standout Pat Bryant will begin the season behind established veteran Courtland Sutton. Heading into week 1, Mims is currently valued as PlayerProfiler’s WR117 for dynasty leagues, although that valuation will certainly change if his role is real, and not more Sean Peyton coachspeak.
With Jaylen Waddle commanding a 23.3-percent Target Share and Courtland Sutton locking down primary snaps, Denver’s peripheral wideouts face a steep usage climb. Mixing situational looks among Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, and Marvin Mims dilutes individual opportunity unless offensive personnel rates shift heavily.
All signals point to Denver zigging (more 11 personnel) while the rest of the NFL zags (more 12 personnel). If the Broncos can elevate their 64-percent 11-personnel rate closer to 80-percent, it will unlock fantasy relevance for their third and fourth receivers. Franklin is a particularly good value in deep dynasty league formats.
Sean Payton expects Bo Nix to assume an expanded role at mandatory minicamp next week and be “full go” for the start of training camp, providing a necessary step forward after he sat out team drills prior to today’s padless participation. Nix’s recovery from an ankle procedure appears to be on-schedule as he looks to build on last season’s impressive 17 Money Throws.
If Nix can fully accelerate his participation, he can exceed his 18.6 Fantasy Points Per Game and 58.5 QBR from 2025. Nix is high floor, high ceiling option in both fantasy football best ball and dynasty league formats.
Sean Payton handcuffed Bo Nix during his rookie season by squeezing the offense down to a 3.8 uptempo plays per game, capping a dual-threat asset who still managed to flash a 103.2 Rushing EPX (No. 11). The good news is that new quarterbacks coach Davis Webb is reportedly hacking away at the wordy, Shakespearean playbook, which means the Broncos are primed to build heavily on their baseline 37.4 Team Pass Plays Per Game (No. 5).
If this offense finally unlocks the tempo in training camp, Nix is going to exceed his 18.6 Fantasy Points Per Game (No. 11) baseline and deliver value for fantasy drafters in 2026. The 26-year old Nix is primed to break into the Top-8 dynasty quarterbacks this season.
