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 Jaylen Waddle had limited ...
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (foot) is off ...
Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (foot) should be...
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
Denver Broncos TE Evan Engram (6.4 FPPG in 2025) has a special connection with new DEN OC Davis Webb. Engram and Webb were both drafted by the NY Giants in 2017 and they have been best friends since; they were even each others best man at their weddings.
We’re not expecting a TE1 season from Engram, PlayerProfiler’s redraft TE36, but a top 15-20 is not out of the question. Bo Nix and the Broncos traded for new alpha WR Jaylen Waddle this offseason and should open up more space for Engram to operate. He has received praise for his blocking this summer, and with the surprise cut of rookie TE Justin Joly, Engram should see an uptick in snaps/production as a result.
~Justin Teck
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.
The blockbuster acquisition of Jaylen Waddle completely blocks Marvin Mims from logging meaningful offensive snaps as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. Despite his minimal 9.9-percent Target Share in 2025, Mims remains an elite special teams weapon who led the league with a 15.7-yard punt return average in 2024.
Mims would need multiple injuries in front of him this season to earn fantasy football relevance. Dynasty managers can hold him based on this pure athleticism, but his short-term offensive volume is non-existent.
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.
