Denver Broncos Team Outlook
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Broncos Offense Outlook
The Broncos have talent on defense, which points to them running a ball controlled offense. Even with success running the ball last year (4.9 yards per rush), the Broncos only managed 24.6 rushes per game due to game score. They finished with a 40/60 run/pass split, which may become more fun favoring in 20189 based on their coaching chances and Joe Flacco starting at QB.
Broncos Offense Outlook
The Broncos have talent on defense, which points to them running a ball controlled offense. Even with success running the ball last year (4.9 yards per rush), the Broncos only managed 24.6 rushes per game due to game score. They finished with a 40/60 run/pass split, which may become more fun favoring in 20189 based on their coaching chances and Joe Flacco starting at QB.
Quarterbacks
Joe Flacco
After a successful career over 11 seasons with the Ravens, Flacco starts the back nine of his career with the Broncos. With the Ravens, he went 96-67 in the regular season and 10-5 in the playoffs that Included a Super Bowl title in 2012. Only once in his career has Joe passes for over 4,000 yards (4,316 in 2016) while consistently ranking below the league average in TDs. Last year he missed seven games with a hip issue. His completion rate (64.5) spiked from 2015 to 2017 due to more short passes to the RB and TE positions.
2019 Joe Flacco Fantasy Outlook
Flacco will dink and dunk with the best of them, which is why he averaged only 6.7 yards per pass attempts in his pro career. Denver has questions at the WR position, but they did add a TE with upside in this year draft. The wrong kind of Fantasy bet in 2019. Joe works only as a one-week bye cover while expecting below league average stats in all areas. I only see 3,500 passing yards with a max of 23 TDs.
Drew Lock
As a four-year starter for Missouri, Lock improved his accuracy in each season (49.0, 54.6, 57.8, and 62.9) while still falling well below the success of Kyler Murray (69.0) and Dwayne Haskins (70.0). Drew played his best ball in his junior year (3,964 passing yards with 44 TDs and 13 Ints). Overall, he passed for 12,193 yards in his college career with 99 passing TDs and 39 Ints. Lock won’t be a threat in the run game (202/437/9). At times, his setup appears to be lazy with too many throws coming from a flat-footed position creating lag in his timing while trying to overcome his tick window by velocity in his throws.
2019 Drew Lock Fantasy Outlook
The scouts love his size (6’4’ and 225 lbs.) and his field vision, which is helped by a low sack total and a quick release when under duress. I view him more as a project than a plug and play in 2019. The Broncos will keep him on the bench this year until they fall out of the playoff hunt.
Other Options: Kevin Hogan, Brett Rypien
Running Backs
Phillip Lindsay
The best RB in Denver in 2018 shined from Week 1 of the season. Lindsay signed with the Broncos after being undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft. Over his last two seasons at Colorado in college, Phillip gained 3,476 combined yards with 32 TDs and 76 catches. In his first season in the NFL, Lindsay started eight of 15 games. He finished with 1,278 combined yards with ten TDs and 35 catches while averaging 15.1 touches per game. His yards per rush (5.4) ranked highly, but he failed to make as many big plays in the passing game (6.9 yards per catch).
Lindsay gained over 100 combined yards in six games while scoring six of his ten TDs from Week 11 to Week 14. His season ended in Week 15 due to a broken wrist. Last year the Broncos’ RBs combined for 2,518 yards with 18 TDs and 95 catches on 461 touches. Phillip is a playmaker who adds value on all three downs. His next step is 250+ touches for 1,400+ yards with a chance at 50+ catches and serviceable value in TDs.
Royce Freeman
In his four seasons at Oregon, Freeman rushed for 5,621 yards with 60 TDs while adding 79 catches for 814 yards and four TDs. He runs with vision and enough lateral quickness to create winning plays over any part of the line of scrimmage. Freeman runs with power and follows through at the second level of the defense. His speed (4.54) is about NFL average while lacking home run ability.
Fantasy owners placed a second to fourth-round draft pick on Freeman in 2018 only to see the free agent Phillip Lindsay being the smarter option. Royce missed a couple of games with an ankle injury. Freeman gained 593 combined yards with five TDs and 14 catches on 144 touches. He started the first seven games before his injury, but Royce failed to gain over 75 yards until Week 17 (103 combined yards with eight catches) when he had a cleaner opportunity with Lindsay out of the lineup.
There’s more here than meets the eye, but he’ll start the year in a split for touches. His floor should be 175+ touches for 800+ yards with a reasonable chance at scoring close to double-digit TDs.
Devontae Booker
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Other Options: Khalfani Muhammad, Devontae Jackson
Wide Receivers
Emmanuel Sanders
After three strong seasons for the Broncos (101/1404/9, 76/1135/6, and 79/1032/5), Sanders had a huge step back in production in 2017 (47/555/2). Emmanuel was well on his way to a rebound season last year (71/868/4 on 98 targets) before suffering an Achilles injury in Week 13. His catch rate (72.4) was a career high. He finished with four plus games (10/13/1, 7/115/1, 6/102/1, and 7/86/1). Sanders will start the year at age 32 while trailing his 2019 prep work. I need more info on his health before drafting him. Emmanuel projects as an 80/1000/5 receiver if entering the season with a clean bill of health.
Courtland Sutton
There is no doubt Denver was looking to find another big bodied WR to replace Demaryius Thomas in the starting lineup down the road with the selection of Sutton in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Over the last two seasons at SMU, Courtland caught 144 passes for 2,331 yards and 22 TDs on 262 targets. Sutton is going to a problem for defenses in his rookie season. He’ll win many jump balls due to his edge in size (6’3” and 218 Lbs.), which gives him fade scoring value in 2018.
Courtland has quickness and a second gear to create yards after the catch. He’ll test a defense in the deep passing game while also being a threat to break a short pass into a long TD. At this point of his career, his route running over the first ten yards of the field isn’t where it needs to be to turn into a 100+ catch receiver, but it will come with experience and hard work. His next challenge in the NFL will be beating double teams.
In his rookie season, Sutton caught only 42 of his 84 targets for 704 yards and four TDs. After the Demaryius Thomas trade, Courtland started the last eight games. Unfortunately, his game (25.380/2 on 47 targets) did rise with the increased opportunity. He needs to improve his catch rate before developing into a trusted Fantasy asset. His next step should be about 60 catches for 900+ yards and five to seven TDs.
DaeSean Hamilton
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Other Options: Tim Patrick, Juwann Winfree, River Cracraft, Fred Brown, Aaron Burbridge
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Tight Ends
Noah Fant
In his sophomore season, Fant outplayed T.J. Hockenson when he caught 30 passes for 494 yards and 11 TDs. The next season Noah improved his value in catches (39) and yards (519), but he saw his TD total (7) slide. Even with minimal growth, his talent can’t be overlooked due to too much depth at the TE position at his school in college. Fant has plenty of speed (4.5 40 yard dash at the NFL combine) with an edge in strength and short area quickness.
Overall, he does lack some fight when tested with physical play at the line of scrimmage, and his movements in the open field rely more on his legs than shake and back to create after the catch. Noah has the foundation skill set to be a productive volume TE in the NFL. His hands will be an asset along with his value at the goal line.
Last year the Broncos’ TEs caught 68 of 105 targets for 649 yards and three TDs. Joe Flacco consistently looked for the TE in the Ravens’ system that bodes well for Fant in his rookie season. Possible 60/600/5 type season with more upside
Jeff Heuerman
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Jake Butt
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Other Options: Troy Fumagalli, Austin Fort
