Russell Wilson improves the fantasy outlook for every Bronco
Mar 9, 2022, 6:38 AM
The Denver Broncos fired up the internet when they made a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks for quarterback Russell Wilson. As soon as the trade was announced by ESPN insider Adam Schefter, my phone started blowing up from various friends as they were over the moon about this deal to acquire a true franchise quarterback.
In addition to getting texts of elation from friends and Broncos fans, I also received dozens of messages on Twitter and Facebook about what the addition of Wilson means for the fantasy football potential of Broncos skill position players. It’s fun to think about the joy that Broncos fans felt when Wilson was acquired, and it’s funny to think that immediately after the trade Fantasy GMs wanted to know what it meant for drafts and projections for the 2022 season.
How will Wilson’s arrival impact the fantasy outlook for the Broncos? Let’s take a look.
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Run It Back
The Broncos have Javonte Williams as their top back on the depth chart. Williams is a strong runner who can be the centerpiece of the offense if they want to this season. He split time with Melvin Gordon as a rookie, and Williams looked more than capable of handling a larger workload going forward.
There’s a chance the Broncos could feature Williams, and he could produce like an RB1 for fantasy GMs. If Williams is the bell-cow back, there’s a chance he could sneak into the end of the first round in most standard re-draft leagues. I love Williams, but that’s not drafting him at a value but instead drafting him at where he would hit if he plays up to his full potential.
With Wilson, a former Wisconsin Badger and teammate of Gordon in college, the team might lean on their rushing attack – and they might keep Gordon around to do that. Gordon wants to have a more featured role and he wants to get paid, but with his friend from college now playing quarterback, he could take a team-friendly contract to stay with the Broncos. If Gordon signs with the Broncos in free agency (he is expected to test the market), then both backs would be RB2 or flex options for fantasy GMs in 2022.
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Sutton Equals Metcalf
Wilson had a couple of receiving weapons with Seattle, and he’s got better weapons (and more of them) in Denver. One easy connection to make for football fans and fantasy GMs are the similarities between Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton and Seahawks wide receiver D.K. Metcalf. Both are big, fast and physical presences who can win at the catch point.
While both receivers have only one 1,000-yard season each over the last three seasons, Metcalf has been used much more when the Seahawks are near pay dirt. Metcalf has a whopping 29 receiving touchdowns over the last three seasons, but Sutton only has eight receiving touchdowns during that time. Sutton had more 100-yard games (2) than Metcalf did (1) in 2021, but it’s the work in the red zone that should explode for Sutton this season.
I think Sutton was still recovering from the knee injury that cut his 2020 season short in 2021. He never looked quite right last year, but this season he should be back to the Sutton that posted strong numbers in 2019. The Broncos rewarded Sutton with a contract extension last year, and he’s set to pay that off with high-level production this season. Having Wilson here will help Sutton do just that. From a fantasy perspective, Sutton should at least post WR2 numbers and has a chance to break into WR1 levels if he catches touchdown passes at a similar rate to what Metcalf did from Wilson in Seattle.
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Jeudy Breakout Coming?
Broncos Country went through a gamut of emotions in the course of about an hour and a half on Tuesday. So did Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. He’s known for making his social networking interesting with posts that are sometimes vague but always topical to what is going on with the Broncos. During that hour and a half on Tuesday, Jeudy went from posting a frowny face to later posting “we lit” when the Wilson trade was announced.
😒
— Jerry Jeudy⁴ (@jerryjeudy) March 8, 2022
Oh we lit 🔥
— Jerry Jeudy⁴ (@jerryjeudy) March 8, 2022
There is no doubt that Jeudy is happy with the trade. He’s going to finally get used the right way as the last two seasons with the Broncos have not been overly productive for the former college superstar. Jeudy was supposed to be the best receiver in the best receiving class in NFL history, but instead he’s been outshined by players from his draft class (picked after him) like Justin Jefferson (Vikings). It’s time for Jeudy to get some get back.
Like Sutton, Jeudy should see more work in the red zone. How could he not? Last season, for whatever reason, Jeudy was only targeted in the red zone two times. He finished the 2022 season with zero touchdowns, drawing the ire of some frustrated fans. Jeudy should turn those frowns upside down, just like Broncos general manager George Paton did on Tuesday. Fantasy GMs can likely draft Jeudy as a flex play, but he’s got WR2 potential (at least) in what should be a breakout season.
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No Fant, No Problem!
Part of the deal to acquire Wilson included the Broncos sending the Seahawks former first-round draft pick Noah Fant. A top pick for the Broncos in the 2019 NFL Draft, Fant never truly played up to his potential with the Broncos. I won’t call him a bust, because his numbers weren’t terrible, but Fant did not perform at the expected level.
While some fans were dejected that Fant was traded away, I knew they’d be good to go because they have Albert Okwuegbunam on the roster. Okwuegbunam is bigger, faster, stronger and a much better blocker than Fant. He can rip the seam like Fant, but he’s more physical and can be a better presence in the red zone. Because he’s a better blocker, Okwuegbunam doesn’t give the defense a “tell” as to what the play will be when he’s on the field.
Fantasy GMs will tell you it’s tough to find tight end help. The position scarcity means guys like Travis Kelce (Chiefs) or Mark Andrews (Ravens) will go early in fantasy drafts. So long as he wins the starting job in training camp – and he should – Okwuegbunam is a TE2 who may go undrafted in some leagues. That makes him a waiver wire speed dial player who can come in off the bench to help win your league. If he stays healthy, always a concern for him, Okwuegbunam could pay off as a low-end TE1 for fantasy GMs this season.
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