RADIO
Dynasty football team outlook for the 2018 Denver Broncos. Martin Konstantinov examines each position in depth to provide a value overview to fantasy owners.
Here at RotoBaller, our dynasty crew will be reviewing all 32 teams in our offseason Dynasty Team outlook series. Leading up to the draft, we will break down every franchise as they currently stand and will review them again after the conclusion of free agency and the NFL Draft.
Which players should you buy and which players should you sell? Who will be sleepers this season and who will be busts? We will cover all the positions and all the angles for you.
The Broncos, a few years removed from their Super Bowl victory, struggled mightily in 2017. It can be said that the team was a fantasy wasteland in 2017. With a 5-11 record and a last-place finish in the AFC West, the Broncos will look to rebound in 2018 and have a better performance on the football field; however, will there be a translation from performances on the field to the fantasy gridiron?
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Denver Dynasty Outlook
Team Record: 5-11 (4th, AFC West)
Fantasy Leaders (taken from FantasyData.com)
QB: Trevor Siemian - 126.1 (QB30)
RB: CJ Anderson - 147.1 (RB17)
WR: Demaryius Thomas - 122.9 (WR23)
TE: Jeff Heuerman - 26.2 (TE49)
IDP: Von Miller - 127 (LB16)
Quarterback
In 2017, the quarterback position for the Denver Broncos was one of the worst in the league. With Trevor Siemian playing in 11 games during the season, there wasn't much to look for each week as Siemian finished with more picks than touchdowns (12 to 14). The Broncos also played Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch a fair amount throughout the season, yet those two players also combined for more interceptions than touchdowns on the year.
In free agency, the Broncos attempted to address the situation by signing ex-Vikings quarterback Case Keenum to a multi-year deal. Keenum appears to be the stopgap at the position; he only has one season of truly above-average production. Unfortunately, unless Keenum continues his form from last season, he many not be secure in the starting spot past the first half of the season. Furthermore, even though Keenum performed well on the field last year, his fantasy production was mediocre at best.
With the Broncos still looking to target a quarterback through the draft, it will be on Keenum to prove that he can be the solid producer for the team that they have missed since before Peyton Manning fell of the production cliff. As per Rotoballer's Dynasty QB Rankings, Keenum ranks as a tier 19 quarterback coming in at 237 overall in terms of ADP. His value could slide further down if the Broncos address the position at the draft; however, if you are in a startup league and looking for a solid if unspectacular quarterback for your roster, Keenum could be the answer as the Broncos offense does contain some intriguing options for Keenum to work with.
At the end of the day, you most likely won't find a fantasy gem in the Broncos quarterback room in the 2018 season; however, as with any rookie pick, if the Broncos take a quarterback early, they will likely have good long-term value as potential successors to Keenum or his replacement if his performances are not akin to how he played in the previous year.
Running Back
After suffering an injury halfway through the 2016 season, Broncos running back CJ Anderson rebounded with a 1,000 yard rushing campaign. With over 200 yards through the air, four total touchdowns, and zero fumbles, Anderson played a solid if unspectacular role in the team's offense. Despite a decent season, there have been talks that the Broncos are looking to move on from the former undrafted running back. Anderson still has two years left on his deal, and he does have a decent chance to be the workhorse for the team in the upcoming season, but there is a certain uncertainty around the Broncos offense as a whole and as such Anderson could find himself out of a starting gig if the team attempts to find another running back through the draft or go with a committee approach featuring third-year running back Devontae Booker.
From a dynasty startup standpoint, Anderson is a tier eight running back by Rotoballer's rankings, while Booker is solidly in tier 10, with ADPs of 104 and 139, respectively. Although Anderson seems like the best bet to begin the season as the starting running back, Booker is in line for a breakout year and could steal the job at some point or in training camp. In reality, neither are solid options as Booker has underperformed in his first two years in the league while Anderson has injury concerns as well as a lack of guaranteed touches going into the 2018 season. In dynasty drafts, prefer Booker's value to Anderson's, especially due to the age of the former and his potential to steal the starting job.
If you do consider Booker, just remember that he only had one touchdown last year after a competition with Anderson for the starting role (which he lost) and he failed to break the four yards per carry mark in either the 2016 or 2017 season. If you favor Anderson, remember that there are plenty of reasons why personnel around the team (including John Elway) and fantasy experts are not sure that he will maintain the starting role for the team in the upcoming season.
Also in the fold is 6th-round rookie pick De'Angelo Henderson. Although he had just seven carries and two receptions last season, Henderson could be in line for a bigger role in the 2018 season, especially if the Broncos do not address the position in the draft or if Anderson is cut or traded. However, Henderson is nothing more than a late round flier at this point given his limited involvement last season and the likelihood that the Broncos will upgrade at the position before the season begins.
Wide Receiver
Despite the merry-go-round at the quarterback position for the team last year, number one wide receiver Demaryius Thomas still finished with 141 targets and 83 receptions. However, the 30 year old was unable to reach the 1,000 yard mark for the first time since 2011, falling 51 yards short. Furthermore, Thomas only scored five touchdowns (his second year of doing so), a far cry from his three years of double digit scores while playing alongside Peyton Manning. Now that Thomas is past the 30 year old mark, his dynasty startup value is squarely in tier four of Rotoballer's rankings with an overall ADP of 45. Thomas still has a couple of good years left in the tank and is the main offensive weapon for the Broncos, so pairing him up with Case Keenum should be good for his value as he looks to break the 1,000 yard mark yet again. Regardless, Thomas has proved to be a reliable wide receiver no matter who is under center for the Broncos and could look to have a successful 2018 season after having his contract extended through the 2019 season.
On the opposite side from Thomas is wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who just turned 31 years old last month. Sanders is coming off of an injury-plagued and disappointing 2017 season that saw him fail to come close to the 1,000+ yards he had in each of the three seasons before that. Sanders finished the 2017 season with only 555 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games - however, it was not all his fault. The Broncos' poor quarterback performances limited the fantasy upside of both Thomas and Sanders, as the pair of receivers have shown that with a competent quarterback under the helm, they can thrive. Sanders's ADP is currently 65 as he slots into tier six of our rankings, making him a mid-tier receiver in dynasty startups. Out of the two, it is more likely that Thomas has more good years in him than Sanders, making him a better pick. However, both are ultimately average long-term options due to their advantaged age and the unlikelihood of a complete turnaround of the Broncos offense any time soon (unless they address the quarterback position in this year's draft).
With Bennie Fowler and Cody Latimer gone, behind Thomas and Sanders are second year pro Carlos Henderson, Jordan Taylor, and Isaiah McKenzie. Henderson was injured his entire rookie year but looks to have late-round appeal in dynasty startups due to his unknown potential while Taylor and McKenzie are likely just depth options at this point and shouldn't be considered in rosters for dynasty teams.
At the end of the day, the performances of the Broncos wide receivers will depend on who is under center for the team. Expect a marginal improvement with Case Keenum, but don't get your hopes up for the long-term upside of the team's receiving corps unless John Elway drafts a quarterback with his first round pick at the end of the month.
Tight End
The Broncos tight end position is a fantasy wasteland. Since the departures of Virgil Green and Julius Thomas, the Broncos have had very little success with their tight ends as receivers on the field. This has translated to a lack of representation of the team at the tight end position in fantasy rankings. With last year's number one tight end being Jeff Heuerman, who only had nine receptions on the year (albeit with two touchdowns), there is little dynasty value to be had at this position for the team. However, after being injured his entire rookie season after tearing his ACL during his senior year in college, 2017 fifth round pick Jake Butt could have some long term value if he is able to climb up the team's depth chart over the next season or two. Although he is just a lottery ticket at this point, Butt joins a Broncos team completely devoid of talent at the position and therefore he could be able to find some fantasy value. Alternatively, the Broncos could look to address the position early in the draft, further muddying the fantasy value of the team's tight ends.
IDP
Once the best defense in football, the Broncos have lost some key parts of the team in Chris Harris and Aqib Talib. However, with All-World linebackers Von Miller and Brandon Marshall still leading the defense, there are viable fantasy options for the team. Miller and Marshall are solid linebacker options in dynasty formats, but outside of the pair there is little talent to exploit from a fantasy perspective.
One player who could possibly change that is linebacker/safety hybrid Su'a Cravens. After missing the 2017 season due to an early retirement, the former second round pick was traded from the Redskins to the Broncos and could look to have a solid season at the safety position. Keep an eye on him (and cornerback Bradley Roby, who should have a bigger role this season and could have substantial long-term value) once the season starts, but don't place all your chips on the young player when there are better options available.
Draft Results
Offense
The Denver Broncos added good long-term options on the offensive side of the ball, although it may be a bit before we see them return value. The player with the most short-term potential is running back Royce Freeman, who could become the replacement for C.J. Anderson and revitalize the team's ground game this season, making him an excellent early round dynasty selection. Furthermore, the team selected wide receivers Courtland Sutton (40th) and DaeSean Hamilton (113th), which signals that Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders may have replacements sooner rather than later as they age in their careers.
Defense
The Broncos picked the best defensive player in the draft in Bradley Chubb; lining up opposite Von Miller will make Chubb an instant IDP play and perhaps one of the most dominant ends in the league early on in his career. The Broncos defense got a lot scarier, and their front seven is quite possibly one of the best in the league after this pick.
