Dynasty Capsule: Denver Broncos
Every year we give our premium content members a team-by-team, player-by-player look at the NFL season that was. The coverage will be in-depth, but because the Dynasty Capsule series begins immediately after the season, we won’t use it to discuss free agency or the draft. Come see us in early May once Mr. Irrelevant is off the board for another 32-article series giving you the same detailed discussion you’ll see below.
Buckle up dynasty fans, because you’re about to be reminded why our motto is, “There is no off-season.”
Quarterback
Trevor Siemian
Siemian started ten games for the Broncos and finished the season with a 5-5 record as the team’s starting quarterback. He was under center for all five of Denver’s victories this season and passed for 2,285 yards and 12 touchdowns while tossing 14 interceptions on the year. Siemian struggled to connect with his receivers downfield which caused him to pass for just 6.5 yards per attempt. He didn’t receive much help from the offensive line considering he was sacked 33 times this season.
From a pure talent perspective, Siemian seems like he’s developing into a solid backup quarterback. He will never be a long-term dynasty asset. He may start a few games here and there, but he’s never going to be a consistent starter for an NFL franchise.
Denver is going to use a large portion of their time in the off-season trying to get a new quarterback either through the draft or free agency. There’s going to be a lot of competition for the starting quarterback job next year, and more than likely, this team will have a new signal-caller under center come week one.
Paxton Lynch
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Lynch started just two games this season, passing for 295 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He completed 66.7 percent of his passes. He competed with Trevor Siemian for the starting quarterback spot last off-season, but lost the job when he failed miserably in the preseason games. Lynch dealt with injuries during the majority of the season. The first injury was a shoulder sprain that caused him to miss a few games and he also endured an ankle injury during the back half of the season.
Everyone knew Lynch was a developmental prospect who had a lot of upside going into the draft. He needed extra grooming to even have a chance at being a respectable starter in the league. Unfortunately, it appears that Lynch isn’t developing quickly enough to help the franchise. He’s a very raw prospect and it appears the current coaching staff might not be equipped to handle a “project” at quarterback. Injuries during the course of his career can also be held accountable for his inability to be effective on the field. The fact that head coach Vance Joseph might be fighting for his job next year doesn’t bode well for his longevity with the team. A change of scenery might be the best option for Lynch.
Brock Osweiler
Osweiler started four games this season for the Broncos and finished the season with an 0-4 record as a starter. He completed 55.8 percent of his passes for 1,088 yards, five touchdowns, and five interceptions. His dismal play was one of many reasons why Denver finished dead last in the AFC West this year. He will be an unrestricted free agent in the off-season and I highly doubt the Broncos will re-sign him. Feel free to drop Osweiler in all of your leagues.
Chad Kelly
Kelly was drafted in the seventh round of the 2017 draft by the Broncos. Due to a wrist injury, Kelly wasn’t able to play a down this year, causing him to eventually be placed on IR. He’s a very talented developmental prospect and he will be trying to earn a spot on the team in training camp.
Running Back
C.J. Anderson
Anderson eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career this year. He finished the season with 1,007 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. He also caught 28 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown. His best game came during week 15 when he rushed for 158 yards against the Indianapolis Colts. Anderson had six games with ten fantasy points or more.
He currently has a 120.75 ADP which makes him a tenth-round pick in most startup drafts. The DLF staff also has him ranked 27.89 amongst NFL running backs and 82.57 overall. The Broncos can save $4.5 million if they cut Anderson in the off-season. This might sound like a good idea to them, considering the NFL Draft is loaded with talented running backs. They can pick up two running backs in the draft and still pay less than what they would be paying Anderson.
Devontae Booker
Booker rushed for 299 yards and one touchdown and caught 30 passes for 275 yards. He had four games with ten or more fantasy points. Booker missed the first three weeks of the season due to a wrist injury. He’s a very talented player who could eventually take over as the team’s lead back in the near future. If anything, he will remain as the teams pass-catching specialist going forward.
He’s sporting a 131.75 ADP which makes him an 11th round pick in startup drafts. DLF has him ranked 56.11 amongst NFL running backs and 159.71 overall. He’s going to experience a value increase in the off-season if Denver cuts C.J. Anderson because he’s going to be billed as the team’s starting running back. This will present an opportunity for dynasty owners to sell him for more than what he’s worth. Denver might draft another back if this happens which means it could be beneficial to sell Booker if he experiences a value spike on the trade market.
Jamaal Charles
He will be an unrestricted free agent this off-season and I highly doubt the Broncos will sign him to another deal. Charles only rushed for 305 yards and one touchdown and caught 23 passes for 129 yards on the year. He only had two games with ten fantasy points or more. Charles had an amazing career in the league, but it looks like his run is just about over.
De’Angelo Henderson
The Denver Broncos drafted Henderson in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He looked really good during the preseason and many experts pegged him to eventually usurp C.J. Anderson for the starting running back during the season. He’s going to compete for the starting job in training camp. Henderson is a valuable end of bench stash in dynasty.
Wide Receiver
Demaryius Thomas
Thomas finished the season catching 83 passes for 949 yards and five touchdowns. This is the first year he didn’t hit 1,000 yards receiving since 2011. His best game of the season came in week six when he caught ten passes for 133 yards against the New York Giants. Thomas’ 6.78 yards per target is the lowest in his career and his 59.30 percent catch rate is his second lowest in his career. Many of his problems stemmed from the inefficient play at quarterback. Thomas just turned 30 years old and his skillsets have been slowly diminishing. He’s not exactly what he used to be, but he still has enough talent to be a fantasy asset.
Thomas’ ADP is currently at 57.00 which is the lowest it has been in six years. The DLF staff currently has him ranked 26.22 amongst NFL wide receivers and 51.57 overall. He’s an aging asset whose dynasty stock is slowly decreasing by the month. Denver has issues at quarterback which is hurting Thomas’ overall production. He’s getting older, father time is chipping away, and the best thing for him would be to either get cut or traded to another team. Thomas would find greener pastures with a better quarterback.
Emmanuel Sanders
Sanders caught 47 passes for 555 yards and two touchdowns. Due to injuries, he played in just 12 games this year. His 51.1 percent catch rate and his 6.03 yards per target are the lowest of his career. Bad quarterback play killed his numbers this season which made him an unreliable option in fantasy.
His value has significantly dropped compared to years past. Sanders currently has a 78.00 ADP, making him a sixth-round pick in startup drafts. The DLF team has him ranked 37.44 amongst NFL wide receivers and 68th overall. The most important thing to note about Sanders is that he’s a potential cut candidate this offseason. The Broncos would save around $10.25 million if they cut him loose in the off-season. This could be a blessing in disguise because it will grant Sanders the opportunity to land on a team with a better quarterback situation.
Carlos Henderson
Due to a torn ligament in his thumb, Henderson was placed on injured reserve early in the season. The Broncos drafted him in the third round of last year’s draft. He could see a massive boost in his dynasty value if either Emmanuel Sanders or Demaryius Thomas leaves. Henderson is a highly athletic prospect with a lot of potential and he could get his time to shine sooner than expected.
Bennie Fowler
This was the most productive season of Fowler’s career as he caught 29 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns. He wasn’t a reliable option in fantasy this year since he only had two games with more than ten fantasy points. Fowler has an ADP of 234.67 which makes him a 19th round pick in startup drafts.
Cody Latimer
This was the best season of Latimer’s career as he caught 19 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, that isn’t nearly enough to be a consistent asset in dynasty. The Broncos drafted Latimer in the second round of the 2014 draft and since then he has only accumulated 105.7 fantasy points. He will be an unrestricted free agent in the off-season which could allow him to move on to a new opportunity that will allow him to prove himself with a new team.
Jordan Taylor
His performance in the preseason games made him a crowd favorite amongst many Broncos fans. Denver finally let him loose in the final game of the year and he took advantage of his opportunity by catching six passes for 65 yards. He will be fighting for a spot on the roster this off-season, but he also has the chance to earn a spot as a role player on the team.
Isaiah McKenzie
He’s the team’s return specialist. McKenzie may never have a stable role within the offense and he may never be an option in fantasy.
Tight End
Virgil Green
Green caught 14 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown this year. Denver quarterbacks only targeted the tight end on 15.02 percent of their passes. The Broncos’ offensive line had pass protection issues which made them keep the tight ends in to block on the majority of their passing plays. This limited Green’s production in the passing game. He will be an unrestricted free agent in the off-season. Denver will either need to resign him or pick up a veteran in free agency. There’s a chance we could see him in a different uniform next year.
Jeff Heuerman
The Broncos drafted Heuerman in the third round of the 2015 draft. Since then, he has caught 18 passes for 283 yards in the last two years. He’s a solid pass protector, but his skills as a receiver are less than desired for. He wasn’t productive in college at Ohio State and it’s starting to look like he’s not going to develop into a reliable option for Denver’s passing game.
Jake Butt
Jake Butt is the tight end to place your chips on in this offense. He was one of the most talented tight end prospects in last year’s draft class, but he fell to the fifth round because he was recovering from an ACL injury that he suffered during the Orange Bowl. If he can return to full health, he will be the best tight end on the roster and will eventually carve out a role as the team’s starting tight end.
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