Nix on Broncos offense: ‘Pretty pitiful’

Coming off Monday Night Football, the Broncos did not hold an official practice today, so their injury report is only an estimate. Still, an estimated DNP for Harvey is a major concern. Rookie Jonah Coleman will take on some of Harvey’s role if he isn’t available for Week 2. J.K. Dobbins would also pick up a few extra carries. Denver’s injury report will be one of the biggest fantasy stories of the week.

The entire Denver offense struggled to get anything going on a night they managed only 176 yards of total offense, clearly no match for Steve Spagnuolo’s Kansas City defense. Most troubling was the fact that this was the first time new offensive coordinator Davis Webb was calling plays after head coach Sean Payton announced this offseason that he would be relinquishing those duties on game days. It is unclear how long the Broncos will stick with that setup if the offense continues to struggle as it did against the Chiefs, particularly considering the team holds the honor of having the most difficult schedule during the first six weeks of the season. Waddle will look to return to his status as an upside-WR2 when the Broncos host the Jaguars in Week 2.

The good news for Sutton’s fantasy managers is that he tied for second on the team in targets. The bad news is everything else. Sutton was locked down by the aggressive Kansas City secondary, failing to generate separation as the offense struggled to move the football. It is difficult to count on Sutton as being any higher than third on the team’s pecking order for targets following the addition of Jaylen Waddle this offseason. The veteran incumbent turns 31 in October and appears likely to struggle when he’s not finding the end zone. Sutton is a low-upside WR4 ahead of a pass-funnel matchup against the Jaguars in Week 2.

Opportunities were at a premium on a night the Broncos managed only 176 yards of total offense, with Harvey clearly limited on the ground behind starter J.K. Dobbins. It could be a similar story in the coming weeks considering the Broncos turned over offensive play calling duties to first-time offensive coordinator Davis Webb amidst the most difficult first six games in the league. Harvey will be a difficult start against the pass-funnel Jaguars in Week 2, where he checks in as a middling RB3.

Dobbins started and handily saw the most carries but was limited by a poor offensive environment on a night the Broncos were out-gained by opposing running back Kenneth Walker alone, limiting Dobbins to only eight carries and zero targets. The next five games could be tough sledding for the veteran back, with games against the Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks on deck. Dobbins can safely be left on fantasy benches for a Week 2 showdown against the pass-funnel Jaguars.

Nix and the rest of the Denver offense struggled throughout against Steve Spagnuolo’s Kansas City defense, gaining fewer yards as a team (176) than opposing running back Kenneth Walker (191). Things seemed to be clicking early after the Broncos were able to knot the game at seven in the first quarter, but quickly fell apart under unrelenting pressure. The poor offensive showing is sure to draw criticism in the media considering it was the first game called by first-time offensive coordinator Davis Webb after head coach Sean Payton relinquished play calling duties this offseason. Whether that setup continues remains to be seen and we wouldn’t be shocked if Webb failed to make it through the first six weeks still calling plays. The Broncos hold the league’s most difficult schedule through the first six weeks, with games against Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks on the immediate horizon. Nix could regain form against the pass-funnel Jaguars in Week 2, where he will be a back-end QB1.

Dobbins will once again start the season as Denver’s presumed lead back, though he’s unlikely to see much pass-game involvement. That should belong (for now) to RJ Harvey, who’s listed as the team’s RB2. Harvey last year was targeted on a strong 27 percent of his pass routes and ended the season with 47 receptions for 365 yards and six receiving scores. Rookie RB Jonah Coleman will start the year as the Broncos’ RB3. He profiles as a sneaky stash option in 12 and 14-team formats.

Legwold writes that the fourth-round rookie is “squarely in the backfield rotation” for the Broncos. Coleman possesses a three-down skill set that could open the door for him to eat into both J.K. Dobbins’ and RJ Harvey’s roles, but fantasy managers shouldn’t rush to put him in their lineups at this time. Dobbins is still considered the favorite to lead the Broncos in early-down touches to start the season, with most of Harvey’s looks coming on third down and in passing situations. That said, Coleman is one of the higher upside stashes at his position who could prove to have top-24 upside or better at some point this season.

Dobbins said he was unsure if he would play in the preseason, but it’s safe to assume the Broncos’ RB1 won’t be taking the field until the regular season. Dobbins exited camp with a soft tissue injury back on August 10th, but didn’t miss any significant time, so it doesn’t come as much of a surprise to hear he’s feel good with less than a month to go before the start of the season. Dobbins is expected to serve as the Broncos’ primary back on early downs and will be on the RB2/RB3 radar for fantasy this season.

Nix looked mobile and eager to chuck it downfield. He even had a few overthrows, which we suppose is a good thing for a quarterback who spent the offseason rehabbing an ankle injury. The Broncos quarterback linked up with new WR Jaylen Waddle for a 35-yard gain down the seam and targeted WR Courtland Sutton a couple of times along the sideline. He found tonight’s starting RB RJ Harvey speeding down the right side of the field on a wheel route, and linked up with the second-year running back for a 21-yard touchdown to conclude the first drive. New OC Davis Webb regularly dialed up play action, which is great for fantasy purposes. Nix looks like a low-end QB1.