Denver

Broncos

Payton was asked if their offseason acquisition, Waddle, was going to be more involved this week than he was in Week 1. Per Payton, they intended to get Waddle more involved, but acknowledged that the team needs to be “more deliberate” about getting him involved, “without forcing it.” The last-second qualifier is a tad unsettling, but we do expect the Broncos to at least look Waddle’s way early, in order to assuage usage concerns. He is a WR2 against the Jaguars this week.

It sure seems like Mims aggravated his preexisting foot injury in Week 1 against the Chiefs. Mims does not need to be rostered in 12-team leagues, though his absence does slightly improve the rest of the receiving corps’ outlook.

Even if Harvey is active, he makes for a dicey FLEX start. The second-year running back totaled seven touches in last week’s loss and he logged only two limited practices this week. The Broncos can divvy up the backfield work between RB J.K. Dobbins, Harvey and rookie RB Jonah Coleman if need be.

Mims seems to have aggravated the foot injury he suffered in the Broncos’ preseason finale. He practiced fully last week, but has not taken the field since Monday night’s loss to the Chiefs. He does not need to be rostered in 12-team leagues.

Harvey joined his teammates on the field for a limited session after sitting out on Wednesday. He has a chance to play. If active, it is unclear how effective he can be, and the Broncos do have a capable backup, rookie RB Jonah Coleman, who should be stashed where available. Hopefully, Harvey practices fully tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Wednesday’s injury report is just an estimate from the team. We will get more info on Mims and the rest of the injured Broncos on Thursday. Mims suffered a foot injury in the preseason but was good to go for Week 1. He left Denver’s loss to the Chiefs with a foot injury but did return to the game. That would normally be a good sign, but the fact that this might be related to an injury from several weeks ago is slightly worrisome. Mims didn’t play much at wide receiver in Week 1, but the Broncos would need to find a replacement for his return duties if he can’t suit up this week.

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.

Nix during his postgame presser defended offensive play caller Davis Webb, who took over for head coach Sean Payton this offseason. “The players did not make it easy on [Webb] today,” said Nix, who completed 17-of-28 passes for 131 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in Monday night’s loss to Kansas City. “Pretty pitiful, actually.” Denver had the league’s second lowest drop back EPA of Week 1; only the Falcons were worse. Nix, meanwhile, ranked 28th out of 32 qualifying QBs in Week 1 accuracy. “We called exactly what we prepared for and what we wanted to get to and we just didn’t execute,” Nix said. “Then we were behind.” Webb and the Broncos will look to bounce back in Week 2 against a tough Jaguars defense.

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.