Devaughn

Vele

Vele simply wasn’t needed for his typical short-area work as the Denver defense managed two pick-sixes to sink the Browns. Both Marvin Mims and Courtland Sutton broke through the 100-yard receiving mark, with the team more intent on hammering the intermediate-to-deep areas of the field against the Browns. Vele and the Broncos head to their bye before facing off against the Colts in Week 15.

With 15 receptions over the past three outings, Vele has established himself as Denver’s clear No. 2 wideout behind Courtland Sutton. No other Denver wideout had more than five targets against the Raiders. The rookie saw a handful of underneath targets and operated primarily in the middle of the field against a middling Vegas secondary. The reliable Vele has distanced himself from every other secondary and tertiary Broncos pass catcher, making him a WR3/4 option for Week 13 against the Browns.

Vele, who last week caught all four of his targets for 39 yards against the Chiefs, was second among Broncos pass catchers in targets and receptions against Atlanta. Vele has positioned himself as the Broncos’ No. 2 receiver in recent weeks, though he’ll only be viable in deeper formats. Vele gets the Raiders in Week 12.

Vele found a soft hole in zone coverage on his first-quarter touchdown that opened scoring. He has rarely been this involved for the Broncos this year, as it is his first game over four targets since Week 6. Vele will remain waiver wire filler outside of deeper leagues even with a solid Week 11 matchup against the Falcons.

Vele missed a few games early in the year with a rib injury but returned for a 78-yard receiving line in Week 6. He has since been an afterthought in the offense, totaling 59 yards over his past three games combined. Vele shouldn’t be rostered in even the deepest of fantasy formats.

Vele and Troy Franklin (one catch for six yards) were afterthoughts in the win, as Courtland Sutton reached the century mark on eight catches and Adam Trautman found room (4/85/1) against the ineffective Panthers’ secondary. The 2024 seventh-round pick has shown some flashes in the first half of the campaign, but just doesn’t offer enough consistency to be trusted as a starting receiver in fantasy formats.

Vele’s Weeks 2-5 healthy scratch statuses are inexplicable. He led the team in receptions in Week 1 (eight) and led the team in receiving yards in Week 6, by a 25-yard margin. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound WR is not an elite talent but he brings reliability and big-play ability to a pass-catching corps in need of both traits. He is a WR5 candidate against the Saints in Week 7.

Estime will suit up for the first time since Week 1, as will WR DeVaughn Vele. Vele quietly led the team with eight receptions but has been a healthy scratch ever since. Estime has a chance to secure at least the No. 2 role, playing behind starter Javonte Williams. TE Lucas Krull also gets another chance to make his mark after a disappointing Week 5 debut. Broncos inactives include RB Blake Watson, TE Greg Dulcich, RT Alec Palczewski, S Keidron Smith, S JL Skinner and CB Kris Abrams-Draine. QB Zach Wilson is also inactive but will function as the emergency third QB.

Dulcich has failed to contribute when active but Vele’s recurring deactivation is confusing. Vele caught a team-high eight targets in his lone regular season showing (Week 1) but has been declared inactive in every game since. Fantasy managers can drop him at this point.

Vele wasn’t listed with an injury designation for Week 4 so this is another healthy scratch for the rookie wideout, who had eight receptions in Week 1. Denver will once again roll with Courtland Sutton and Josh Reynolds are their top receivers in Week 4.