Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos tight end Adam Trautman came out of nowhere to catch all four of his targets for 85 yards and his first touchdown of the year in the Week 8 win over the Carolina Panthers, but fantasy managers shouldn't be tricked into thinking he's a good TE2 streaming option as the Broncos head on the road to take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9. Before last Sunday's impressive performance, Trautman had just two catches for 32 yards in the first seven weeks. In addition to Trautman, TE Lucas Krull caught both of his targets for 18 yards. The 27-year-old is rostered in 0% of Yahoo leagues despite his big Week 8 stat line and the fact that a struggling Ravens defense has allowed the eight-most half-PPR fantasy points to the position this year. It's a long shot that Trautman will stand out for fantasy managers a second straight week.

There's a reason Denver Broncos wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey is rostered in 0% of Yahoo Leagues. He has caught only 19 passes for 177 yards with no touchdowns on 27 targets in eight games this season. With that being said, he has played more lately and has six catches for 34 yards on nine targets the last two games with Josh Reynolds (finger) still on Injured Reserve. Humphrey caught four passes for 22 yards on six targets, which was second on the team behind Courtland Sutton, in the Week 8 win over the Carolina Panthers. He also played the second-most snaps among Denver's wideouts behind Sutton. The 26-year-old is a desperation, boom/bust flex play in the deepest of fantasy leagues, although there's boom potential in Week 9 versus a Baltimore Ravens secondary that is allowing the most passing yards per game in 2024.

Can Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton stack back-to-back big games in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens after catching a season-high eight of 11 targets for a season-high 100 receiving yards in last Sunday's 28-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers? We think so. He'll be a strong WR3/flex option for fantasy managers this Sunday against a Ravens defense that has allowed the second-most half-PPR fantasy points to receivers per game this year and the most passing yards per game. The 29-year-old got the squeaky-wheel treatment after not seeing a single target in the Week 7 win over the New Orleans Saints. With quarterback Bo Nix playing the best football of his first NFL season, look for him to target Sutton early and often against a shaky Ravens secondary in a game in which the Broncos may need to open it up through the air to keep up on the scoreboard.

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin has more total touchdowns (three) than backfield mate Javonte Williams in eight games in 2024, but that doesn't mean he's a recommended fantasy play heading into a Week 9 road date against the Baltimore Ravens. McLaughlin had eight carries for a team-high 47 yards while catching his lone target for a nine-yard touchdown reception (his second of the year) in last week's win over the Carolina Panthers. The 24-year-old's 56 scrimmage yards were a season-high in an excellent matchup, proving exactly why he has such low fantasy floor. Denver's offense has improved of late, but McLaughlin just isn't getting enough volume to be considered as more than an RB4/flex in deeper fantasy leagues. McLaughlin will also be facing a Ravens defense that has allowed the fewest rushing yards per game this year at 69.9.

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams didn't take advantage of a plus matchup in the Week 8 win over the Carolina Panthers, rushing 17 times or 44 yards, although he did have a season-high 21 touches. Meanwhile, Jaleel McLaughlin led in rushing and scored again. Williams' best game of 2024 came the week prior against the New Orleans Saints, when he scored his first two touchdowns of the year. Denver's offense has improved under rookie QB Bo Nix of late, but Williams' big Week 8 performance could prove to be more of an outlier. The Broncos could be forced to pass often against Baltimore's strong defense this weekend, although Williams has been plenty involved in the passing attack in 2024, catching at least three passes in each of the last four weeks. He's in play as an RB3/flex in fantasy against a Baltimore defense that has been more vulnerable on the ground recently.