Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (quadriceps) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Colts. The 24-year-old had 84 yards off 14 carries versus the Browns heading into the Broncos' bye. He has also led the way on the rushing end in Week 15, amassing seven touches for 21 yards and adding three catches for 13 yards. But if he doesn't return, that should mean more work for Javonte Williams and Audric Estime for the rest of the contest. That should remain the case if McLaughlin isn't available on Thursday night versus the Chargers.

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz went from being off the fantasy radar to begin the 2024 season to being a near-weekly lock as a top-10 option at the position heading into a Week 15 matchup at home against the Indianapolis Colts. Not only has Lutz been one of the most accurate kickers in the league this year -- he's made 89.7% of his 29 field-goal attempts -- but he'll be taking on a Colts defense that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to kickers in the last five weeks (four games). The 30-year-old veteran has become a fantasy asset with Denver's offensive improving drastically under rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the second half of the season. Lutz has made all 20 of his kicks in the last three games and has been a top-10 fantasy kicker in the last five weeks. Overall, he's the No. 5 fantasy kicker on the year. Lutz should be in starting lineups in altitude in Denver this weekend.

Although Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. had over 100 yards receiving and his second touchdown in the last three games in the Week 13 win over the Cleveland Browns, we aren't recommending him as a starting fantasy option in the first round of the playoffs in most leagues. Mims caught only three passes against the Browns, but one of them went for a 93-yard bomb to the house on a perfectly placed pass down the seam. In Week 11 against the Falcons, Mims also scored but only had two catches for 49 yards. The 22-year-old has been much more involved in the second half of the season, but he's still only averaging 1.5 receptions per game and 20.5 yards per game in 13 contests. In addition, the Colts defense has allowed the fourth-fewest half-PPR points to opposing wideouts in the last five weeks. Mims is going to have to break another big play to pay off in fantasy.

Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele will be looking for a bounce-back performance in Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday at Empower Field after catching just one of his four targets for 16 yards in the 41-32 win over the Browns back in Week 13. In his three previous games before the quiet showing on Monday night, Vele had a three-game stretch of 14 receptions for 185 yards and his first career touchdown on 18 targets, prompting many fantasy managers to snag him off the waiver wire in Denver's improving offense. In all three of those games, the seventh-round rookie out of Utah played over 60% of the snaps. Indy's defense has allowed the seventh-most passing yards per game (232.4) this year, but in the last five weeks, they've given up the fourth-fewest half-PPR points to wideouts. Vele has been the closest thing Denver has had to a WR2 behind Courtland Sutton all year, but the production has been spotty, making him a low-upside, low-floor WR5/flex in fantasy.

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams has a great matchup in Week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, but he's still hard to trust as a flex option in fantasy leagues in the first round of the playoffs. Williams leads the team in carries (124), rushing yards (446) and rushing touchdowns (four), but he's averaging a mere 3.6 yards per carry and is now no longer the clear leader of the backfield after Jaleel McLaughlin saw a team-high 14 carries in the Week 13 win over the Browns. In the last four games, Williams has just 22 rushing attempts for 59 yards (2.69 yards per tote) and two TDs. The Colts defense has allowed the second-most rushing yards per game (147) and fourth-most half-PPR points per game to RBs, so Denver's ground game could have a rare good performance. However, Williams isn't guaranteed to see lead-back volume, making him a tough-to-trust RB3/flex in deeper fantasy leagues.