Denver Broncos DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie (back) has been placed on the injured reserve prior to the Week 5 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Badie went down with a back injury during last week's game. It appears the injury is somewhat significant considering the team has placed him on the IR, so Badie will miss at least the next four games. The young back hasn't done a ton this season outside of his 70-yard performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin figure to split up the workload in the backfield going forward.

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz has a good opportunity for a bounce-back performance in the Week 5 divisional tilt at home in the thin air of Denver against the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to kickers per game so far in 2024. Lutz is coming off his worst performance of the year, missing his first kick of the season. He made just one field goal and one extra point in the 10-9, Week 4 upset over the New York Jets in rainy and wet conditions last weekend. Denver's offense has been among the worst in the NFL so far this year, but Lutz surprisingly ranks as the No. 10 kicker heading into Week 5, thanks to 10 successful field goals and four extra points. The floor will continue to be low for Lutz with quarterback Bo Nix running the show, but Denver's offense should be able to move the ball better this weekend against a Raiders defense that could be without All-Pro pass-rusher Maxx Crosby (ankle). Lutz is in the streaming conversation at kicker.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton will be looking to score a touchdown for the second straight week in Week 5 against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday after finding paydirt for the first time in four weeks in the Week 4 win over the New York Jets. Sutton leads the team in catches (15), targets (36), receiving yards (192) and touchdowns (one) through four games. However, he's also sporting career-lows in catch rate (41.7%), yards per catch (12.8) and yards per target (5.4). Sutton had a career-high 10 scores in 2023 with Russell Wilson, but he hasn't found that same chemistry with rookie quarterback Bo Nix so far. The Raiders defense presents a pretty neutral matchup, as they've been around middle of the pack in passing yards allowed and fantasy points per game allowed to wideouts. Sutton has become a touchdown-dependent WR4/flex in fantasy but has upside for a little more in Week 5 at home against Vegas.

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin does have a plus matchup in Week 5 against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders, a defense that is allowing the eighth-most half-PPR fantasy points to RBs through four weeks in 2024. That's about where the positives end for McLaughlin, though, coming into this game. He's the No. 2 back behind Javonte Williams, is averaging a lackluster 3.2 yards per carry and is in an offense that has averaged just over 100 yards rushing per game. McLaughlin did have 5.1 yards per carry and 46 yards on nine carries in the Week 4 win over the Jets and found the end zone in Week 3 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He checks in as the RB50 in half-PPR scoring and also ranks 45th in carries (27) and 47th in passing targets (seven). McLaughlin has a better matchup this week, but Denver's low-scoring offense hasn't been able to support one fantasy RB, let alone two.

Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams has the opportunity to get his season kickstarted in a matchup this Sunday at home against the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. The Raiders defense is allowing the eighth-most half-PPR fantasy points to RBs through four weeks, also giving up 137.5 rushing yards per game (ninth-most). Now the question is whether the 24-year-old can exploit the matchup, but maybe more so, can the Broncos' offense be more consistent in sustaining drives? Williams hasn't been great -- he's the RB41 in half-PPR scoring -- and is averaging a career-low 3.2 yards per carry. He also has yet to find the end zone. But he did have his most efficient game last week (16 carries for 77 yards) against the Jets and could be facing a Raiders defense without Maxx Crosby (ankle). Although the upside remains on the low end in Denver's low-scoring offense, Williams has RB2 upside this week.