Denver Broncos DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

For the second straight week, the Denver Broncos offense could get nothing going on the ground in a 13-6 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers in Denver. Running back Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie combined for 15 carries for 39 yards on the day. Williams had a team-high 11 carries for just 17 yards (1.55 yards per carry), but he salvaged his day by catching all five of his targets for 48 yards through the air. Although Williams has not looked good carrying the ball so far in 2024, his fantasy managers have to be happy with the fact that he out-touched McLaughlin 16 to three in Week 2 after McLaughlin out-touched him in the season opener. The 24-year-old heads into a Week 3 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as Denver's lead back, but with rookie quarterback Bo Nix struggling to move the offense, it's hard to consider Williams as anything more than a low-upside RB3/flex.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix looked shaky again in his second career NFL game in the 13-6 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in Denver. Nix and the Broncos offense had almost zero highlights on the day, although they did outgain the Steelers offense 295 to 251. The first-round rookie signal-caller failed to lead the team to a single touchdown drive on the day, going 20-for-35 for 246 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions while carrying the ball four times for 25 yards on the ground. Nix's first pick was a throw off his heels in the pocket into coverage in the back of the end zone in the third quarter. He also ended the contest with a desperation heave down the field. Things won't get any easier for the 24-year-old in a Week 3 road contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he'll be a QB3 in fantasy.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver A.T. Perry (coach's decision) is a healthy scratch for Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. The 24-year-old missed Week 1 with a hand injury but was a full participant in practice this week. Now, he's sidelined again, but this time for non-injury reasons. The Saints will enter their second game of the season with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed atop their depth chart, followed by undrafted rookie Mason Tipton as their No. 3 receiver.

Even though Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz had a surprisingly decent Week 1 performance fantasy-wise, you really shouldn't be very interested in using him as a sleeper kicker in Week 2 against a swarming Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Lutz went 3-for-3 on his field goals and also made his only extra-point attempt in the season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks in which he benefitted from some good starting positions for a Denver offense that just couldn't get much going in rookie quarterback Bo Nix's NFL debut. The 30-year-old veteran was a Pro Bowler in 2019 with the Saints and has made 85.3% of his 232 field goals attempted in 115 games, so he's been pretty reliable when called upon. However, Denver's offense with a rookie QB at the helm isn't expected to provide Lutz with another kicking opportunities to make him a worthwhile streamer on a weekly basis.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton had a team-high 12 targets and played 91% of the offensive snaps in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but that led to only four receptions for 38 yards in rookie quarterback Bo Nix's wobbly debut. Sutton is fully expected to lead Denver's wideouts in targets by a wide margin in 2024, and volume shouldn't be an issue this weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers, especially with rookie Devaughn Vele (ribs), who had eight targets in the season opener, ruled out. However, Sutton is going to need to be more efficient with Nix to be a worthwhile WR4/flex play on a weekly basis for fantasy managers. The Steelers held Falcons WR1 Drake London to only two catches for 15 yards last week and present another difficult matchup for Nix and this new-look Broncos offense. Don't be surprised if Sutton struggles with efficiency again in the team's home opener.