Denver Broncos DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix was a little wobbly, as expected, in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on the road, but head coach Sean Payton mostly thinks that the team's offensive weapons need to step up around Nix. The 24-year-old Oregon product finished 26-for-42 for 138 yards and two interceptions while carrying the ball five times for 35 yards and a rushing TD. Thirteen of his completions went for four or fewer yards. At best, Nix will be a low-end QB2 option for fantasy managers in superflex leagues against a swarming Steelers defense. Expect Denver to prioritize the ground game a bit more against Pittsburgh while continuing to mostly give Nix shorter targets to help him succeed and build his confidence. The Steelers held Kirk Cousins to 155 yards passing in Week 1. Nix has a tough opening schedule, so fantasy managers should expect more growing pains.

Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele (ribs) missed practice all week with an injury to his ribs and was officially ruled out on Friday for the team's Week 2 home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's extremely disappointing for Vele, who caught all eight of his targets for 39 yards on 49% of the offensive snaps in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The 26-year-old seventh-round selection this year seems to have already built some nice chemistry with fellow rookie quarterback Bo Nix, but he'll have to get healthy first before hoping to carve out a role as the WR3 in Denver in his first year in the NFL. For now, Vele is mostly just a bench stash in deep fantasy leagues and dynasty/keeper formats. Vele's absence on Sunday will create more targets for Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds and Marvin Mims Jr. against a tough defense.

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram had a rough Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, posting only one catch for five yards. He did have four targets, which tied for the team lead, but in a lackluster offensive team performance, that isn't saying much. Engram will look to bounce back and show he is capable of playing like his TE2 finish in PPR leagues last year. However, Week 2 may be difficult for the 30-year-old, as he faces a stout Cleveland Browns defense that was elite against the pass last year. Establishing the run seems like the ideal strategy for the Jaguars, but they will have to throw the ball to someone. That leaves the door open for a potential mismatch like Engram to have a solid outing, and maybe catch a touchdown to produce a great fantasy outing. Engram is too talented at a shallow position to consider benching, but his upside is somewhat limited in a tough matchup.

New Orleans Saints wide receiver A.T. Perry (hand) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, according to the team's injury report. Perry missed Week 1 with his hand injury but looks like he will be good to go when the Saints take on the Cowboys in Week 2, barring a setback. Perry's role this season is yet to be defined, and the team's matchup with Dallas is a tough one. With Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed as the team's main targets on the outside, Perry is still an intriguing talent worth stashing in deeper fantasy leagues as his usage becomes more clear.

Denver Broncos wide receivers Josh Reynolds (Achilles) and Devaughn Vele (ribs) were both listed as non-participants in Wednesday's practice. Both wideouts were pivotal pieces in Denver's passing attack against the Seahawks despite the 26-20 loss. Vele and Reynolds each tied for second on the team with eight targets (Courtland Sutton - 12), while the former caught all eight of his --albeit for 39 yards -- and the latter led the team with 45 yards and a long gain of 25. For either player to participate in the Bronco's Week 2 home tilt against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they'll need to get in at least one limited session before the weekend. Of note: while the rookie wideout averaged just 4.9 yards a grab this past Sunday, he was in on 34 of Denver's snaps (49%) and ran 83.9% of his routes from the slot. After a one-game sample, at least -- it would appear Sean Payton has found his "big-slot" guy.