Denver Broncos DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele is a desperation WR5 option with the Broncos at Kansas City in Week 18. The rookie has just five catches in his past four games after a nice run from Weeks 10-12, and played only half of the Broncos' offensive snaps last week. However, Denver looks to be getting a second-rate opponent with Kansas City resting many of its key players in the regular-season finale. The Broncos do not have that luxury and need a win to assure a Wild Card berth. Vele figures to be part of the action for Denver, but probably not enough to warrant a starting spot in standard-format leagues that play Week 18.

Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie (back) has been downgraded to out for Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs. In order for Badie to play, the Broncos would have been required to activate him from injured reserve on Saturday afternoon. That transaction did not happen as the Broncos reaffirmed their plan to move forward with a backfield featuring Jaleel McLaughlin, Javonte Williams, and Audric Estime on Sunday. All three running backs should carve out significant roles, but McLaughlin has the most fantasy appeal as an RB3/FLEX option.

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz hasn't missed a kick since the Week 10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He'll take on the Chiefs again in the Week 18 regular-season finale as the Broncos look to punch their ticket to the postseason for the first time since the 2015 season. Since Lutz's potential game-winning kick was blocked against KC on Nov. 10, he has made all 12 of his field-goal attempts and all 22 of his extra-point opportunities for an ascending Broncos offense. Not only has the 30-year-old veteran been money for Denver by making 90.9% of his field-goal tries this year, but he's been afforded field-goal tries (tied for eighth in the league) and 41 extra-point attempts (sixth), which has led him to being the No. 7 fantasy kicker on the year in overall points. Against a Chiefs defense resting players for the playoffs, Lutz is an easy top-10 fantasy kicker for the final game of the regular season in the altitude in Denver.

Denver Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime gets a Week 18 matchup against a Kansas City Chiefs team that will be resting key starters on defense for the playoffs as the Broncos look to punch their ticket to the postseason on Sunday at home. The rookie does have nine carries in consecutive weeks, but he hasn't played more than 30% of the offensive snaps since Week 10 in a Broncos backfield that has become a frustrating committee for fantasy purposes that also involves Jaleel McLaughlin and Javonte Williams. The 21-year-old has averaged 4.3 yards per carry and 23.30 rushing yards per game in his first 12 NFL games for Denver. The Broncos' ground game could get things going against a Chiefs defense that will be vulnerable in the season finale, but fantasy managers shouldn't consider Estime as much more than a low-upside, touchdown-dependent RB3/flex in Week 18.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. is coming off by far the best game of his career in the Week 17 overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in which he caught all eight of his targets for 103 yards and two touchdowns, including a miraculous jump-ball TD in the back of the end zone to send it to overtime. Mims will try to have another big game in Week 18 versus the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday to send the team to the playoffs. It will help his cause that the Chiefs defense will be resting several key players for the postseason, but the 22-year-old second-year wideout has been reliant on big plays down the field for most of his inconsistent production. Still, there's no denying Mims has been trending up of late, playing a season-high 47% of the snaps the last two games while scoring three times in the last five games. Mims is the WR20 in average half-PPR points the last five weeks (four games).