Audric Estime DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie (back) was activated from Injured Reserve on Saturday and is officially active for the wild-card game at Orchard Park in Buffalo against the Bills on Sunday. As a result, rookie Audric Estime will be a healthy scratch. It's a pretty big surprise for Denver's backfield as they get set to play their first postseason game since winning Super Bowl 50 back in early 2016. The 24-year-old Badie has been on IR since early October but will return to provide RB depth behind Jaleel McLaughlin and Javonte Williams. Given Badie's extended absence, it would be a surprise to see him on the field all that much, which will give both McLaughlin and Williams more fantasy upside on Sunday against a Buffalo defense that has been vulnerable on the ground this year. In three games before going on IR, Badie had only 11 carries for 86 yards while adding three catches for minus-two yards.

Denver Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime is hard to recommend for fantasy lineups against the Buffalo Bills on wild-card weekend this Sunday as part of a three-man RB committee in Denver that also includes Jaleel McLaughlin and Javonte Williams. Estime did have 12 carries in the Week 18 win over the Kansas City Chiefs -- his second-highest total of the year -- but most of his work came in garbage time in a 38-0 blowout. In his first 13 NFL games in 2024, Estime averaged 4.1 yards per carry and only 5.8 rushing attempts per game. Opportunities are surely to be limited again this weekend in a game the Broncos are nearly 10-point underdogs on the road. The 21-year-old will probably only pay off as a flex play for fantasy managers if he finds the end zone, which he was only able to do twice this year. Estime has little upside as long as he's sharing touches with McLaughlin and Williams.

Denver Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime wasn't very effective on the ground with double-digit carries but managed to find the end zone in the 38-0 win on Sunday in Denver against the visiting division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in the Week 18 regular-season finale. Estime was afforded 12 carries -- his second time all year with double-digit carries -- with the Broncos offense moving the ball mostly at will against backups on defense for the Chiefs. The 21-year-old only gained 34 yards on his 12 carries (2.8 yards per tote) but found the end zone late for his second TD of the year (and second in the last three weeks). Still, most of Estime's work came late in the second half with the game already decided, working behind Jaleel McLaughlin and Javonte Williams early on. There will be minimal fantasy upside for the rookie in the first round of the playoffs against the Bills in Denver's committee backfield.