Jaleel McLaughlin's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (head) was photographed participating in OTAs on Thursday, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. The pass-catching back came on strong late in his rookie campaign last year, but he's still expected to face firm competition in the form of Javonte Williams and Audric Estime, to name a couple. Adding extra faces to this backfield complicates the matter and drops McLaughlin to a depth role, making him a reasonable target at his ADP of 163. Fantasy managers will find extra solace in the fact that he's healthy and ready to go for the season.

Denver Broncos running backs Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin "will face a challenging battle to maintain their roles this offseason," according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. He notes that the same is true for Javonte Williams. It appears as though all three holdover running backs in Denver have reduced job security after the team drafted Audric Estime and signed Blake Watson. There will be plenty of competition throughout the offseason as the Broncos work to determine which running backs are worthy of key volume in 2024. However, as of now, it appears there's at least some favor for Estime and Watson while the three returners may need to do a little extra to prove themselves. From a fantasy perspective, Williams and Estime seem like the most intriguing names, but Perine and Watson (and even McLaughlin) benefit from their pass-catching skills.

Denver Broncos rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin (head) suffered a head injury early in the 27-14 Week 18 loss to the division-rival Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday and never returned. The 23-year-old finished the final game of his rookie season with just four carries for six yards. He was not targeted at all in the passing game before his unfortunate early exit. McLaughlin's first NFL campaign ends on a sour note, but it shouldn't take anything away from what was an impressive year for the undrafted rookie out of Youngstown State. He impressed in training camp to make the roster and then surpassed Samaje Perine on the RB depth chart midway through the year. McLaughlin entered Week 18 with a 5.6 yard-per-carry average and three total touchdowns in 16 games. With both Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine heading into the final year of their deals in 2024, McLaughlin will most likely serve in a change-of-pace role yet again in Year 2.

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (head) won't return to Sunday's matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. The 23-year-old was in line to see more work in Week 18. However, he never had a chance to get anything going, so he'll finish with four carries for six yards. McLaughlin had bouts of promise throughout the 2023-24 campaign. However, he'll end the year with three touchdowns. It's possible he could get more work next season. But as long as Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine are on the roster, it will be tough for the rookie to stay consistently involved.

Denver Broncos rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin is expected to have a bigger workload in the Week 18 regular season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday with the team already eliminated from the playoffs. Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine will likely still be involved, but it's quite possible that McLaughlin will lead Denver's backfield in touches this weekend. We wouldn't recommend the 23-year-old as anything more than an RB3/flex option in deep season-long leagues, but he could be worth a low-cost dart throw in DFS contests in a matchup against a Raiders run defense that has allowed the 10th-most half-PPR points per game to the position this season. In the last two games, McLaughlin has been much more effective than Williams on the ground, averaging 5.79 yards per carry on 14 attempts for 81 yards while also catching seven passes for 48 yards.