Chris Raybon urged drafters to spend a Round-15 dart on Broncos rookie Pat Bryant, saying Sean Payton’s third-round investment plus a public Michael-Thomas comparison signal immediate opportunity. Bryant posted a 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame, 18.2 yards per catch and 10 TDs at Illinois, giving Denver the vertical-plus-possession profile Payton has chased since his New Orleans days. Raybon noted the depth chart is anything but settled: Courtland Sutton is the only locked-in starter, Marvin Mims flashed but still rotates, and Payton just drafted another slot in Franklin after relying on Vailai last year—proof he is still searching for a true No. 1. Because Payton historically designs roles regardless of draft slot (e.g., Vailai started as a Day-3 rookie), Raybon believes Bryant could win an every-down job by camp and command a surprise 20-plus % target share. The upside of a mid-round alpha in a wide-open offense is worth the tiny opportunity cost at this stage of Best Ball and season-long drafts.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound encouraged drafters to keep taking late-round shots on Marvin Mims because Denver beat writers continue to rave about his off-season. Pat noted that Mims was stuck at 40 percent route participation as a rookie, yet still ranked third in the league in yards per route run on throws 15-plus yards downfield. Early OTA reports have him running with the starters, and Pat expects Sean Payton to push his snap share into the 60-70 percent range while rotating big-slot Pat Bryant and rookie Devontez Franklin. The Broncos’ ambiguous depth chart and likely negative game scripts (Vegas projects them bottom-six in win total) should translate to deeper target trees and more down-field looks for Mims. At a current ADP in the 150s he offers the quintessential boom-bust WR7 profile for tournament builds hunting for late-season ceiling.

Steph Miller is scooping J.K. Dobbins in the mid-150s, expecting his price to settle in the low-130s once beat-writers tweet daily "full-speed" clips from camp. She tracked his draft-board trajectory: 154 on Tuesday, 140 in sharper rooms by Wednesday, and predicts a gradual rise as coach-speak keeps glowing. Steph still plans to fade if he crosses into the 120s—echoing her earlier warning—but views the current window as free equity. Her rationale: Sean Payton repeatedly said he wants to lean on a single early-down back, and Denver’s revamped run-blocking unit added maulers Frank Ragnow and Blake Fisher. Even a 55% share would give Dobbins double-digit TD upside in Payton’s historically efficient red-zone schemes (top-6 in RB rush TD rate in nine of his 15 seasons).

Steph Miller warned against chasing J.K. Dobbins as his Underdog ADP rockets from the mid-160s toward the 120s in the wake of recent news. She is willing to grab "a couple of shares in the 140s" but will pass as soon as he is priced next to Rhamondre Stevenson and Zach Charbonnet. Steph argued that post-injury Dobbins offers almost no pass-catching juice, and early OTA reports indicate Denver plans to rotate three backs—Audric Estime in short yardage, Jaleel McLaughlin in space, and Samaje Perine/Harvey in protection—leaving Dobbins with a low-value early-down role. Although he graded out as Denver’s best runner last year, Steph said that was "more about how bad the other backs were than how good he was." Given the committee risk, lack of receiving upside, and price inflation, she considers Dobbins a trap pick anywhere north of 130 overall and recommends waiting for a correlated fall or simply fading him.

Jakob Sanderson encouraged drafters to scoop JK Dobbins around the 11th round as a high-ceiling, low-risk bet. He argued that Denver’s backfield "is a pretty nice pie"—top-five in XFP two years ago and still above average in 2024—so there is room for two backs to beat ADP. If Dobbins is viewed as a legitimate threat to Harvey’s workload, logic dictates that Dobbins himself has meaningful standalone and contingent value. The contract is cheap, which bakes in the injury risk, and Sanderson envisions a Walker/Charbonnet-style 1-2 punch where the total RB fantasy output rises, giving Dobbins spike-week potential that is perfect for Best Ball Mania formats.

Jakob Sanderson said RJ Harvey remains a smash best-ball selection even after Denver brought in JK Dobbins. Sanderson reminded listeners that the Broncos were top-5 in running-back expected fantasy points (XFP) in 2023 and still above average last year despite, in his words, “terrible running backs.” Sean Payton funneled the fifth-most RB targets to Javonte Williams, so adding a round-two rookie with real juice could actually enlarge the overall pie rather than shrink Harvey’s slice. Sanderson compared the situation to Kenneth Walker/Zach Charbonnet in Seattle—both backs became viable because the offense created enough volume. He expects Harvey’s ADP to slide from the mid-5th into the low-70s overall (behind TreVeyon Henderson) and plans to buy that dip aggressively, calling the new cost “really exciting” for drafters willing to bet on talent.

Eric Polzin called Devaughn Vele the Broncos’ WR2 and a perfect last-round handcuff to Courtland Sutton. He argued Sutton’s fifth-round ADP is already a steal, but Vele— going around pick 300 as WR107— offers both standalone spike-week potential and direct injury contingency. Vele flashed in limited action as a 27-year-old rookie: eight targets for 8-39-0 on 34 snaps in Week 1, then 4-70-0 on 34 snaps in Week 6, before finishing with 4-39-1 in Week 10. Despite puzzling healthy scratches, he cleared 10 PPR points in three of seven active games, effectively paying off his ADP. A recent beat-report noted Vele has been the consistent running-mate with Sutton in OTAs and added five pounds of muscle. Polzin prefers him over the pricier Marvin Mims “gadget” profile and over veterans like Tim Patrick or Lil’Jordan Humphrey, reiterating Sean Payton needs a true X-backup in case the oft-dinged Sutton misses time. The payoff: Sutton averaged 23% of team targets last year; Vele would inherit a chunk of that plus red-zone looks in a low-risk, high-ceiling package.

When Pat asked if managers should reach for J.K. Dobbins in the 170–180 range before he signs, Greg Brainos flatly declined. He said Dobbins “looked really, really bad” down the stretch last year despite a 228-touch workload and sees little evidence the burst has returned after multiple leg injuries. Brainos also noted Jim Harbaugh’s history of rotating backs and the Chargers’ recent comments about a committee approach, which further caps Dobbins’ ceiling even if he lands the No. 1 job on paper. With no guaranteed contract yet and minimal pass-game chops, Brainos prefers to let Dobbins fall, allocating those late picks to healthier rookies who can actually gain steam over the summer.

Matthew Wiley flagged undrafted rookie Devaughn Vele as a "star pick" in the final rounds of Best Ball drafts. Wiley’s angle: Sean Payton is willing to roll out five different receivers behind Courtland Sutton, so Vele needs only a couple of splash plays to pay off his literally undrafted ADP. At 6'5" and 210 pounds, Vele posted a 2.35 yards-per-route in his final season at Utah and ran a sub-4.5 forty, traits Wiley believes translate to red-zone fade opportunities from Bo Nix. Because the entire Denver stack is cheap, Wiley loves tacking Vele on as the final piece for low-owned Week 17 upside.

JSU loves Evan Engram’s fit in Denver after Sean Payton brought him in as Bo Nix’s security blanket. He reminded Wiley that Payton lives on check-downs and quick throws, exactly where Engram thrives. JSU expects the tight end to be "peppered with targets" between the 20s and notes that Engram’s established red-zone ability gives him both floor and touchdown upside. With only Courtland Sutton locked into a role and the rest of the Broncos’ receiver room "interchangeable," JSU sees a realistic path for Engram to finish as a top-five fantasy tight end while costing only mid-round capital in Best Ball drafts.

JSU highlighted Denver as his favorite late-round Best Ball stack because every key piece is inexpensive. He reminded listeners that Bo Nix shockingly finished QB7 as a rookie, thanks in part to rushing scores that provide "touchdown collateral with his legs." With Sean Payton’s quarterback-friendly system, an upgraded supporting cast (rookie wideout Pat Bryant, rookie back RJ Harvey) and a still-stingy defense that will keep games competitive, JSU believes Nix can repeat top-10 fantasy production while allowing drafters to load up elsewhere early.

Cody Woodman urged drafters to pump the brakes on RJ Harvey, calling his late-50s ADP "wild" with J.K. Dobbins reportedly on the team’s radar. Woodman projected that even if Dobbins signs, drafters will only nudge Harvey back into the low-70s—hardly enough of a discount for a fifth-round rookie who handled just 265 college carries after two ACL tears. Harvey’s 29% reception share at UCF is nice, but the offense that drafted him produced the fourth-fewest running-back targets last year. Cody added that Quinshon Judkins, Marshawn Lloyd and Travion Henderson all go in the same draft pocket and carry cleaner backfield paths. Unless Harvey’s price craters at least a full round, Woodman prefers scooping those other rookies and letting someone else eat the incoming value loss.

Davis Mattek said Audric Estime is "pretty clearly my favorite 18th-round pick at the running back position," emphasizing that the rookie has "a decent chance of being the early-down rusher for the Denver Broncos early in the season." Mattek likes Estime as a structural hedge against his previous RJ Harvey exposure—if Estime grabs the first- and second-down work Sean Payton traditionally filters through one back, he offers cheap bell-cow upside at pick 215-plus. Locking Estime in the final round lets Mattek stay light at running back (a 7-RB build) while stockpiling wide-receiver capital earlier, fitting the draft-backwards strategy he has outlined throughout the episode.

Andy Holloway grabbed Evan Engram in the 11th after confirming the next three drafters already had tight ends. Holloway had Engram one spot ahead of David Njoku and favored him because Engram’s connection with Bo Nix offers a more stable weekly target floor than Njoku’s unsettled quarterback situation. He views Engram as the final stop before the position drops into touchdown-dependent streamers, making this a low-risk, solid-ceiling pick in the late rounds.

Jason Moore waited until Round 10 before selecting Bo Nix, reminding listeners that Nix ranked as the fantasy QB7 through the first month of his rookie campaign. Moore trusts Sean Payton to lean into the quick-game concepts that fit Nix’s strengths, giving the sophomore passer both a stable floor and top-12 ceiling in 2025 drafts. Grabbing Nix this late lets managers stockpile skill talent earlier and, if they wish, pair him with another upside quarterback as insurance.

Jason Moore warned that Audric Estime could lose the bulk of his projected carries if Denver finalizes a deal with J.K. Dobbins, who was reportedly visiting the Broncos. Moore noted Sean Payton’s history of limiting individual backs to 220-250 touches and pointed out that Estime offers almost no receiving upside. If Dobbins arrives, Moore anticipates a four-man committee (Estime, Dobbins, Jaleel McLaughlin and RJ Harvey) in which Estime is reduced to short-yardage work. That risk makes Estime a fragile pick at his current Round 9-10 redraft ADP and an avoid in Best Ball unless the backfield picture clears up before August.

Jason Moore warned that Audric Estime could lose the bulk of his projected carries if Denver finalizes a deal with J.K. Dobbins, who was reportedly visiting the Broncos. Moore noted Sean Payton’s history of limiting individual backs to 220-250 touches and pointed out that Estime offers almost no receiving upside. If Dobbins arrives, Moore anticipates a four-man committee (Estime, Dobbins, Jaleel McLaughlin and RJ Harvey) in which Estime is reduced to short-yardage work. That risk makes Estime a fragile pick at his current Round 9-10 redraft ADP and an avoid in Best Ball unless the backfield picture clears up before August.

Jason Moore said RJ Harvey’s RB17 price in early best-ball drafts is perfectly reasonable. He reminded listeners that Sean Payton has traditionally used a committee, but the back seeing the majority of passing-game work has provided the most reliable fantasy production (think Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles and Alvin Kamara). Moore expects Harvey to slide directly into that high-value receiving role while Audric Estime handles the early downs. Even if Denver adds another runner, Moore believes Harvey’s targets are safest in the room, making him a viable target in the Round 6-7 range of 12-team drafts and a solid stacking partner with Broncos pass catchers in Best Ball tournaments.

Pat Kerrane said Evan Engram is one of the loosest ADP tags on the board, calling him a full-blown every-down candidate who is somehow drifting in the 110-to-120 range on Underdog drafts. Kerrane noted that Sean Payton has historically funneled routes to his primary tight end (Jimmy Graham and Jared Cook both logged 65-plus route-participation seasons under Payton), and Engram faces minimal target competition behind an unproven receiver room headlined by Courtland Sutton and a cluster of rookies. Bo Nix’s short-area accuracy (70-percent completion rate at Oregon, fourth-lowest collegiate aDOT among ’24 draft QBs) fits Engram’s chain-moving skill set perfectly. Kerrane argued that if Engram runs even 70 percent of routes he can out-produce Sam LaPorta, yet he costs 30 picks less and lets drafters lock in Bowers or McBride early while still grabbing a discounted TE2 later.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound called RJ Harvey his favorite final-round running back and the perfect RB5 on hyper-fragile rosters. He noted Harvey’s 1,416 scrimmage yards and 17 scores at UCF translated to a 93rd-percentile missed-tackle-forced rate, and insiders say Jacksonville plans to use him immediately as Travis Etienne’s breather back after Tank Bigsby’s slow recovery from knee surgery. Harvey’s ADP still hovers in the 210s because many drafters think he is an undrafted long-shot, but Pat emphasized that sixth-round draft capital plus 4.46 speed puts him one Etienne ankle tweak away from 15 touches. When you stop at four early backs, Pat wants the last roster spot on a player who can become a playoff-week bell-cow, and Harvey fits that bill at essentially zero ownership.

Erickson reminded listeners that Evan Engram has never finished worse than TE6 in the first year with a new team—a quirky but telling trend that held with the Giants and Jaguars—and said the ‘Joker’ is positioned to repeat that feat in Jacksonville’s Calvin Ridley-less passing attack. Engram’s 116 receptions led all tight ends last season, and Doug Pederson has publicly vowed to keep scheming him into space. With rookie Brian Thomas Jr. still learning the playbook and Zay Jones gone, Erickson projects another triple-digit target season that easily clears Engram’s TE10 ADP.

Andrew Erickson called Calvin Ridley a Round-5 steal, projecting him to dominate targets in Nashville. He reminded listeners that new head coach Brian Callahan singled out Ridley as “the guy we build the pass game around,” and once Will Levis finally settled last year, Ridley averaged 9.3 targets and 81 yards in his final six starts. Tennessee added no serious competition—Erickson joked that unless one of the rookies surprises, Ridley is the lone proven option—and rookie quarterback Cam Ward has already called him one of the best wideouts in the NFL, hinting at instant chemistry. With Callahan historically pass-leaning in the red zone, Erickson believes Ridley can clear a 25% target share and smash his WR30 best-ball ADP.

Ryan McDowell called Evan Engram the easiest dynasty buy on the board, baffled he sits at TE17 (152 overall)—his lowest ADP since December 2022. McDowell stressed that Sean Payton specifically went out and acquired Engram, finally giving the offensive mastermind a legitimate pass-catching tight end instead of the no-names Denver has cycled through. Payton’s history with Jimmy Graham and other hybrid ‘joker’ pieces suggests Engram will be schemed into mismatches rather than asked to block. Cooling concurred, noting Denver’s receiver group behind Cortland Sutton is mostly power-slot types like Devontae Vail and rookie Pat Bryant, paving the way for Engram to be the Broncos’ No. 2 target. At 30, Engram still runs like a big slot and only needs one or two 70-catch seasons to smash his 13th-round dynasty cost. Managers unwilling to pay first-round startup prices for Brock Bowers or Trey McBride can draft Engram as a cheap TE1 bridge with legitimate weekly top-six upside.

Andy Holloway cautioned managers not to overpay for R.J. Harvey, pointing to a bleak historical hit rate for second-round backs taken inside the top five rounds of fantasy drafts. Over the last 15 seasons only 11 day-two RBs met that ADP threshold; just four of those finished as top-24 backs and only four topped 250 opportunities in their rookie year. Holloway noted that Payton has frequently used multiple backs and that Audric Estime could siphon valuable goal-line work. He still acknowledged Harvey’s elite ceiling—comparing the situation to Kareem Hunt’s rookie eruption in Kansas City—but said history makes a true bell-cow outcome the exception, not the rule. He currently has Harvey at RB23, essentially pricing in the touch-share risk.

Jason Moore said R.J. Harvey walks into one of the friendliest running-back environments in football and pegged his fantasy floor around RB24 with real upside to crack the top 10. Moore argued that Sean Payton has ranked top-5 in running-back target share in 15 of his 17 seasons as a play-caller, and Denver was actually No. 1 in running-back targets last year (70 to Javonte Williams alone). Harvey profiles as the only back on the roster who can handle both early-down and passing-down work—Jaleel McLaughlin is undersized and Audric Estime looks like a two-down plodder. With rookie Bo Nix expected to keep the chains moving and Payton’s red-zone creativity, Moore believes 60+ targets and 215–230 carries are in reach, making 250+ touches—and an RB1 finish—well within the range of outcomes.

Conner Allen also endorsed RJ Harvey at 22-1, emphasizing that the rookie has virtually no competition for touches. Audric Estime was a playoff healthy scratch and Jaleel McLaughlin has been limited to a sub-10-carry role, clearing the runway for Harvey to monopolize carries on what Allen believes is a borderline playoff roster. Allen noted Sean Payton’s history of feeding one primary back and projected Harvey to log the volume necessary to post 1,200+ scrimmage yards and double-digit TDs—numbers that historically put a running back squarely in the OROY conversation.

Ryan Noonan said RJ Harvey is the best early bet on the Offensive Rookie of the Year board at 22-1. Noonan expects Harvey to step right into the early-down role in Sean Payton’s backfield, noting that Audric Estime was a playoff healthy scratch and Jaleel McLaughlin was capped at 7-8 carries per game last season. With Denver projected to push for a lower-tier AFC playoff spot, Harvey would get nationally-televised games and the kind of team success voters gravitate toward. Noonan thinks Harvey could evolve into a three-down option, so grabbing the number now should bank significant closing-line value before September drives the odds into single digits.

Davis Mattek used Jaleel McLaughlin to warn drafters against blindly chasing the "Sean Payton always feeds running backs" narrative. He reminded listeners that the fantasy community touted any Denver back in 2024 because Payton offenses historically finish top-five in expected RB points. McLaughlin did see 137 touches and led the team in rushing success rate, but the overall backfield disappointed and anyone who loaded up on him "would have been wrong." Mattek’s takeaway: do not overpay for another Broncos depth back in 2025 simply on coaching history—demand clearer workload signals first.

Greg Brainos urged caution on rookie back Audric Estime after Denver made him a healthy scratch in what Brainos called “the most important game of the year” last season at Notre Dame. He considers that a worrisome signal about how Sean Payton might view the rookie’s readiness. Brainos reminded viewers that Payton is notorious for week-specific backfield rotations – he scripts which running backs he ‘needs for this specific game’ – making Estime’s path to a locked-in role even murkier. Until Estime proves he can be part of Payton’s primary game-plan group, Brainos recommends fading him outside of deep, zero-RB builds that can stomach multiple early zeros.

Ian Hartitz encouraged drafters to sprinkle in Jaleel McLaughlin with their very last pick, arguing the Broncos backfield is far more open than ADP suggests. Sean Payton historically installs week-specific rotations—think Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles—so counting on Javonte Williams or rookie RJ Harvey for bell-cow treatment is risky. McLaughlin averaged 1.31 yards per route run and flashed 4.3-speed explosion last preseason, giving him a plausible passing-down role right away plus contingent early-down upside if Williams’ knee troubles flare again. Because he’s available after pick 215, Hartitz sees McLaughlin as the “explosive piece in a Dallas-style committee that costs literally nothing,” an ideal final-round bet for tournament rosters.

Davis Mattek urged drafters to pump the brakes on Pat Bryant’s new round-14 Underdog ADP. Mattek pointed out that Courtland Sutton’s 25-percent target share survived Sean Payton’s first season and that second-year burner Denzel Mims was being schemed both deep and behind the line of scrimmage over the final month. He added that rookie bell-cow Audric Harvey projects for a spin-heavier game plan that will further squeeze wide-receiver volume. Even if Bryant wins the No. 3 job, Mattek expects Evan Engram–style tight-end dominance to siphon looks from the middle of the field, forcing Bryant to be “really, really good” just to clear four targets a game. With 100-percent draft capital already baked into the price, Mattek is passing on Bryant in favor of rarely drafted flyers like Diami Brown and Ty Felton, whose spike-week paths are cleaner in Best Ball playoff formats.

Davis Mattek said Jaydon Blue is worth aggressively targeting even though he is "literally one-trait speed right now." Mattek pointed out that Blue lucked into a perfect depth chart: he only needs to out-play Javonte Williams, who still has not shown pre-injury burst, and Miles Sanders, who was benched twice last season in Carolina. Blue showed that burst on the biggest stage, ripping off chunk plays in the College Football Playoff, and Mattek believes the Broncos will give him every chance to seize early-down work. With that runway and 24.6% personal exposure already in his Best Ball portfolio, Mattek sees an inexpensive path to 180-plus touches and labeled Blue a classic "get your guy" pick when chasing upside in the double-digit rounds.

Davis Mattek reached several rounds for rookie running back RJ Harvey, noting that every Sean Payton offense has finished top-5 in expected RB points and attributing last year’s failure to Denver’s “truly terrible” backfield options. Mattek loves Harvey’s speed and explosiveness, calling him “fast, cool, and fun” and banking on Payton’s history of feeding one lead back. Even though Harvey is “overdrafted relative to consensus,” Mattek views him as the type of upside pick that can smash ADP if he captures the Payton workhorse role.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound highlighted Pat Bryant as a must-draft final-round dart after Sean Payton compared the rookie to Michael Thomas, calling him "explosive off the line, competitive, tough, with outstanding hands." The Broncos badly need a WR2 behind Courtland Sutton—Marvin Mims flashed but logged only a 26 % route rate last year, and fellow rookie Troy Franklin profiles as a situational deep threat. Bryant’s appeal in best ball is back-half spiked-week potential: drafters can afford to wait while he carves out snaps, hoping he replaces early-round "dusty vet" production once bye weeks hit. Coach-speak plus clear path to volume makes him a free-square correlation piece in Denver-Chargers Week-17 builds.

Davis Mattek jumped on Evan Engram nearly a full round past ADP and called it "a big projected-points win." Engram saw 115 targets last year, ranked top-five in route participation, and still plays in Doug Pederson’s tight-end-friendly scheme. Mattek argued that securing a bankable TE1 floor lets him keep chasing ceiling at the other positions in his four-RB hyper-fragile construction. He told listeners that correlation is great, but when a volume piece like Engram free-falls you grab him and worry about stacking later.

Rich Cooling identified RJ Harvey as the top remaining prospect on his board at 1.09 and pulled the trigger because the pick simultaneously shores up his paper-thin running-back room. He called it "the perfect situation where need aligns with value," noting Harvey’s upside to seize a workhorse role and the scarcity of backs with that kind of ceiling this late in the first round.

Overzet reassured drafters who fear Pat Bryant’s meteoric rise—he was an 18th-rounder a week ago—that the rookie wideout will not climb to a point where he’s undraftable. He expects a classic ‘boomerang’ in rookie ADPs: early-summer enthusiasm pushes prices up, but one bland Sean Payton press conference or a quiet OTA period will pour cold water and let Bryant settle back into the late double-digit rounds. Because Denver’s depth chart is still wide-open behind Courtland Sutton, Overzet is comfortable continuing to click Bryant a round ahead of current ADP, confident a ceiling remains baked in and the floor is protected by an eventual market correction.

Pete Overzet highlighted rookie Pat Bryant as a fast-rising late-round wideout whose ADP keeps creeping up because Denver’s receiver depth chart is wide open behind Courtland Sutton. Bryant, a third-round pick, can realistically leapfrog Marvin Mims and Josh Reynolds for perimeter snaps, and Overzet likes taking cheap stabs at any ambiguous room tied to an offense Sean Payton wants to open up. Bryant fits that bill while still costing a double-digit round pick, so Overzet is starting to grab shares now before summer camp hype pushes him into the single-digit rounds.

Pete Overzet said he is finally willing to click Javonte Williams when the Denver back slides a few spots past current Best Ball Mania ADP. Overzet expects what he called a “flippening” in the coming weeks: rookie Jaden Blue’s price is already rocket-shipping (up to pick 131) and should jump Williams entirely as drafters keep looking for any excuse to fade the veteran. When that happens, Williams will likely be 10–20 picks cheaper than he is right now. Overzet wants to front-run that shift, arguing that even a committee-plagued Denver backfield can still offer spike-week touchdowns if the offense improves, and a sliding price eliminates most of the downside. His actionable takeaway: grab Williams now before Blue leap-frogs him and the discount disappears.

Pete Overzet pushed back against worries that Bo Nix’s rookie success was schedule-driven and said the market is still underestimating his 2024 ceiling at an ADP just inside pick 100. Overzet likes how Sean Payton loosened the reins late last year, noting Denver averaged 26.1 points over Nix’s final five starts after sitting below 20 before the shift. He highlighted several offseason upgrades—Evan Engram and Pat Bryant as middle-of-field targets plus a "legit run game" to keep defenses honest—that should allow Payton to lean into an RPO-heavy, vertical approach. Nix already showed a top-12 fantasy profile (big arm + 55th-percentile speed score), so even a modest volume bump makes weekly spike weeks realistic. The only downside Overzet mentioned is a potentially dominant defense shortening games, but he still projects a "pretty big jump" for both Nix and the Broncos offense and likes pairing him with cheap pieces such as Courtland Sutton in Best Ball Mania drafts.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said J.K. Dobbins is an automatic click in Rounds 16-17 of BBM6. Dobbins received an unrestricted-free-agent tender from the Chargers that would pay $3.4 million if no one signs him by July 22, a move Pat thinks signals legitimate league-wide interest. Because the tender guarantees L.A. a compensatory pick, the team is protected whether he leaves or stays. Pat argued Dobbins needs only two spike weeks to smash his ADP: 6-7 touches plus one long play or goal-line TD easily clears late-round expectations. Even a “worst-case” committee role behind Gus Edwards is fine, while a landing spot such as Washington—where the backfield lacks explosiveness—could unlock double-digit weekly upside. Pat prefers Dobbins over backs like Najee Harris and Kimani Vidal at similar prices because the opportunity cost is minimal and the ceiling is still 20+ half-PPR points in any week he hits a big run.

Erik Beimfohr highlighted Pat Bryant as his Round 16 upside dart. Denver stunned the draft community by spending a third-round pick on Bryant, signalling Sean Payton sees an immediate role. Beimfohr noted the rest of the wide-receiver room is thin—Marvin Mims still isn’t a full-time player and depth options are Lil’Jordan Humphrey types—so Bryant could walk into starting perimeter snaps opposite Courtland Sutton. Payton offenses have historically coaxed usable fantasy weeks from unheralded wideouts (Humphrey, Kenny Stills, Devery Henderson), and a Year-2 leap from Bo Nix should keep pass volume respectable. Beimfohr compared Bryant’s profile to rookie Kyle Williams—who costs five rounds more— and argued the cheap rookie offers genuine spike-week potential in late-season shootouts. He is scooping shares wherever he needs low-cost WR bullets.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said he is still comfortable clicking rookie back RJ Harvey in the low-60s even after the post-draft ADP surge from the 70-to-80 range. He reminded viewers that Sean Payton always talks up backfield committees but ultimately rides the hot hand—think the Mark Ingram / Alvin Kamara years in New Orleans—and a playoff-hopeful Denver team will lean on its best player if Harvey proves worthy of Day-2 draft capital. Pat expects Audric Estime to poach some goal-line touches and Jaleel McLaughlin to stay involved, yet believes Harvey’s three-down skill set and pass-game chops give him weekly 15-touch upside and the best chance to separate in a crowded room. Because the market has now priced in the committee narrative, Pat is fine paying early-sixth for Harvey but would smash any dip back toward pick 70 in Best Ball Mania 6 drafts.

Nez Badge Bros said Pat Bryant is the best undrafted wideout to stash at the tail end of Sprint drafts. Bryant lands in Denver’s wide-open depth chart where only Courtland Sutton profiles as a true perimeter option, and even Sutton could be traded before Week 1. Nez compared Bryant’s frame and slant-game proficiency to early-career Michael Thomas and noted that Sean Payton has a long history of force-feeding big slot types in the short-to-intermediate area (Thomas averaged 149 targets per year under Payton). With Marvin Mims operating as the designated field-stretch threat, Nez expects Bryant to slide immediately into the WR2 role and vacuum up high-percentage looks from Bo Nix. At a completely free price tag, Nez views Bryant as a "set-and-forget detonation bet" who can post multiple usable weeks in the Sprint’s playoff window.

Sam Monson said fourth-round rookie Quandarrius Robinson offers instant IDP and betting juice because he is "the first edge after the blue-chip tier that actually got me excited." Despite logging mostly special-teams snaps at Alabama, Robinson’s pass-rush tape jumped off the screen for Monson: true 4.5-type speed to threaten the outside, a bendy frame to flatten at the apex, a Von-Miller-style inside sweep when tackles overset, plus a long-arm bull rush that walks blockers straight back. Monson counted three legitimate ways to win, calling that a rare toolkit for a mid-round pick. He expects Denver to give Robinson 15-20 pass-rush snaps a game right away, which should translate into splash-play sack production for big-play IDP formats and make the Broncos D/ST a cheap upside target. Bettors can attack early-season markets such as Denver team-sack overs or Robinson long-shot Defensive Rookie of the Year tickets before the depth-chart catch-up.

Jason Moore warned managers not to fall for another offseason puff-piece on Marvin Mims Despite a full 17-game bill of health, Mims’ offensive snap rate actually dropped to 27% in year two. Moore emphasized that Sean Payton has repeated the 'we need to get Mims involved' mantra for two seasons without action, and Denver just spent a third-round pick on Pat Bryant while still rostering Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin. Moore concluded it is "absolutely foolish" to expect a sudden role spike; Mims remains a boom-or-bust DFS dart and a redraft cut candidate if he starts slow.

Sam Monson said RJ Harvey has legitimate star-level upside the moment Sean Payton drops him into Denver’s backfield. Monson ranked Harvey just behind Quinshon Judkins on his own board and pointed out the former UCF runner was the fifth back taken in a class that became chaotic after the top four. Harvey is 5-foot-9, 208 pounds, clocked a verified 4.40 forty and shows explosive acceleration, low-centered contact balance and a knack for flattening second-level tacklers one-on-one. Despite being 24 years old with an ACL tear in his past, he delivered three productive college seasons, demonstrating fresh legs and big-play juice. Monson can “absolutely imagine a world” where Harvey is an immediate starting-caliber NFL back in Payton’s run-friendly scheme, making him a priority late-round target in redraft leagues and an aggressive buy in dynasty rookie drafts.

Hayden Winks ranked rookie Pat Bryant as his second-favorite deep flyer, highlighting that Sean Payton publicly compared the 6'3", 213-pounder to a young Michael Thomas. Winks said the Broncos are desperate for a true X receiver after trading Courtland Sutton and believes Bryant’s contested-catch skill set meshes perfectly with Bo Nix’s quick-hit timing attack. Payton’s hyperbole aside, the coach’s history of feeding big-bodied possession receivers (Thomas averaged 9.3 targets per game under Payton) suggests a real opportunity spike if Bryant wins the starting job. With Denver’s only competition coming from journeymen like Josh Reynolds, Winks thinks Bryant offers double-digit target weeks in December that can swing Best Ball Mania advance rates at a current ADP outside the top-200.

Steve Palazzolo relayed that Sean Payton himself invoked Michael Thomas when discussing third-round wideout Pat Bryant. Palazzolo explained the fit: Denver already rosters two vertical burners in Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin, so a 4.60-speed, 212-pound chain mover who wins with body positioning, slant routes and ball skills fills a clear void. He framed Bryant as Denver’s potential "death-by-a-thousand-slants" option—more Tim Patrick in athletic profile but with the route-running nuance Payton covets. The analyst expects Bryant to challenge immediately for high-percentage targets underneath, creating sneaky PPR value as an inexpensive late-round or waiver add, especially if Courtland Sutton is moved before Week 1.

Sam Monson called Denver’s selection of Jahdae Barron at pick 20 “one of the best value picks in the entire first round,” grading the Texas corner as a top-10 overall talent. Monson highlighted Barron’s versatility—outside corner opposite Pat Surtain, slot defender over JaQuan McMillan, or even free safety where he might already outplay Talanoa Hufanga. Because offenses largely avoided Surtain in 2023, Barron’s presence should erase the soft spots that got Denver "picked apart" when Riley Moss was sidelined. Monson believes Barron’s plug-and-play skill set materially upgrades Denver’s pass defense, an angle bettors can exploit by leaning under on opposing passing yards/receiving props early in the season until the market adjusts.