At this time last year, people were wondering if the acquisition of quarterback Russell Wilson would turn the Denver Broncos into Super Bowl contenders. Twelve months later, the question is whether the hiring of Sean Payton can salvage things following a disastrous season that saw Denver finish dead last in scoring while ending with a 5-12 mark.
Even if we don’t see a full resurrection of Wilson’s career, it’s hard to imagine he won’t improve on last year’s disaster when he passed for 3,524 yards and 16 touchdowns. For reference, over his final five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson averaged 3,773 yards, 33 TDs, and eight INTs.
More success would equal more opportunities, and while the tight end position was an afterthought under former head coach Nathaniel Hackett, we could see it rebound under Payton, who oversaw the golden years of tight end Jimmy Graham, a former teammate of Wilson in Seattle. So, is there anyone for fantasy owners to pay attention to in the Mile High City?
Greg Dulcich
A third-round selection last year, Dulcich began 2022 on Injured Reserve with a hamstring injury, and he didn’t make his NFL debut until Week 6. He would appear in 10 games before injuring his hamstring again on Christmas day, which ended his season. In between, the UCLA product flashed some intriguing promise, showing the combination of reliable hands and plus speed that allowed him to average 17.6 yards per catch in college. His final rookie numbers: 33 receptions, 411 yards, and two TDs.
Despite some solid work, Dulcich didn’t seem to initially endear himself to Payton, whose film evaluation of the then-rookie earned little praise. Things appeared to change after the draft, however, with Payton dubbing the second-year pro an “exciting” talent. While the Broncos made some additions to the tight end room, Dulcich projects as the starter.
Adam Trautman
Denver acquired Trautman from the New Orleans Saints during the draft, reuniting the tight end with Payton, who coached him from 2020-21. After flashing his first two seasons in the Big Easy, Trautman fell out of favor last year and was overtaken by Juwan Johnson. He was lauded for his quickness and ability to win contested balls coming out of college, and clearly Payton believes there’s something there or the Broncos wouldn’t have pulled the trigger on a deal.
Albert Okwuegbunam
Entering 2022, it was Okwuegbunam that had the fantasy buzz. He caught five passes in the opener, suggesting he may have a meaningful role, but then caught only five passes the rest of the season, which often saw him a healthy inactive. We’ll see if the coaching change jump-starts his career after it derailed a bit last year.
Fantasy football outlook
While Payton’s willingness to acquire Trautman bears watching, the only fantasy-worthy option here is Dulcich, who managed to finish third on the team in receiving as a rookie despite missing seven games. He can’t be considered a safe TE1, but he has a top-10 ceiling. Consistency may be an issue if Denver’s deep receiving corps plays to its potential.
