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Denver Broncos to consider for fantasy football in 2019

By Sayre Bedinger

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 18: Wide receiver Courtland Sutton #14 of the Denver Broncos reacts after scoring a 28-yard touchdown during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 18: Wide receiver Courtland Sutton #14 of the Denver Broncos reacts after scoring a 28-yard touchdown during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 18, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, COLORADO – DECEMBER 30: Royce Freeman #28 of the Denver Broncos carries the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on December 30, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO – DECEMBER 30: Royce Freeman #28 of the Denver Broncos carries the ball against the Los Angeles Chargers at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on December 30, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Running Backs

Royce Freeman (important stats): 130 carries, 521 yards (4.0 ypc), 5 TDs, 14 receptions

Phillip Lindsay: 192 carries, 1,037 yards, 9 TDs, 35 receptions, 241 receiving yards, 1 TD

Devontae Booker: 72 touches (38 receptions), 458 yards from scrimmage, 1 TD

After training camp and preseason play in 2018, every Broncos fan was trying to find ways to not over-draft the franchise’s new ‘bell cow’ running back Royce Freeman, who looked like he was about to average a touchdown a game in his rookie season.

Then Phillip Lindsay, who appeared on track for a nice third-down, part-time role, exploded onto the scene with over 1,200 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns.

If you got on the Phillip Lindsay train early last season (pats self on back) you probably did very well in your league.

Lindsay ended up being my RB1 almost all season last year while the person who sniped Freeman before me in my main re-draft league was wishing he had my guy.

This year, the script will be flipped. Lindsay is going to go way before Freeman in most re-draft leagues, and I don’t mean this in a negative way, but I think Freeman is perhaps a bit better of a value this year.

If Lindsay goes in the first round of your re-draft league and you don’t have a chance to get him, I think Freeman is going to be a nice consolation prize. I don’t doubt Lindsay’s ability to repeat last year’s stellar production, but his wrist injury does concern me a bit.

Freeman is not a bad player by any means. He was on his way to being one of the best backs in the league at gaining yards after contact before his ankle injury last year.

I’m not saying you should prioritize Lindsay over Freeman, but I would personally slow play Lindsay in the early rounds (get him in round two or at the bottom of round one if you can) and go after Freeman in the middle rounds when everyone has forgotten he even exists.

While other people in your league are sitting there picking Frank Gore for the 20th straight year, you can probably get Freeman as a 5th-8th round pick and you’ll be looking really smart later on, I think.

Booker is a handcuff at this point, but in a pinch, he’s not a bad Flex play depending on how deep your league is. He catches about two passes per game on average for his career and you never know if one of those is going to be a red zone target.

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