• A quiet night for backup running backs: Jonathan Taylor and Javonte Williams both missed this game, making way for the backups. However, none of them were able to put up strong numbers.
• Okay nights by the wide receivers: Star wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Courtland Sutton were among the four wide receivers with over 50 receiving yards, but no one reached the 100-yard mark or scored a touchdown.
• Colts depth hurt by injury: The Colts lost backup running back Nyheim Hines in the first quarter and backup wide receiver Ashton Dulin in the second quarter.
PFF's fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2022.
Highlights
• Chase McLaughlin: Two field goal attempts of 50-plus yards, two field goals made of 50-plus yards; one game-tying field goal, one game-winning field goal
• Brandon McManus: three field goal attempts, three field goals made
The Broncos without Javonte Williams: The Broncos' star running back is out for the season. This was their first game attempting to replace him.
- Melvin Gordon III started the game for Denver and dominated snaps in the first quarter.
- He gained only 54 yards on 15 carries over the game, prompting Mike Boone to play more early-down snaps in the second half.
- Boone consistently played on third downs throughout the game.
- Gordon's 44.1 PFF grade was the lowest mark at his position through four weeks, and this game probably won’t help much.
- Devine Ozigbo received some playing time in the second half after not playing on offense in the first half.
- Latavius Murray was signed to the active roster but wasn’t active tonight. That is probably due to the short week and Murray's return from the London game.
- Both Boone and Murray should be on fantasy rosters, as there is a good chance one of those two backs will cut further into Gordon’s playing time this season.
Monitor the Nyheim Hines injury: Hines suffered a concussion on the first drive of the game and didn’t return.
- The Colts were also without Jonathan Taylor, who was ruled out earlier in the week with an ankle injury.
- Hines played each of the team’s first three snaps before his concussion.
- Both Deon Jackson and Phillip Lindsay split offensive snaps for the rest of the game.
- Jackson and Lindsay typically played a few plays at a time each, with the only real trend being that Jackson took the field for clear passing situations.
- Ideally, one if not both of the Colts' typical backs will be available a week from now. Even if they aren’t, it would be tough to trust either Jackson or Lindsay in redraft leagues due to the split, even with a good matchup against the Jaguars.
Monitor the Ashton Dulin injury: Dulin suffered a foot injury near the end of the first half and didn’t return to the game.
- Dulin was a clear fourth on the depth chart in the first half, taking roughly one-third of the snaps in 11 personnel from Alec Pierce.
- He averaged 2.54 yards per route run over the first four games, which ranked eighth best among wide receivers with at least 50 routes.
- Pierce played more consistently in 11 personnel in the second half.
- He’s gained at least 60 receiving yards in each of the last three games and should be considered a waiver-wire target with this consistent play.
- Dulin is a wide receiver to consider in very deep leagues or dynasty leagues thanks to his good play on a small sample size.
Add Greg Dulcich: The third-round rookie is expected to come off the injured reserve for Denver for Week 6 and could potentially be the team’s receiving tight end right away.
- Albert Okwuegbunam started the season as the receiving tight end but only played one offensive snap in Week 3.
- He received more playing time in this game but caught only one 5-yard pass.
- This leaves the tight end room wide open to have a new receiving tight end.
- Dulcich is purely a speculative addition. He could be a rotational tight end all season, or he could become a focal point of the Broncos' offense.
Table Notes
• Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, including offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats have these plays removed.
• Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy would be from a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.
• Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.