Things are looking up in Denver, with the team in the market for a new starting quarterback and likely at least one high-profile wide receiver. But no matter what those changes look like, I'm going to be optimistic about the team's running backs.
The Broncos ranked 18th in rushing last year, which is nothing special. There's no guarantee they'll finish in the top 12 in rushing yards or touchdowns. But they certainly use their running backs a lot in the passing game. Very useful in PPR format.
Denver completed 131 passes to running backs last year, the most on the team. They were joined by a variety of players, including Javonte Williams (pictured), Samaje Perine and newcomer Jahleel McLaughlin. This is not an unusual number. That's how Sean Payton's offense works.
Since Payton took over as head coach in 2006, 33 offenses have completed at least 120 passes to running backs. Peyton's fingerprints are on one-third of these crimes. He likes pass catchers and challenging linebackers coming out of the backfield.
| Team with 120 completed passes to running backs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | team | no | yard | average | T.D. |
| 2013 | • New Orleans | 171 | 1244 | 7.3 | 6 |
| 2011 | • New Orleans | 158 | 1231 | 7.8 | Ten |
| 2006 | • New Orleans | 158 | 1250 | 7.9 | Five |
| 2019 | LA Chargers | 148 | 1357 | 9.2 | Ten |
| 2017 | • New Orleans | 143 | 1254 | 8.8 | 6 |
| 2007 | • New Orleans | 143 | 872 | 6.1 | 3 |
| year 2012 | • New Orleans | 141 | 1179 | 8.4 | Ten |
| 2022 | LA Chargers | 140 | 911 | 6.5 | 7 |
| 2015 | detroit | 135 | 1216 | 9.0 | Five |
| 2015 | san diego | 134 | 1147 | 8.6 | 6 |
| 2014 | • New Orleans | 132 | 939 | 7.1 | Four |
| 2023 | denver | 131 | 851 | 6.5 | Four |
| 2020 | LA Chargers | 129 | 890 | 6.9 | Four |
| 2015 | Philadelphia | 128 | 878 | 6.9 | 3 |
| 2022 | tampa bay | 128 | 831 | 6.5 | Five |
| 2010 | san diego | 128 | 1026 | 8.0 | 3 |
| 2013 | atlanta | 127 | 831 | 6.5 | 6 |
| 2015 | baltimore | 127 | 879 | 6.9 | 6 |
| 2016 | • New Orleans | 127 | 884 | 7.0 | Ten |
| 2015 | • New Orleans | 127 | 1064 | 8.4 | 3 |
| 2019 | carolina | 124 | 1068 | 8.6 | Four |
| 2019 | • New Orleans | 124 | 824 | 6.6 | 2 |
| 2006 | st louis | 124 | 1094 | 8.8 | Four |
| year 2012 | san diego | one two three | 837 | 6.8 | 1 |
| 2011 | san diego | one two three | 977 | 7.9 | 3 |
| 2006 | Philadelphia | 122 | 1063 | 8.7 | 6 |
| 2019 | new england | 121 | 1134 | 9.4 | 6 |
| 2018 | new england | 121 | 999 | 8.3 | 8 |
| 2017 | new england | 120 | 919 | 7.7 | 9 |
| 2008 | • New Orleans | 120 | 936 | 7.8 | 9 |
| year 2012 | auckland | 120 | 1022 | 8.5 | 3 |
| 2020 | Washington | 120 | 848 | 7.1 | 2 |
At this point, I'm not saying Denver will return to the top 10. Payton tended to use multiple backs for most of his 20 years in the league. As such, it seems unlikely that Williams will be promoted to a 1,300-yard rusher. (And we'll see how the playing times change. It could be a Williams-Perrine-McLaughlin committee, but someone else could end up in the mix .)
However, these Denver Bucks should tend to be undervalued in many leagues, as their production in PPR formats is roughly doubled. If he can keep this up, he'll catch about 55 more passes and gain 400 more yards than most teams' running backs, which would be worth about 95 points in his PPR format. Become.
—Ian Allan
