Fantasy Fallout! Jaylen Waddle Traded To The Denver Broncos

With Waddle now with the Denver Broncos, the focus will be on what his new fantasy value will be in 2026. Waddle now finds himself in a much more proven position with Bo Nix as opposed to first-time starting quarterback Malik Willis. Let’s examine Waddle’s potential fantasy value with the Denver Broncos this coming season.

Jaylen Waddle’s Fantasy Outlook in 2026

The Denver Broncos passing offense added a premier player in Jaylen Waddle. While some will question the draft picks in the deal that sent him to Denver, they still will recognize that when Waddle is healthy and on the field, he can be a dynamic weapon. If there was a question of where Waddle would fit with all the other pass catchers on the roster, he should be right at the top with Courtland Sutton. Last season, the Broncos finished fourth in pass attempts with 613. Of those targets, Courtland Sutton led the passing attack with 124 targets. Sutton accounts for 20.2% of the targets. Second on the team last season in targets was Troy Franklin with 104 and a 17% target share. Waddle would assume the targets that went Franklin’s way and probably some of Marvin Mims 9.3% target share (51 targets) as well.

Assuming that will be the case with the amount of draft capital brought via the trade, Waddle’s role in the offense is locked in. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Broncos send another receiver off the roster through another trade. Currently on the roster after Sutton and Waddle are: Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, Pat Bryant, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, and Michael Bandy. It does make sense to offload one of those receivers now that Waddle is in the fold. Waddle in the Broncos offense now adds a player with reliable hands. Both Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin completed at least 60-62% of their receptions last season. Waddle was slightly better than both, with a 64% completion rate on his 100 targets. Waddle can also be used to stretch the field, as he showcased last season with a 14.2 yards per reception. Waddle’s Y/R average also beat out Sutton’s 13.7 and Troy Franklin’s 10.9.

Based on last season’s stats, Waddle falls in between both of the Broncos top options in fantasy points. Waddle averaged 12.1 fantasy points per game with the Miami Dolphins. Courtland Sutton was slightly better with a near 13 fantasy points per game average. Troy Franklin managed to finish in the double-digits with a 10.9 average. The Broncos offense is one of the better passing units in the league, ranking 11th in total passing offense for 2025 with just over 3,800 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns. Bo Nix was a top 10 fantasy quarterback last season, averaging nearly 18 fantasy points per game and finishing eighth in passing yards (3,931) and a 25:11 touchdown to interception ratio. Nix also averaged 36 pass attempts per game, more than enough volume to support the new duo of Sutton and Waddle.

The Wrap Up

On its surface, this looks to be a solid trade destination for Waddle. Bo Nix looks to be an improvement over Tua Tagovailoa in terms of comparing quarterbacks. While we have seen Tua play like a top-end quarterback before in his career, let’s not forget that he was benched for rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers. Now, Tua will be looking to reinvent himself with the Atlanta Falcons after being released from Miami. Nix will likely be expected to take advantage of Waddle’s deep threat ability next season. Nix finished third in deep ball attempts last season with 71, showing that he isn’t afraid to heave it downfield. That would be something fantasy managers would want to consider when looking at Waddle during fantasy drafts. Waddle catching deep passes in the Broncos offense would also improve Bo Nix‘s deep ball completion percentage, as he completed just 35.2% in 2025, according to Fantasydata.

Waddle’s fantasy value may jump a couple of rounds with this trade, making him a higher-end WR2 in fantasy football for 2026. Courtland Sutton is on the roster, and he’s still the “big man on campus” until further notice. Unless that dynamic changes, Waddle will have a ceiling of sorts when it comes to the passing hierarchy in targets. For now, Waddle’s landing spot with the Broncos should be viewed as a positive. With the draft capital invested in the trade to acquire him, it wouldn’t make sense for Waddle not to be used more than the other receivers outside of Sutton. Someone is going to have to give up some snaps, and Waddle’s playing time will come at the expense of one of the other receivers.