Denver Broncos Stock Report: Young Weapons Shine, While Starters Disappoint

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R.J. Harvey, Tyler Badie & Blake Watson

The top position battle for the Denver Broncos this season is at running back, so understandably, everyone in Broncos Country had their eyes centered on the backfield for the team’s preseason debut.

What they first saw likely surprised most fans who have either been attending training camp or following the camp reports – R.J. Harvey getting the majority of the work, as J.K. Dobbins was used primarily as a third-down back and pass-protection specialist.

Prior to the preseason contest, the assumption was that Harvey would be the Robin to Dobbins’ Batman, but those roles were reversed on Saturday. 

Now, maybe that’s simply a product of Sean Payton wanting to prioritize giving his rookie those preseason reps, but if that was the motivation, why not play Pat Bryant over Courtland Sutton, or Jahdae Barron over Ja’Quan McMillian?

Beyond the utilization, Harvey lived up to his billing when he got his opportunities. The second-round rookie demonstrated a blend of explosivity and contact balance that simply didn’t exist in last year’s backfield. There were a few minor miscues – a cutback lane Harvey was a little late to see, and an inside carry he insisted to bump outside – but his eyes were generally disciplined.

Meanwhile, fellow running backs Tyler Badie and Blake Watson continued to build on strong training camp showings, as both backs managed to average more than six yards per carry. Plus, both fill clear roles. Badie looks like a solid all-around option that Coach Payton clearly trusts, while Watson is the best pass-catcher of the six-man room.

Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss & Que Robinson

Although both starting units stumbled out of the gate for the Denver Broncos, it was a remarkably impressive night from the edge-rusher rotation.

Nik Bonitto single-handedly blew up a San Francisco drive with two sacks and a pressure over a three-play span. Bonitto finished the game with four pressures.

Jonah Elliss also had a standout performance, tallying two pressures while boasting a 44% pass-rush win rate, good for second-best on the team, which trailed only Bonitto.

Finally, rookie Que Robinson continued to build on his stellar training camp audition. Robinson had been a menace of a pass-rusher all summer long, and his pass-rush win rate of 25% on Saturday was the third-best mark on the team. Importantly, though, Robinson didn’t only shine as a rusher, as he made an impressive play in coverage to blow up a receiver screen, and consistently did a good job of setting the edge in run defense.

Troy Franklin

After being the surprise star of Broncos training camp, Troy Franklin continued to fuel the optimism surrounding his second season in the exhibition contest with the 49ers.

Franklin’s stat line of three receptions for 18 yards isn’t overly remarkable, but his performance still stood out.

First, the stat line is a little deflated, as Bo Nix underthrew a would-be touchdown pass to Franklin on a third-down play.

More importantly, though, he displayed all the areas of growth one would hope to see from Franklin. He hauled in a high-difficulty catch to convert a fourth down for the offense, and it’s hard to imagine him making that play last season. 

He also seemed to be much improved as a blocker, which we know will help him earn playing time in Payton’s offense.

Kris Abrams-Draine

Unfortunately for Kris Abrams-Draine, he might be a victim of the Broncos’ unparalleled depth at cornerback. With Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, and Jahdae Barron all on the roster, it’s hard to imagine Abrams-Draine climbing up the rotation much, but that’s through no fault of his own.

Abrams-Draine was targeted three times, resulting in an interception, a pass breakup, and a five-yard completion that saw the receiver instantly tackled by the second-year corner.

The Miami Dolphins would be starting Abrams-Draine if he were on their roster. Yet, he might not even get on the field for regular-season snaps for this Broncos defense.

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The Starting Offense & Defense

There is no way to look past the fact that the Broncos’ starting offense and defense looked embarrassingly lackadaisical early vs. the 49ers.

The defense, which many expect to be the league’s best, was quickly dismantled by Mac Jones and Patrick Taylor Jr. for a touchdown drive, only for Denver’s starting offense to stall out near midfield and settle for a punt on their first possession.

After that first score, the defense locked in and harassed San Francisco the rest of the night, but the offense never quite found its footing. Over three drives and 19 plays, the starters gained 47 yards and scored three points, and the score was the result of a short field, gifted to them by a Ja’Quan McMillian interception. 

The 2.5 yards per play average would’ve been 2.0 yards worse than the 2024 Chicago Bears, who ranked last in the NFL at 4.5 yards per play, while facing starting defenders.

Jeremy Crawshaw

In 2024, the special teams unit was a defined strength for the Broncos, and one that played a major role in their playoff run.

With Riley Dixon outpricing Denver this summer, they were going to have to find a quality option elsewhere to maintain their high level of play in the third phase, and they turned to rookie Jeremy Crawshaw to be their answer.

Through one game, the results are awfully concerning.

Crawshaw’s 37.0 net punt average ranks 36th out of 36 punters who have attempted a kick so far this preseason, while his hang time of 4.0 seconds ranked 32nd.

Now, on the first of Crawshaw’s three punts, Denver’s coverage team did a terrible job, and allowed a return that should’ve gained no more than two yards instead go for 28 yards. Had that punt been covered normally, Crawshaw would have averaged 46.3 yards per attempt, which would have ranked 24th.

Still, Crawshaw has to improve to live up to his draft status.