Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Week 5 Waiver Priority List
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It seems like Sean Payton really wants to use three running backs each game, but now he's down Tyler Badie (back) after he was injured in Week 4 at the Jets. Javonte Williams remains the best running back in Denver, but now maybe McLaughlin will get more touches if a third running back isn't used in Week 5 against the Raiders. McLaughlin has scored 8.4 PPR points or less in every game this season, but he can hopefully make an impact against Las Vegas in Week 5 and then become a factor to close the season. He's worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Produces 46 yards
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McLaughlin ran for 46 yards on nine carries against the Jets on Sunday, adding one reception for zero yards on one target.
McLaughlin's previous single-game high for rushing yardage was 27 on 10 carries in Week 1, so the 46 yards against the Jets was a welcome improvement. The Denver defense was dominant Sunday, giving the offense the luxury of leaning on the run game longer even when returns weren't immediately good. The Broncos kept wearing down the Jets defense over the course of the game, however, and started running with more ease in the second half. McLaughlin still functioned behind Javonte Williams, who ran for 77 yards on 16 carries, but perhaps the victory will give reason for coach Sean Payton to pursue a similar offensive template in upcoming weeks. The Las Vegas defense could prove more vulnerable in Week 5 than the Jets did Sunday.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Six touches against Tampa Bay
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McLaughlin rushed five times for seven yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 26-7 win over the Buccaneers. He added one catch on his lone target for seven yards.
McLaughlin continues to see limited usage in a timeshare with Javonte Williams, however, both backs were outpaced by teammate Tyler Badie in Week 3. Badie rushed nine times for 70 yards while both McLaughlin and Williams handled just five carries each. The Broncos rushing attack has struggled to start the season, and it could be headed toward a three-way split with Badie's solid performance Sunday. Despite his underwhelming outing, the 24-year-old McLaughlin scored on a one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to salvage what was an inefficient day for the second-year back. The Youngstown State product will be difficult to trust for consistent fantasy production from week to week, and up next for the Broncos is a Week 4 matchup with the Jets.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Less involved in Week 2
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McLaughlin rushed three times for six yards in Sunday's 13-6 loss to the Steelers.
After leading Denver's running backs in touches in Week 1, McLaughlin took a back seat to teammate Javonte Williams against the Steelers. The second-year back played just 17 of the Broncos' offensive snaps in the contest, well behind Williams, who was on the field for 40 snaps. McLaughlin also failed to see a target in the passing game, though he logged a healthy five targets in Week 1. With that said, the 24-year-old has an explosive skill set, yet he has been unable to produce efficiently in Denver's struggling offense as the second option out of the backfield. Next up for for McLaughlin and the Broncos is a road matchup with the Buccaneers in Week 3.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Most touches in Week 1 loss
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McLaughlin carried the ball 10 times for 27 yards with a lost fumble and caught all five targets for one yard in Sunday's 26-20 loss to Seattle.
McLaughlin finished the day with five more touches than co-starter Javonte Williams. Neither tailback performed well in quarterback Bo Nix's first start, as each averaged less than three yards per carry. Sunday's workload bodes well for McLaughlin's fantasy managers heading into next Sunday's tilt against Pittsburgh, but neither back looks appealing following underwhelming starts.
McLaughlin is still available in almost 40% of leagues, which makes him my clear top choice if you need a Week 1 fill-in. I project McLaughlin for eight to 12 touches on a weekly basis and last year he averaged 5.3 yards per touch. We still don't know exactly what Sean Payton's rotation is going to look like, but we do know his Broncos will throw the ball to their running back a ton. McLaughlin should see his fair share of those targets.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Week 1 Waiver Priority List
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Javonte Williams is the No. 1 running back in Denver, but McLaughlin should have a big role as the No. 2 option. And the more touches he gets the better. In 2023, he had three games with at least 10 total touches, and he averaged 16.0 PPR points per game over that span. I've drafted him in a lot of my leagues, and I love stashing him on the bench to see what develops.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Second in RB rotation again
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McLaughlin rushed three times for 17 yards and caught his only target for four yards in Sunday's 27-2 preseason win over the Packers.
McLaughlin was the second running back into the game for Denver after Javonte Williams, working ahead of Audric Estime and Samaje Perine. He handled only four touches in this game after logging nine in the preseason opener against the Colts. McLaughlin is seemingly locked in as Williams' top backup, so it's possible neither of them will play much in next Sunday's preseason finale against the Cardinals as Denver sorts out the rest of its backfield depth chart.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Returns healthy for OTAs
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McLaughlin (head) has been participating in OTAs, Isaiah J. Downing of the Marietta Daily Journal reports.
McLaughlin played all 17 games for the Broncos in 2023 after going undrafted out of Youngstown State last spring, averaging 5.4 yards on 76 carries and 5.2 yards on 31 receptions. He seems to be healthy after suffering a head injury Week 18, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll have a role in Denver's crowded backfield in 2024. The team still has Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine under contract and recently brought in fifth-round pick Audric Estime and undrafted free agent Blake Watson. Listed at 5-foot-7 and 187 pounds, McLaughlin is the smallest of the bunch, though perhaps the quickest.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Averages 5.4 YPC in rookie year
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McLaughlin (head) had 76 carries for 410 yards and one touchdown to go with 31 catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns while appearing in all 17 of the Broncos' games during his rookie season.
Carving out playing time wasn't easy in a backfield that also included Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine, but the undrafted McLaughlin racked up at least six touches in 11 of his last 14 games and was on his way to reaching that benchmark again in Week 18 before a head injury knocked him out of the season-ending loss to the Raiders. McLaughlin led the team in yards per carry (5.4), and his strong rookie season could earn him a larger role in 2024 after he recovers from the head injury.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Exits Sunday's game
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McLaughlin is being evaluated for a head injury during Sunday's game against the Raiders, Ryan McFadden of The Denver Post reports.
Prior to his exit, McLaughlin carried four times for six yards. While he's sidelined, Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine are available to handle the Broncos' Week 18 backfield duties.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Set for increased workload
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McLaughlin is expected to have an increased workload Week 18 against Las Vegas, Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette reports.
McLaughlin actually started at running back over Javonte Williams against the Chargers in Week 17, though Williams ended up with 31 offensive snaps to McLaughlin's 19. Nonetheless, McLaughlin put together the better performance, outrushing Williams, 44-41 yards, despite getting seven fewer carries. The running backs had an almost identical receiving line (3-18-0 for McLaughlin, and 3-17-0 for Williams), and both should play roles in Denver's season finale against the Raiders on Sunday. The Broncos have been eliminated from playoff contention, and with McLaughlin outperforming Williams of late, there appears to be a chance that the former gets more of the workload this weekend.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Leading rusher on eight carries
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McLaughlin took eight carries for 44 yards while corralling all three of his targets for 18 yards in Sunday's 16-9 win over the Chargers.
McLaughlin finished as Denver's leading rusher despite seeing seven fewer carries than starter Javonte Williams, who finished Sunday's win with 41 rushing yards on 15 attempts. That's two consecutive weeks in which the backup has outproduced the starter both in terms of volume and efficiency. McLaughlin has shown good burst in his limited opportunities this season, posting a per-carry average of 5.7 yards through 15 games. The undrafted free agent has yet to receive double-digit carries in any game this year, but there is a chance McLaughlin reaches that mark against the Raiders in Week 18 given his strong play of late.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Nets 67 yards on 10 touches
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McLaughlin had six carries for 37 yards and caught four of five targets for 30 yards in Sunday's 26-23 loss to the Patriots.
McLaughlin maximized his time on the field Sunday, converting 10 combined touches into 67 yards from scrimmage. The opposite could be said for starter Javonte Williams, who netted just 19 yards on 14 touches in the loss to New England. McLaughlin has been Denver's most efficient rusher this season, but he has spent most of the year operating as the team's third option behind Williams and veteran backup Samaje Perine. Perhaps the undrafted rookie will get more looks against the Chargers on Dec. 31 after Sunday's loss all but sealed the Broncos' fate in regards to making the playoffs this year.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Handles two carries
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McLaughlin rushed twice for four yards in Sunday's 29-12 win over the Browns.
McLaughlin played just two of the Broncos' 67 offensive snaps, his lowest snap total of the season. Additionally, the rookie failed to see a single target for the first time since Week 3. As Javonte Williams continues to dominate backfield snaps and Samaje Perine has carved out a more significant backup role, McLaughlin isn't earning enough opportunities to be a consistent contributor. The 23-year-old's fantasy potential remains limited as the Broncos enter a Week 13 matchup with the Texans.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Five grabs against Vikes
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McLaughlin had one carry for one yard and caught all five of his targets for 14 yards in Sunday's 21-20 win over the Vikings.
McLaughlin was largely an afterthought in the Broncos' ground attack, handling only one carry for the first time since Week 2. Instead, the rookie running back was involved more in the passing game as his five catches were a season high. With Samaje Perine regaining a bigger role behind starting RB Javonte Williams, McLaughlin's path to significant value has gotten that much narrower, and Sunday marked the second straight week in which he played just 15 percent of the offensive snaps. McLaughlin's utility remains limited to deep fantasy formats heading into a Week 12 matchup against the Browns.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Eight touches in win
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McLaughlin rushed six times for eight yards and caught both of his targets for four yards in Monday's 24-22 win over the Bills.
McLaughlin failed to get much going Monday, as the rookie struggled to find running room while playing just 11 of the Broncos' 75 offensive snaps. Meanwhile, starter Javonte Williams continued to see his role grow as the featured back, handling 21 rushing attempts and seeing four targets. With Williams operating as a workhorse, McLaughlin is unlikely to earn enough opportunities to maintain fantasy relevance. The 23-year-old does, however, hold value as a solid insurance policy if Williams were to miss time due to injury. McLaughlin and the Broncos are set to host the Vikings in Week 11.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Sleeper RBs
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I'm going to start Javonte Williams ahead of Jaleel McLaughlin if I had to pick one of the Denver running backs, but I still like McLaughlin as at least a flex option against Green Bay. It's a great matchup against the Packers, who are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. So far this season, Green Bay has already allowed four running backs in five games to score at least 17.5 PPR points (Roschon Johnson, Bijan Robinson, David Montgomery and Josh Jacobs). In Week 6 at Kansas City, McLaughlin led the Broncos in snaps with 21 (Williams had 18) but finished with just seven carries for 30 yards and two catches for 12 yards on two targets. Prior to that, with Williams dealing with a quad injury, McLaughlin had at least 17.9 PPR points in each of his previous two games. We'll see if Williams and McLaughlin can both produce at a high level -- and Sameje Perine is also in the mix -- but I'm hopeful the Broncos can get enough touches for Williams and McLaughlin to perform at a high level in Week 7.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Stuck in crowded backfield
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McLaughlin is expected to face more competition for reps out of the backfield Thursday against the Chiefs with Javonte Williams (hip) set to enter the Week 6 contest without an injury designation, Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.
McLaughlin thrived with Williams out for the Week 5 loss to the Jets and for much of the Week 4 win over Chicago, piling up 193 yards and two touchdowns on 22 touches in the past two contests while sharing backfield snaps with Samaje Perine. As impressive as the undrafted rookie has been, he won't be guaranteed to garner more than a handful of touches with both Williams and Perine back in the fold Thursday. McLaughlin at least seemed to move ahead of Perine in the pecking order for carries even before Williams' hip injury, with Perine largely resigned to playing in passing situations.
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Broncos' Jaleel McLaughlin: Sit Him (Lineup Decisions)
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There isn't a Broncos running back you'll have much confidence in starting because they'll all split the proverbial pie too much. I'd start McLaughlin over Williams, but I would rather start Brian Robinson, Alexander Mattison, Rachaad White, Jerome Ford and Rhamondre Stevenson.
