This Broncos Stock Report Features Plenty Of Fallers

The Denver Broncos had to struggle to beat an inept Los Angles Chargers team on Sunday, and this week’s stock report from Sam Jane of the Denver Post identified plenty of problem players who contributed mightily to the struggles. 

Bo Nix, QB

No one knows what’s really going on with Nix, who has looked lost and tentative for most of the season, save for the Broncos’ win over the Los Angeles Rams, when he mounted one of his trademark fourth-quarter comebacks. 

The rest has been what Jane described as a “calamity,” with Nex missing open receivers, stumbling around in the pocket and showing reluctance to push the ball down the field. The writer also noted that Nix has now played more bad football that good, and it’s fair to wonder if some of this isn’t a loss of confidence that could be related to the broken ankle he sustained in January. 

Wil Lutz, K

Lutz was nails last year, especially in the clutch, but every year’s different and this one is going a little sideways for him so far. He kicked three field goals, so he’s still reliable, but he’s now missed from 42 and 43 yards, as Jane noted. 

Jaylen Waddle, WR

Waddle has been a one-game wonder so far, as Jane proved with his list of stats minus that big game against the Los Angeles Rams: 10 receptions, 21 targets, 66 yards and a touchdown. 

He’s now far behind the other top receivers in the NFL, and this isn’t what Denver had in mind when they made the big trade to acquire Waddle. He’s also started to struggle with drops, and Waddle is beginning to look frustrated on the sidelines due to his inability to make big plays. 

RJ Harvey, RB

Harvey keeps talking himself up as a guy who can take on the role of lead back, but he keeps playing like a third-down back whose struggles with inconsistency will keep him in that role. 

He had a big game against the Rams, but Harvey followed it up as he had just three carries for seven yards, and he failed to catch a pass after getting ten receptions in as many targets against the San Francisco 49ers, per Jane. 

If we’re going past the players, then coach Sean Payton deserves a mention here. He took over the play calling and created big expectations in the process, but the results were decidedly small against the Chargers in the Broncos’ 23-17 win.