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The will be without one of the core pieces of their wide receiver room when they step onto the field for their AFC championship game matchup with the on Sunday. Troy Franklin is set to mi s out on the action, ruled out with a hamstring injury he suffered in Denver's win over the in the divisional round. While not a household name by any means, Franklin's production will be sorely mi sed, especially as the Broncos navigate life without Bo Nix. With Jarrett Stidham leading the line for Denver's attack on Sunday, the Broncos' offense was already going to look different. Franklin's absence will add to those changes. Denver head coach Sean Payton will have to get creative if he hopes to fill Franklin's void in the AFC finale. With that, here's a look at Denver's WR depth chart after Franklin's injury. MORE 2026 NFL PLAYOFF NEWS: Broncos WR depth chart Position Player Name 1. Courtland Sutton 2. Troy Franklin - injured 3. Pat Bryant 4. Marvin Mims Jr. 5. Lil'Jordan Humphrey 6. Elijah Moore Tristen Robins Jersey 7. Michael Bandy 1. Courtland Sutton Sutton is Denver's No. 1 pa s-catcher, emerging as one of the league's steadier talents at the X. The 6-4, 216-pound wideout is a two-time Pro Bowler who comes to life inside the red zone his 25 receiving touchdowns since the start of the 2023 season ranks sixth in the NFL. With three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt two of which have come in his last two campaigns Sutton is a formidable option for Sean Payton's side. Expect him to field the lion's share of targets when Stidham is tasked with dropping back. 2. Troy Franklin (out) Franklin enjoyed something of a breakout season in 2025, more than tripling his receiving yardage total from his rookie campaign while collecting six touchdown grabs. He's another hulking presence in Denver's wide receiver room, known for using his 6-3, 180-pound frame to leave defenders in the dust. Franklin will mi s the Broncos' AFC championship game bout with New England after suffering a hamstring injury against the Bills in the divisional round. His absence could loom large for a Denver side already mi sing a fair few weapons on the offensive side of the ball. MORE: 3. Pat Bryant Bryant exited the Broncos' divisional round win over Buffalo with a concu sion but was cleared to return to action ahead of Sunday's AFC championship game. Bryant, a 2025 third-round pick out of Illinois, was a consistent presence in Denver's pa s game acro s the final 10 weeks of the regular season, fielding five or more targets in four games. He should collect more touches with Franklin on the mend. 4. Marvin Mims Jr. A two-time Pro Bowler and one-time first-team All-Pro, Mims is a formidable talent. He's at his best in open field evidenced by his glimmering special teams chops. But he has made an impact on the offensive side of the ball, too, recording 39 catches for 503 yards and six touchdowns in 2024. Mims showed off his diverse skillset in the Broncos' win over the Bills last week, tallying a season-high eight catches for 93 yards and a go-ahead touchdown. With his versatility inside and outside the slot, Mims should feature prominently in Payton's game plan on Sunday afternoon. MORE: 5. Lil'Jordan Humphrey Humphrey, a Texas alum, saw precious few touches in the regular season. But he came to life in the divisional round, fielding five targets and two catches against Buffalo one of which resulted in a touchdown. It's hard to predict how involved he'll be in Payton's setup on Sunday he's only exceeded the four-target mark twice since arriving in the Mile High City (again) after a half-season stint with the . But based on last Sunday's outing, he should be ready. 6. Elijah Moore Moore has struggled to reclaim the form that saw him tally 640 yards with the in 2023. Neverthele s, he's still plying his trade in the big leagues, albeit serving largely as a practice squad player since his arrival in Denver in December 2025. Still, the Broncos elevated him to the active roster in light of Franklin's injury. There's a chance he could play a few snaps, although it's unlikely he'll have much of an impact in the affair. 7. Michael Bandy Like Moore, Bandy is a practice squad regular in the Mile High City. He, too, was elevated to the active roster ahead of Sunday's matchup, although it's unlikely he'll have a part to play. MORE: Troy Franklin stats Category Stat Targets 104 Receptions 65 Receiving yards 709 Yards per catch 10.9 Receiving touchdowns 6 Franklin proved a capable No. 2 during the regular season, ranking second on the roster in targets, receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. While he might not be one of the league's flashier wideouts, Franklin's production in his age-22 season should captivate the ma ses of Broncos supporters. He authored up shining displays in wins against the (eight catches, 89 yards, one touchdown), (six catches, 89 yards, two touchdowns) and (six catches, 85 yards, one touchdown), pairing nicely with the likes of Sutton and Evan Engram. The future appears bright for the Oregon alum. MORE: Mackenzie Blackwood Jersey |
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发表于 2026-8-5 16:18:00