Tag: Greg Dulcich

Broncos TE Greg Dulcich will fill a unique role in Sean Payton’s offense

Greg Dulcich isn’t exactly like Jeremy Shockey, Jason Witten or Jimmy Graham, “but he’s got traits that are exciting,” Sean Payton said.

[connatix div_id=”3f8b015acdd24c648befc5d5dac47469″ player_id=”afe1e038-d3c2-49c0-922d-6511a229f69c” cid=”7cbcea0d-4ce2-4c75-9a8d-fbe02a192c24″]

When Sean Payton was hired as the Denver Broncos’ new head coach earlier this year, he inherited a roster that includes tight end Greg Dulcich, the team’s third-round pick in last year’s draft.

After two weeks of organized team activities, it seems safe to say Payton is excited about having Dulcich in his offense.

“He had a good day,” Payton said when asked about Dulcich last Thursday. “He’s got a unique skill set, and he’s got traits in the passing game. We use the term ‘Joker’ where we can get matchups. The trick sometimes is trying to predict what you’re going to get defensively, if you’re either going to get a nickel package or a base package. But man, he can run, he’s got good ball skills and he had one of his better practices today. Then you begin to build on that. … I think his menu is going to be lengthy in the passing game and there’s enough stuff that we can do in the run game.

“I’ve been lucky enough to — I’ve had [Jeremy] Shockey, [Jason] Witten, Jimmy Graham, and I’m probably leaving out a few guys. I’m not saying this young player [will be just like them], but he’s got traits that are exciting and today was one of those days where you begin to have a vision.”

Payton went on to explain that the “Joker” in his offense is not a receiver but typically a tight end or a running back with exceptional receiving skills – Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles and Alvin Kamara filled the role in the past. This season, Dulcich will have that job.

“Those were all unique players, not just in the running game, but they had passing game skill sets that allowed you to do multiple things, and I think Greg does too.”

Dulcich (6-4, 245 pounds) missed seven games as a rookie with injuries last season. In the ten games he did play in, Dulcich totaled 33 receptions for 411 yards and two touchdowns.

Now with a year of experience under his belt and playing in what undoubtedly will be an improved offense led by Payton, Dulcich figures to surpass his rookie numbers in 2023. The 23-year-old tight end might even be a candidate to watch for as a potential breakout player this fall.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Broncos’ updated tight end depth chart after the NFL draft

Here is our projected tight end (and fullback) depth chart for the Broncos following the NFL draft.

The Denver Broncos did not select a tight end in the 2023 NFL draft last week, but they did acquire Adam Trautman in a late-round trade with the New Orleans Saints.

Following Trautman’s arrival, here is our updated tight end depth chart for the Broncos as the team gets set to begin organized team activities this month.

TE1: Greg Dulcich, a third-round pick in 2022, returns as Denver’s primary tight end entering his second season.

TE2: Adam Trautman, who was drafted by coach Sean Payton in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft, instantly becomes the team’s TE2. Payton has spoken glowingly about Trautman’s ability to block and contribute as a receiver.

TE3: Albert Okwuegbunam (receiving) and Chris Manhertz (blocking) have contrasting strengths and neither of them are as well-rounded as a TE as Truatman. The Broncos also signed Kris Leach as an undrafted free agent.

FB: Michael Burton is the obvious choice to start at fullback for Denver this year and he might occasionally have a tight end-type role. The Broncos also signed UDFA Nate Adkins, who could be a candidate for a tight end/fullback hybrid role that Andrew Beck previously held in Denver.

It’s a pretty solid tight end room for the Broncos, with Dulcich expected to have the biggest receiving role in 2023.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Grading the Broncos’ 2022 draft class one year later

Do you agree with our early grade for the Broncos’ 2022 draft class?

As the 2023 NFL draft looms on the horizon, Broncos Wire is taking a look back at the Denver Broncos’ 2022 draft class. Who made a difference? Who do the Broncos need to see more from going forward?

Broncos found talent at last year’s Senior Bowl

Before joining the Broncos, TE Greg Dulcich, CB Damarri Mathis and RB Tyler Badie played in the 2022 Senior Bowl.

The Denver Broncos are back in Mobile, Alabama this week to scout prospects for the 2023 NFL draft at the Senior Bowl.

We’ve put together a list of five players the Broncos should be closely watching during Saturday’s game. It’s not an exaggeration to say Denver will likely end up drafting or signing at least one player from the 2023 Senior Bowl.

Last year, the Broncos watched UCLA tight end Greg Dulcich impress in practice and then catch a pass during the all-star game. Denver later used a third-round pick to select Dulcich in the 2022 NFL draft.

The Broncos were also impressed by Pittsburgh cornerback Damarri Mathis. After playing in the Senior Bowl, Mathis was selected by Denver in the fourth round of last year’s draft.

The Broncos also signed 2022 Senior Bowl alum Tyler Badie last year. Badie was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round last April and later signed with Denver’s active roster in December. He scored a touchdown on his first touch in his NFL debut in the team’s season finale.

Now the Broncos will be looking for the next Dulcich, Mathis and Badie. Here are the full rosters for the 2023 Senior Bowl.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Studs and duds from Broncos’ 24-27 loss to the Chiefs

The Broncos lost, but there were some positive takeaways from Sunday’s game.

Week 17 brought a hard-fought battle between the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs. Ultimately, it resulted in the Broncos’ ninth one-possession loss of the season, this time 27-24 at Arrowhead.

Here are our studs and duds from the loss.

Broncos made several roster moves on Saturday

The Broncos placed Randy Gregory on injured reserve on Saturday.

The Denver Broncos made several roster moves on Saturday ahead of their New Year’s Day showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.

First, the Broncos placed outside linebacker Randy Gregory (knee) on injured reserve. After having previously placed tight end Greg Dulcich (hamstring) on IR on Friday, Denver was left with two open spots on the 53-man roster.

The Broncos filled those two spots on Saturday by promoting cornerback Lamar Jackson and outside linebacker Jonathan Kongbo from the practice squad to the active roster.

Additionally, Denver elevated outside linebacker Wyatt Ray and linebacker Ray Wilborn from the practice squad to the game-day roster for Week 18. Ray and Wilborn will revert back to the practice squad on Monday.

This year has been a season to forget for Gregory, who was healthy for just six games. He was penalized twice last week and benched by the coaching staff. After the game, he exchanged punches with a Los Angeles Rams offensive line.

The NFL originally gave Gregory a one-game suspension for that punch, but it was reduced to a $50,000 fine earlier this week. The NFL also handed down an additional $13,261 fine for an unsportsmanlike penalty on Saturday.

Gregory has four years left on his deal with the Broncos. He’ll hope to get back on track beginning in 2023.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Fantasy Football: 7 utilization stats to know from Week 16

Here are the top fantasy football utilization stats you need to know from Week 16 of the 2022 NFL season.

Here are the top fantasy football utilization stats you need to know from Week 16 of the 2022 NFL season before you make any waiver-wire claims this week.

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Dak Prescott 347-41 3
Gardner Minshew 355-5 3
Jared Goff 355-15 3
 Joe Burrow 375-5 3
 Josh Allen 172-41 3
Running Backs Rush
Receive		 TD
Saquon Barkley 14-84
8-49		 1
D’Onta Foreman 21-165 1
Derrick Henry 23-126
2-0		 1
Devin Singletary 12-106
2-19		 1
Alvin Kamara  20-76
2-34		 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
CeeDee Lamb 10-120 2
DeVonta Smith 8-113 2
Justin Jefferson 12-133 1
Tee Higgins 8-128 1
Jaylen Waddle 5-143 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
T.J. Hockenson 13-109 2
George Kittle 6-120 2
Tyler Higbee
Shane Zlystra 5-26 1
Evan Engram 7-113 0
Placekickers XP FG
Brett Maher 4 4
Mason Crosby 2 4
Eddy Pineiro 4 3
Robbie Gould 4 3
Riley Patterson 1 4
Defense Sack – TO TD
Packers 2-4 0
Rams 6-3 1
Patriots 2-3 1
Eagles 6-1 1
Steelers 3-3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Taylor Heinicke (WAS) – Benched
RB Travis Homer (SEA) – Ankle
RB Jordan Mason (SF) – Hamstring
WR Christian Watson (GB) – Hip
TE Hunter Henry (NE) – Knee
TE Greg Dulcich (DEN) – Hamstring

Chasing Ambulances

This week was extraordinarily light for injuries. Yes, many players may have disappeared right when you needed them and ended up with a choke job.

But injuries were not your problem this week and that makes losing a playoff game hurt just a bit more.

WR Christian Watson (GB) – The Packers’ top rookie receiver was held out of the second half with a hip injury. He said himself that he’ll be “all right,” so the injury may not play into this week when they face the visiting Vikings.

TE Greg Dulcich (DEN) – He caught his second touchdown of the season and then was ruled out with a hamstring injury during the fourth quarter in the loss to the Rams. There was no prognosis after the game and he will be examined on Monday to determine the severity and see if he can participate in the loss game in Kansas City.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB   Gardner Minshew (PHI) The Eagles may have lost to the Cowboys, but don’t blame Minshew in his first start this season. He passed for 355 yards and two touchdowns, plus ran in a third score. Granted, Minshew threw two interceptions and fumbled twice and lost one. But his first start was on the road against the Cowboys and he produced two 100-yard receivers.

The Eagles suddenly are weighing Jalen Hurts playing to get that one more win that ensures the No. 1 seed,  but will they need to when the 6-9 Saints show up next week?

QB Brock Purdy (SF) – The rookie is hardly irrelevant after winning all three starts and setting a franchise record by throwing for two touchdowns in back-to-back games to the tight end George Kittle. He’s logged three straight 100+ point QB ratings to start his career. He’s a game manager so far, and that’s all the 49ers needed him to be. He threw for 234 yards and two scores against the Commanders.

QB Baker Mayfield (LAR) – He’s 2-1 as the Rams starter while taking over a rudderless ship that had almost no crew from when the season started.  Mayfield had his best effort yet with 230 yards and two scores in the win over the Broncos. His final two games are on the road where he’s yet to win, but at least he’s getting positive game film out there to help next year when he signs on with yet another team and new set of coaches.

TE Evan Engram (JAC) – A number of Jaguars have helped their fantasy stock for next year, but perhaps none has rekindled his career like Engram who only signed a one-year contract with the Jaguars. Engram scored four times this year and his 113-yard, seven-catch performance at the Jets was his second 100-yard game in the last three weeks.

QB Zach Wilson (NYJ) – The former first-round pick struggled this year but he threw for only 77 yards in Week 11 at the Patriots and was benched for Mike White. Wilson was called back while White nursed broken ribs. The once-impressive Jets lost their last four games and at 7-8 are in real jeopardy of missing the playoffs. Wilson did it again in Week 16 when he only completed 9-of-18 for 92 yards in the loss against the visiting Jaguars. He missed passes so badly that it’s fair to question if Wilson has the ability to play in the NFL.  HC Robert Saleh wouldn’t talk about Wilson afterward, but he has to figure out what his Plan C is.

QB Desmond Ridder (ATL) – His first start was when he only passed for 97 yards at the Saints, but Ridder showed better talent on Saturday when he threw for 218 yards at the Ravens. He hasn’t shown much as a runner yet, but he has a home game against the Steelers this week and then the final week at the Bengals.

WR DJ Chark (DET) – He only caught one pass for 18 yards in Week 15 to remind you why he was thrown onto the waiver wire back in Week 4 when he went onto injured reserve. But Chark logged 90+ yards in three of the last four games, including a season-best four catches for 108 yards at the Panthers on Saturday.

WR Velus Jones (CHI) – It is minor, but the 3.07 pick this year who ran a 4.31 40-time at the Combine finally had more than one short catch. He’s been active for the last seven games and scored on his first NFL catch, but then hasn’t been any better than one short catch in any game. Against the Bills this week, he caught the typical eight-yard pass but also turned in a 44-yard catch at the end of the third quarter. He’s blazingly fast and has been the kick returner this year. But 2023 should see him do more – if Justin Fields can improve as a passer.

QB Deshaun Watson (CLE) – The Browns’ new quarterback only threw for 135 yards and no score, with one interception in the loss to the Saints.  Over his four starts, he’s only thrown for two touchdowns against three interceptions and ran around 20 yards per game with one score ran in just last Saturday. It’s all part of shaking off the rust from nearly two years, but he hasn’t looked as Jacoby Brissett, so the hope is this is just the necessary work to get back in shape. But he’s brought the fantasy fortunes of the receivers down. Donovan Peoples-Jones only caught one pass for two yards in the loss this week.

TE T.J. Hockenson (MIN) – The Vikings midseason acquisition has been a valuable cog in the machine but no difference-maker. That changed in Week 16 against the Giants when he led the team with 13 catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns in the three-point win. Justin Jefferson (12-133, TD) still excelled but the other wideouts combined for only four catches and 23 yards. Hockenson should see better days in the playoffs when top secondaries do a better job against the starting wideouts.

QB Malik Willis (TEN) – The Titans choose the ex-Liberty quarterback with their 3.22 pick this year but three starts have failed to offer anything promising about the future. He took his third start of the year in Week 16 and only completed 14-of-23 for 99 yards and two interceptions. And that was better than his first two starts. The Titans just lost to the visiting Texans, 19-14, which alone indicates the alarm.

QB Kenny Pickett (PIT) – The rookie only passed for 244 yards and one score but he led the Steelers on a two-minute drive at the end of the game to throw a 14-yard touchdown to George Pickett with only 50 seconds left. The Steelers held on to win the game and Pickett has his first game-winning drive under his belt.

NFL Tight ends – In Week 14, tight ends accounted for only  six touchdowns and two went to Evan Engram. The previous week only saw four scores by the position. But Week 15 suddenly contained 17 touchdowns for tight ends and three turned in double scores. There were 14 in Week 16, excluding what may happen in tonight’s Monday night game against the Chargers and Colts.

There were four tight ends with multiple scores – George Kittle (6-120, 2 TD), T.J. Hockenson (13-109, 2 TD), Tyler Higbee (9-94, 2 TD), and Shane Zylstra (5-26, 3 TD). There were only three wideouts with double scores and that included Trenton Irwin (3-45, 2 TD) of the Bengals. Typically, tight ends score the most in the first month or so of the season, and then settled down. Week 16 was an aberration that helped fantasy leaguers in their playoffs – if they made it that far.

Huddle player of the week

Cam Akers  –  The Rams historically mediocre running back turned up his production for the last month with three scores and a couple of 60-yard performances. On Sunday against the Broncos, Akers ravaged their defense. He picked up chunks of yardage and ended with a career-best  23 carries for 118 yards and three touchdowns, plus two catches for 29 yards. Cam Akers was the highest-scoring fantasy play of Week 16 for quite the  Christmas present for those fantasy owners that were playing in their league playoffs.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Gardner Minshew 360 3 QB Deshaun Watson 154 1
RB D’onta Foreman 165 1 RB R. Stevenson 33 0
RB James Cook 108 1 RB Jamaal Williams 14 0
WR Kendrick Bourne 129 1 WR Christian Kirk 26 0
WR Isaiah Hodgins 89 1 WR Davante Adams 15 0
WR Trenton Irwin 45 2 WR Stefon Diggs 26 0
TE Shane Zylstra 26 3 TE Mark Andrews 45 0
PK Brett Maher 4  XP   4 FG PK Nick Folk   zippo
Huddle Fantasy Points = 163 Huddle Fantasy Points = 25

Now get back to work…

Fantasy football start ’em, sit ’em: Week 15

Check out these starts and sits for Week 15 of fantasy football.

For most fantasy football managers, the playoffs begin in Week 15 and officially commenced with the Thursday night game between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

While there are fantasy managers on the outside looking in, we still can use these start/sits as a way to find an edge in DFS or prop betting during the final month of the season.

Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.

Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.

You also can check out our start and sit bench list for Week 15:

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

Week 15 means everyone is in their fantasy playoffs, big dollar contests are probably deciding league winners and kicking off the total-points stretch for the final two weeks. We saw a lot of injuries in the last two weeks, particularly to quarterbacks. Unfortunately, most of every league is just watching by now but there’s always things to learn that can help next season.

Here’s a popular look at meaningful statistics that aren’t usually considered.

1.) Wide Receiver yards per catch – How many yards do each catch average? Here are the Top-20 deep-ball receivers for 2021 with a minimum of 30 catches.

Last year, there were only seven wideouts with more than 15.0 yards per carry, so this shakes out about the same. There were only two players that carried over from last year – Mike Williams and Justin Jefferson.  Ja’Marr Chase (18.0) and Deebo Samuel (18.2) were the only receivers with 18 yards per catch and both have been injured this year. Chase is just short of 15 yards so far this season. The elite receivers are well represented, including Tyreek Hill who already has a 100-catch year.

2.) Quarterback passes per touchdown – This metric is the ultimate in measuring quarterback effectiveness. What is more telling than how many passes have to be thrown to get a touchdown? Minimum of ten touchdowns.

There are still detractors for Tua Tagovailoa but he’s been very effective. Granted, he has two great wide receivers, but he is making good use of them. Geno Smith also shows well in this metric. They may not seem like prolific passers, but Justin Fields, Jimmy Garoppolo and even Marcus Mariota was effective when they passed but none of the three are in pass-heavy offenses.

3.) Running Back plays per game – Today’s NFL uses running backs as both rushers and receivers, but it is a little more accurate to count up their carries and targets, since that represents how often teams consider the running back for a play. Snaps are a fairly new metric, though only describes how often a players was on the field rather than actually doing anything fantasy-relevant. Minimum 100 plays.


The surprise of the year in Josh Jacobs has been a bigger workhorse than any other player. There are only seven backs with 20 plays per game and nine last year. Derrick Henry led the metric with 29.9 plays per game but did not last beyond midseason. Alvin Kamara (2021- 23.6) and Najee Harris (2021 – 23.6) have seen noticeable drops in plays this year.

Saquon Barkley’s return to heavy usage is a sign of his health and while Jonathan Taylor seems so less effective this year, he’s actually slightly busier than his 22.5 plays per game last year. And who would have guessed that the rookie Dameon Pierce would be one of the busiest players in the NFL?

4.) Tight Ends yards per catch – Maybe you don’t get any fantasy points for “Catch distance”, but it’s a good measure of how much a tight end is really a designed receiver than a blocker. Minimum 25 catches.

 

The top three barely qualified with low volume but it is encouraging for Greg Dulcich in particular as he becomes a bigger part of the game plan. Anything higher than ten yards is elite within the position. This was a down year for tight ends anyway, and five of the Top-8 in yards-per-catch caught fewer than 30 passes.

5.) Place Kicker field goal success rate – The reality for kickers is that they are an expression of how often an offense is good enough to get within the opponent’s 40-yard line and yet bad enough that they didn’t score a touchdown. But when that happens, you want a guy that is going to toss three points on the scoreboard.

Jason Meyers of the Seahawks has been the most accurate and that having tried 25 kicks already. Cameron Dicker has only played for seven games for the Eagles but has been nearly perfect as has Eddy Pineiro for the Panthers. The notable about a high success rate for a kicker is that the team is more likely to let him try a field goal than punt or go for a first down instead.

6.) Defensive “big plays” – There is a wide variation in what fantasy points are awarded for defenses from league to league, but everyone rewards sacks, fumble recoveries, interceptions, and safeties. They reward touchdowns as well, but those come on a sack or interception. This looks at how many plays NFL defenses have in those categories.

The takeaway from this is that the teams with the most “big plays” on defense were those with the highest interceptions, and sacks, which are both a product of forcing the opponent to pass the ball more. That can be because their offense builds a lead that makes the other team try to catch up, or it can be that they have a great run defense and that encourages more passing.