Denver Broncos Quarterback Bo Nix's Harsh Fantasy Football Outlook

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is heading into his second season in the NFL. The former Oregon Ducks quarterback had a strong rookie season, and there is anticipation for year two, but concerns about a second-year slump. Would Nix be a smart pickup in fantasy or too big of a risk?

Dec 19, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is heading into his second season in the NFL. After the former Oregon Ducks quarterback helped lead his team to the postseason, there is high anticipation on what he will do in 2025.

The 2025 NFL season is quickly approaching, which means fantasy lineups are being made. While Nix had a strong push in the second half of the 2024 season, there are concerns heading into his second season about whether he can maintain the pace he is developing or if he will take a step back.

Dec 19, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Bo Nix Fantasy Outlook

When looking ahead at which NFL quarterbacks to pick up, there are staple picks such as Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, but some are harder to decide on. Pro Football Focus (PFF) picked three quarterbacks to avoid in a redraft league. Nix is one of the three quarterbacks to avoid.

“He only achieved 300 passing yards in two games, and he needed a completion percentage of over 80% in order to reach that many passing yards,” PFF wrote. “He posted three games over the second half of the year with an 80.0-plus PFF passing grade, finishing another three games in the 70.0s. This meant he also had some bad games, which is expected for a rookie.”

Jan 12, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) warms up before a game against the Buffalo Bills in an AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Nix finished his rookie season with 3,775 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 430 yards and four touchdowns. It took the former Oregon Ducks quarterback time to develop last season, which is expected for a rookie, but once he showed signs of success, Nix took off.

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It took Nix until week 4 against the New York Jets to score his first touchdown pass, and he did not record a 300-passing-yard game until Nov. 17 against the Atlanta Falcons. While it was a slow start, the way he played the last 10 games showed Nix’s high potential in the league.

Nix had the highest graded offensive line on PFF for pass protection. He was sacked 24 times, and all five of the starting linemen will be returning for the 2025 season. The continuity from the returning linemen, as well as the coaching staff, will be a big help for Nix as he looks to pick off where he finished the regular season.

Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws in the first quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Nix’s High Ceiling

The second-year slump is always a possibility, but there is also a high outlook for Nix’s second season in the league. He is going through his second season under the same system and will be more prepared for the 2025 season. In addition to the staff and offensive linemen, he will have the same starting three wide receivers to pass to, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and Devaughn Vele.

The Broncos signed tight end Evan Engram in free agency to be another pass catcher for Nix. Engram dealt with injuries last season, but if healthy he can be a big target for Nix.

Last season, running back Javonte Williams led the team with just 513 rushing yards. The run game never got going last season, but it could this year. While Williams is no longer on the team, the Broncos drafted running back RJ Harvey and signed J.K. Dobbins. Improving the run game will take the pressure off Nix and open up the passing game.

May 10, 2025; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (37) during rookie minicamp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Harvey was selected with the No. 28 overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft. While opening the run game, Harvey can be an added pass catcher for Nix in 2025. With the UCF Knights last season, Harvey had 20 receptions for 267 yards and three touchdowns.

With more talent surrounding Nix this season, he has a high ceiling. The former Ducks quarterback will have to start at a high level quicker this season. Picking Nix in fantasy could be a high risk but also a high reward.