Broncos' New-Look Skill Positions Get Little Love in Latest Rankings

The Denver Broncos' skill positions have come a long way since Sean Payton arrived as head coach in 2023. Payton has rebuilt the wide receiver, running back, and tight end rooms, though the latter still has some serious question marks enteirng 2026.

Suffice it to say, though, with the addition of Jaylen Waddle, and four years of good drafting, Bo Nix's arsenal has never looked better. But what is the national perspective on the Broncos' skill positions?

In 2024, ESPN's Bill Barnwell ranked Denver's skill positions No. 30; that ranking jumped to No. 23 in 2025. Fast forward to today, and guess what? Despite the Waddle addition, the emergence of "Joker' running back RJ Harvey (12 touchdowns as a rookie), and the drafting of Jonah Coleman, the Broncos' skill positions remain static at No. 23.

Barnwell was suitably unimpressed by Waddle, it would seem. Barnwell believes the Broncos are still missing one bona fide playmaker.

"Will one of the young players the Broncos were counting on make this a big three? There were moments where Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and RJ Harvey all flashed, but none was able to take over as an unquestioned starter. It seems telling that the Broncos traded for Waddle and used another middle-round pick on a running back by taking Washington's Jonah Coleman in the fourth round. Payton does a great job of scheming opportunities open in this offense, but the Broncos could use one more difference-maker if they want to start challenging for the top 10 here," Barnwell wrote.

Another day, another laughable ranking of the Broncos. Earlier this week, we chuckled at Bo Nix being ranked No. 4 in FanDuel's top 10 Year 2/Year 3 quarterbacks list, even though he has the most wins and stats out of all of them.

The Broncos have actually come a long way talent-wise on offense. But let's not pretend as if the cupboard has been bare. Sutton has delivered back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, and earned a Pro Bowl nod last year.

Missing: Explosives

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) passes in the second quarter during a game between the Jacksonville Jaguars. | Dustin Bradford / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

What has been missing from the equation is the explosive play. The type of play that ends up on the highlight reels on Sunday nights, and draws the attention of the national pundits.

Even Nix himself acknowledged that Denver's offense has lacked that explosive edge. That's why the Broncos traded a first and third-round pick to acquire Waddle, after all.

“There’s an element of explosiveness that I think as an offense we’ve lacked for a couple years," Nix said during mandatory minicamp. "We’ve had plenty of explosive plays, plenty of points, all that kind of stuff. We’ve made great strides, but there was a level of explosiveness that a guy like that adds."

The Broncos have produced 24 wins since Nix took the reins, but they have lacked those 'Star Wars' numbers, to quote the late Jim Irsay. Nix is a quarterback full capable of producing numbers of a far, far away caliber, but he needed the weapons.

It takes time to build up an arsenal. The Broncos have finally gotten there, though, which makes Barnwell's rankings suspect.

The Qualifiers

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) catches a pass during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Broncos didn't move one spot in Barnwell's rankings year over year, despite the blockbuster addition of Waddle. So what is ESPN really basing these rankings on? Here's what Barnwell said the four qualifiers are:

This is only about 2026 on-field performance.
Injuries count.
Wide receivers are weighted more heavily than running backs or tight ends.
The focus is on elite players and a team's top five contributors.

Since we have no crystal ball, we can't base anything on 2026 on-field performance in June, because the season is still months away. We can, however, base rankings on what players have done in the very recent past.

Injuries are a factor in these rankings. Okay. So maybe Dobbins's injury history counts as a demerit for the Broncos, but if so, it should only be a slight one because of how good he is when healthy.

If the wide receivers are weighted more heavily than running backs or tight ends, the Broncos should have taken a quantum leap forward in Barnwell's rankings. Waddle is a massive addition by himself, but let's not forget Sutton's back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns and Franklin's emergence last season, which produced nearly 800 receiving yards and a co-team-high six touchdowns.

We also know a lot more about Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr. since last year's rankings. But none of this seems to have availed the Broncos in Barnwell's rankings.

Lastly, the focus is on "elite" playmakers and each team's "top five contributors." So let's list Denver's top five for 2026:

Jaylen Waddle
Courtland Sutton
J.K. Dobbins
Evan Engram
RJ Harvey

You could swap Harvey out with Franklin, but that's how I'd list Denver's projected top five offensive contributors. Is Waddle "elite?" I'd say so, but he doesn't have a Pro Bowl or All-Pro nod in his career, so many, perhaps even Barnwell, might use that to disqualify Waddle, while then dismissing Sutton's accolades as an "elite" qualifier.

I would assert, in fairness, that Denver has two top 25 wideouts. Two. Wouldn't that be a reasonable assertion?

That's not good enough to climb at all in Barnwell's rankings? Like, not at all? If we're weighting these rankings more heavily based on receivers, that should count for something.

Fugazi

I think of Matthew McConaughey's character in the major motion picture The Wolf of Wall Street. These rankings are a fugazi; fairy dust. They're not "on the elemental chart." There's no there there. They're not frickin' real.

One of the Broncos' most impressive roster-building achievements has been the reshaping of the running back room. Over the course of two offseasons, including a pair of drafts, Denver's running backs have undergone a complete makeover, but Barnwell is unimpressed.

Dobbins and Harvey arrived in 2025. Before he got hurt in Week 10 last season, Dobbins was a top-five NFL rusher, and still finished the campaign with 772 yards with a 5.0 average per carry.

Harvey proved he wasn't ready to carry the RB1 load post-Dobbins, but he's still one of the NFL's most dangerous backs, especially as a receiver. Add Coleman to that mix, and the Broncos now have one of the NFL's most dynamic running back rooms. Too bad it doesn't count as much as receivers in Barnwell's book.

If Dobbins can stay healthy, this room is going to blow people's hair back. Believe that.

Even if Dobbins doesn't avoid the injury bug, the Broncos won't be in such a vulnerable position with Coleman in the fold. Coleman can provide between-the-tackles efficiency, and he can do most of the same things that Harvey can as a third-down back, though he doesn't quite have the same explosiveness and speed.

In all honesty, tight end remains the biggest question mark the Broncos have on offense. It could end up being great if Engram performs better in Year 2 with the Broncos; that could be heavily influenced by new offensive coordinator Davis Webb taking over the play-calling duties. Time will tell.

The Takeaway

There's no question that the Broncos' receiver and running back rooms have been upgraded over last year. And yet, Barnwell kept the Broncos at No. 23. So be it.

What matters is how these skill positions can impact the Broncos' fortunes on gameday. Time will tell, but the early returns are more than a little encouraging. Nix has everything he needs, including an elite offensive line, to reach his 2026 goals.

I might hazard to guess that Denver's skill positions will rank higher in Barnwell's estimation next year. But I have no reason to actually believe that because the logic of his rankings completely escapes me.

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