Fantasy Football Injury Impact: Jaylen Waddle Injury Boosts Courtland Sutton and Broncos Sleeper
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Jaylen Waddle suffered a concussion in the contest against the Carolina Panthers, resulting in the Broncos' wide receiver to be ruled out of the remainder of the game.
Waddle has been a bright spot for the Broncos' offense as their leading receiver this season. His injury will lead to more targets for Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant.
Fantasy Football Impact
WR Jaylen Waddle, Denver Broncos
Waddle has been battling injuries all season, and he took a big hit against the Panthers, ultimately resulting in a concussion.
Status alert: Jaylen Waddle (concussion) won't return Sunday.
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) November 8, 2026
Waddle was coming off a big fantasy performance against the Chiefs, which saw him secure his second touchdown of the season.
The Broncos will have a bye in Week 10, which will likely give Waddle enough time to clear concussion protocol.
WR Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
Sutton has not been phenomenal this season for fantasy managers, but Waddle's injury-riddled season has resulted in more targets for Sutton.
Sutton plays roughly 77% of the Broncos' snaps, but he has not been as explosive this season as he has been the last two seasons.
Sutton averaged 14.1 fantasy points in 2024 and 12.9 fantasy points in 2025, compared to his average of just 6.0 points this season.
Sutton did secure his second touchdown of the season in the first half against the Panthers, and he has 4 receptions in the contest, which is likely to continue increasing given Waddle has been ruled out.
WR Pat Bryant, Denver Broncos
Bryant has not played since Week 4 of the season, but he was just activated back from IR, and he will be one to watch in the absence of Waddle.
Bryant was averaging 8.0 fantasy points before his injury, which was helped by his 14.4 point game against the Rams in Week 3.
The second-year receiver was playing 58% of the Broncos' offensive snaps before his injury, which will likely increase with Waddle out.
Bryant is not a clear pick-up player, given he is just coming back from injury, but his performances will be ones to watch in the coming weeks.
QB Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Waddle has been Nix's favorite receiver this season, but in his absence, Nix will have to rely on his other receivers.
Nix has struggled some this season, averaging just 14.4 fantasy points. Weeks 7 and 8 have been two of his best fantasy performances this season, with 26.2 and 19.3 fantasy points, respectively.
Nix might struggle more in the passing game, given Waddle has been his preferred target this season.
How Do The Broncos Rank Without Waddle?
Losing Waddle hinders Nix's fantasy outlook, with Waddle being a main target downfield and on explosive plays.
Sutton and Bryant have a better chance of becoming targets for Nix, but Sutton will need to improve his consistency. Without Waddle, Sutton receives a temporary boost for better fantasy performances.
Bryant should not be rostered for the time being, given his recent return from injury, especially with a bye week coming up for the Broncos, which will give Waddle more time to become healthy.
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Dorothy Howard is an avid sports fan and writer with a passion for the Carolina Panthers and Manchester United. She follows sports across the board and has covered the NFL, Premier League, NWSL and WNBA throughout her career for Yardbaker and the ON SI network.
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