Broncos' Rookie Class Is a Ghost Town — But Jonah Coleman Is Coming Back
Denver's entire 2026 draft class has logged just 46 snaps through six games. The lone exception, RB Jonah Coleman, could return from IR soon.
Flashed feature-back traits before IR; stash him if the backfield opens up.
- Denver's 2026 rookie class: 46 total snaps in 6 games
- Coleman: 37 snaps across 2 games before IR
- Coleman produced 15 PPR pts in 2 games (2026)
- Waddle cost Denver its first-rounder: 22-228-1 so far
- Rookie Onyedim has yet to play a defensive snap
When you trade away draft capital to go win now, you expect a quiet rookie class. The Denver Broncos may have underestimated just how quiet. Through six games of 2026, Denver's entire draft haul has combined for 46 snaps — and most of those came on special teams.
Only one Broncos rookie has actually touched the field on offense: fourth-round running back Jonah Coleman. He logged 28 offensive snaps and nine on special teams over two games before an injury landed him on IR. In that brief window he posted 15 PPR points this season (2026) on 39 rush yards, a touchdown, and three catches for 19 yards.
The headline deal here is why the first-rounder is missing. Denver shipped its top pick to Miami for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who has 22 catches for 228 yards and a score through six games — 53 PPR points this season (2026). Miami used that pick on San Diego State corner Chris Johnson, who's playing a heavy defensive snap share. Waddle's the return on Denver's biggest chip, and he's trending up: +1.5 fantasy points over his last five games versus his season average.
The Rest of the Class Is Invisible
Third-rounder Onyedim hasn't played a defensive snap, which is notable given top-100 picks usually crack the rotation. In fairness, the defensive line has been a strength, and few players drafted after him would move the needle in Denver right now — maybe Cowboys linebacker Jaishawn Barham or Patriots tight end Eli Raridon, who's quietly put up 41 PPR points this season (2026) on 12 catches and two touchdowns. Elsewhere, offensive lineman Casey is buried on the depth chart and Joly got cut, later claimed by Miami.
The one glimmer worth tracking is Coleman himself. Before the injury, he flashed exactly what you want from a potential feature back — holding up in pass protection, catching out of the backfield, and running with patience. The Washington product could return from IR soon, and wideout Kolbe Katsis has already been bumped off the practice squad for special-teams duty against the Rams.
For fantasy purposes, Coleman is a watch, not a pickup — yet. He's unranked in our rankings and still on IR, but his pre-injury usage and skill set give him real upside if Denver's backfield thins out or he earns a bigger role on return. Keep him on your radar in deeper formats; if the Broncos signal a workload bump when he's activated, that's your cue to stash him before anyone else does.
