It’s pretty uncommon for a day-three draft pick to have a pretty clear path early on, but that is the case with Oregon’s Troy Franklin with the Denver Broncos.
The former Ducks receiver was a surprising faller in the 2024 NFL Draft, as he was not a top-100 selection, and numerous receivers were taken above him. While Franklin had a poor outing at the NFL Scouting Combine, the 21-year-old is still a blazer and had a breakout season in his junior year.
Now back with his teammate Bo Nix, who was the 12th overall pick, I could see the two former Oregon Ducks hit it off running right away in the pros. That is dependent if Franklin can crack the starting lineup for the Denver Broncos, as he will have to beat out a few receivers in his way.
I wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually pays off his average draft position or if he is a waiver-wire hero that wins you a week down the line in fantasy football.
Troy Franklin College Production and Stats
Troy Franklin ran a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash, but on the field, seems like he plays faster and can be a burner for the Denver Broncos.
At 6’2″ and 176 pounds, he will have to add some more weight to be able to play on the outside but his game reminds me of Marquez Valdez-Scantling, who had similar drop issues but can be a big play waiting to happen and did for the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs.
For Oregon, Franklin had a 1,383-yard and 81-catch season in 2023, with 14 touchdowns, showcasing his connection with Bo Nix, the Ducks signal caller this past year. As a former second-team All-American and First-team All-Pac-12 last year, the tall speedster has plenty of potential yet to be unlocked.
Now the franchise quarterback for the Broncos, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them hook up with a few deep balls when given the chance, hopefully giving more opportunities for Franklin.
The quarterback-to-wide receiver rapport can be key for rookies, as we have seen that work in many cases across the NFL, one being Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase or Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle. This is more of an extreme case, but one that can be fruitful only if Troy Franklin earns his way on the depth chart.
Troy Franklin 2024 Fantasy Outlook
Troy Franklin is barely being drafted in redraft formats currently, as he is the 201st-ranked player on FantasyPros and has an average draft position of 157. Expert consensus rankings have him barely in the top 200, so in the back half of fantasy football drafts.
Franklin is the 75th receiver usually taken, behind many other rookie receivers who were taken with day one or two picks in the most recent NFL Draft as a player who you could take the gamble on with a discounted price.
The landing spot does matter, so Broncos head coach Sean Payton trading up for Franklin is a good sign since he also traded up for Brandin Cooks when he was the head coach of the New Orleans Saints in 2014.
Payton did do the same with Marvin Mims Jr. last year as a rookie, but obviously, his practice reps and play on the field after the fact was not enough to convince him to give the rookie more playing time.
Troy Franklin has a chance to change that narrative if he’s solid in training camp and be an impact playmaker early on in 2024. Even if that isn’t the case, I could see scenarios where he becomes more involved later on in the season.
Final Thoughts on Troy Franklin
With Nix replacing Russell Wilson for Payton’s offense in Denver, someone with a quick release that doesn’t take many sacks is ideal for his system.
After trading away Jerry Jeudy and with contract negotiations looming, it is still possible that top target Courtland Sutton will not be on the team by the time the trade deadline comes around in November.
The Broncos did retain a veteran and sign a veteran this offseason, extending Tim Patrick, who dealt with numerous injuries, and bringing in Josh Reynolds, the former Detroit Lion. Other than that, the only receiver that is in Franklin’s way of starting is Mims, a receiver who was mostly delegated to special teams in 2023.
Sometimes in fantasy football, your circumstance, surrounding talent, and opportunity or role matter more than draft status or pure football talent. Troy Franklin fits that bill to a tee potentially for the Denver Broncos.
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