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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: Platoons with Williams in Week 11
Audric Estime rushed six times for 16 yards while catching all three of his targets for nine yards in Sunday's 38-6 win over the Falcons.Estime got three fewer carries than Javonte Williams after notching 14 carries to Williams' one in Week 10 against the Chiefs. The rookie fifth-round pick out of Notre Dame hadn't been targeted in any of his previous six NFL appearances, so it was encouraging to see Estime get involved in the passing game. A timeshare between Williams and Estime is likely to unfold moving forward, though Williams may still be in line for a slight edge in playing time against the Raiders in Week 12.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: Increased role on tap
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Monday that he was "encouraged" with Audric Estime's performance in Sunday's 16-14 loss to the Chiefs, adding that the rookie will "continue to get more reps," Aric DiLalla of the Broncos' official site reports.After handling his largest workload of his rookie campaign (14 carries for 53 yards), Estime seems to have earned a vote of confidence from Payton. Veteran Javonte Williams could continue to take a back seat to the 21-year-old rookie after Williams logged just one carry in Week 10, though he and Jaleel McLaughlin should dominate most of the reps on passing downs. Estime has yet to be targeted across his 47 snaps on offense through six games this season, but an expected uptick in usage on the ground could result in solid fantasy production moving forward, particularly in non-PPR leagues. Though managers may want to take a wait-and-see approach before inserting him in fantasy lineups, the Notre Dame product at least represents an appealing speculative pickup heading into the Broncos' Week 11 matchup with the Falcons.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: Paces ground attack in loss
Audric Estime rushed 14 times for 53 yards in the Denver Broncos' 16-14 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday.Estime was given the largest workload of his brief career, with backfield mate Javonte Williams surprisingly limited to just one rush attempt overall. The rookie handled the additional responsibility well, posting a new career high in rushing yards. The lack of involvement in the passing game was far from ideal, but Estime could have plenty of opportunity again in a Week 11 home matchup against the Falcons.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: Role could grow in second half
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Monday that he anticipates Audric Estime playing more frequently down the stretch, Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette reports.Since returning to action Week 6 following a four-week stint on injured reserve due to an ankle injury, Estime has been lightly sprinkled into Denver's game plan. He's played between two and seven snaps in each of the last four contests, carrying 13 times for 81 yards while going without a target. Though Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin currently remain ahead of Estime in the pecking order, the efficiency that that rookie has shown in his limited sample thus far could motivate the coaching staff to increase his workload in the weeks to come. With Williams headed for free agency this spring and uncertain to be retained by Denver, Estime could have a real chance at heading into 2025 as the team's starter if he continues to run effectively while seeing his snaps tick up over the second half of the season.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: Flashes in garbage time
Audric Estime carried the ball five times for 35 yards in Sunday's 41-10 loss to the Ravens.It was the rookie RB's best performance yet, but most of Estime's production came on a 21-yard gain on Denver's final possession of the fourth quarter while facing a 31-point deficit. The 2024 fifth-round pick is still third on the backfield depth chart behind Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin, but the latter's struggles this season -- after rushing for only 10 yards on five totes Sunday, McLaughlin has averaged 3.9 yards per carry, a huge drop from his 5.4 YPC in 2023 -- could open the door for Estime to earn a bigger role in the second half of the campaign.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: One carry in Week 8
Audric Estime rushed once for four yards in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Panthers.Estime continued to be an afterthought in Denver's offense, playing just five offensive snaps for the second straight week and handling just one carry in the contest. Meanwhile, teammates Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin played 42 and 23 snaps, respectively. Barring an injury to either Williams or McLaughlin, the 21-year-old Estime remains far off the fantasy radar heading into a Week 9 matchup against the Ravens in which the rookie should continue to see minimal usage as Denver's No. 3 running back.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: Handles five carries against Saints
Audric Estime rushed five times for 29 yards and lost a fumble in Thursday's 33-10 win over the Saints.In just his second game back from injured reserve due to the ankle injury suffered in Week 1, Estime recorded season highs in rushing attempts and yards, while also playing a season-high six offensive snaps in the contest. With that said, these modest totals should keep the rookie off the fantasy radar for the time being as the No. 3 option behind starter Javonte Williams and second-year running back Jaleel McLaughlin, and the lost fumble in limited playing time may not help his cause in the short term, either. It's possible, however, that Estime could see his role grow over the course of the season, as he handled one more carry than McLaughlin despite playing eight less snaps Thursday. The 21-year-old Notre Dame product will have his next opportunity to get more involved in the offense when the Denver Broncos host the Panthers in Week 8.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: Limited action in return
Audric Estime rushed twice for 13 yards in Sunday's 23-16 loss to the Chargers.Estime made his return to the field Sunday after being activated from injured reserve for the ankle injury he suffered in Week 1, however, the rookie running back played just two of the Denver Broncos' 55 offensive snaps in the contest. It's likely Denver's coaching staff wants to ease Estime back into a more substantial workload, but he'll still face an uphill battle for playing time behind both Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin moving forward. The 21-year-old Notre Dame product could challenge for an expanded role in a backfield that has failed to impress consistently thus far. Estime will look to be more involved when the Broncos visit the Saints in Week 7.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: Officially active Sunday
Audric Estime (ankle) is active for Sunday's Week 6 matchup against the Chargers.The rookie will therefore be available to aid Denver's ground attack for the first time since hurting his ankle in his Week 1 NFL debut. Estime was just activated from injured reserve Saturday, and in Sunday's divisional clash, he figures to slot in as the No. 3 running back behind Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin.
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by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Broncos' Audric Estime: Could play after coming off IR
Audric Estime (ankle) was activated off injured reserve Saturday. The rookie running back is still listed as questionable for Sunday's contest against the Chargers, Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette reports.The Denver backfield appears to have a bit more of a cadence than it did early on, with Javonte Williams averaging about 33 snaps per game and Jaleel McLaughlin mixing in somewhere in the range of 17 to 23 snaps most weeks. Estime probably won't play much to start, but he does profile as more of a thumper than anyone currently on the depth chart and could earn more opportunities as the season progresses.