The Denver Broncos could be in the midst of a breakout from one of their 2024 draft picks, but it is not quarterback Bo Nix. It is Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin, who has one Super Bowl champion’s attention and endorsement.
Nix is involved, finding his current Broncos and former Oregon Ducks teammate, Franklin, with great success through two weeks.
It is a small, but encouraging, sample size.
Bennie Fowler: Troy Franklin is Broncos’ WR2
Franklin was the No. 102 overall pick of last year’s draft, 90 selections after the Broncos selected Nix, and had a relatively quiet rookie campaign. If the first two weeks of this season are any indication, he will surpass his rookie production by Week 4.
Franklin has 133 yards and 1 touchdown on 12 receptions in 15 targets through two games.
After missing the opener, the 6-foot-3 speedster had two receptions for 11 yards on six looks over his first two games as a rookie.
“I thought that Troy had a breakout performance. I think he has clearly established himself as Receiver No. 2,” Bennie Fowler, a member of the 2015 Super Bowl champion team, told Dave Logan on “Xs & Os” on September 16, citing the second-year pro was “coming off of the preseason, and how well he played there, how confident he played there.”
Logan called Franklin’s production a “byproduct” of the work the receiver put in during the summer and lauded him for putting on weight to deal with the physicality of the NFL and complement his speed.
Logan said Franklin looks like a “different” player, adding he looked “settled” and “confident.”
Troy Franklin Delivering on Training Camp Buzz
The Broncos have long needed a running mate for WR1 Courtland Sutton, a Pro Bowler in 2019, who developed a strong rapport with Nix last season.
Denver added Evan Engram to be the de facto second option, but he is a tight end.
Still, Franklin’s potential ascension is not surprising, even with the Broncos having other options at the position. He garnered attention during the summer, not just for his work on the field, but also for the reviews coming from the team.
“I just got back from #Broncos practice. There’s buzz around several players, but one name I haven’t seen mentioned enough is second-year WR Troy Franklin. The staff loves what they’ve seen, and he looks poised for a bigger role. His understanding of the position, overall toughness and strong hands should help make him a key target for Bo Nix,” Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported on X in August.
“Denver believes it has multiple WRs ready – including Marvin Mims Jr. – to step up alongside Courtland Sutton.”
The Broncos’ WR room is deeper than that, further underscoring Franklin’s legitimacy as No. 2.
Broncos WR Room by the Numbers
The Broncos’ unofficial depth chart technically lists Mims as the other starting receiver opposite Sutton, with Franklin listed as his backup.
Sutton leads the Broncos with an 87.3% share of the snaps, per Pro Football Reference, emphasizing his undisputed role as WR1. Franklin ranks behind only him in snap share among Broncos wideouts through two weeks, with a 69.4% mark compared to 45.5% for Mims.
Veteran offseason free agent pickup Trent Sherfield is fourth in the group at 35.8% of the snaps.