Denver Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin’s dynasty fantasy football value was next to nothing entering 2023, but he averaged 5.3 yards per touch on his 107 opportunities as a rookie and showed enough juice to warrant our consideration.
Can he carve out a niche role that has him pushing for Flex consideration, or is he simply only a nice handcuff running back to roster?
Jaleel McLaughlin’s Dynasty Outlook
McLaughlin racked up over 1,300 scrimmage yards with at least 12 touchdowns in each of his final two seasons at Youngstown State, proof of concept that he can handle an extended role. Of course, the level of competition is different, though he did run well last season to affirm the thought that he has something to offer.
Ahead of the #NFL Draft, @ysufootball's Jaleel McLaughlin (@speedkills2k_) got some great advice from all-time great Devin Hester pic.twitter.com/B9jLC7Yg4r
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) March 22, 2023
As much as his film from 2023 was encouraging, there’s no escaping the fact that the Broncos didn’t invest any draft capital in him and that he is a mere five months younger than RB Javonte Williams.
I’m bullish on Williams in 2024 and beyond, as he is now a full season removed from the devastating knee injury that cost his second season short after just four games.
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We’ve seen the season after the season after the injury be the one in which running backs return to form, and if that proves to be the case, McLaughlin isn’t going to be more than a handcuff back without a path to work, barring an injury.
The version of Williams we saw last season was a shell of what we got in his rookie campaign, and yet, McLaughlin was held to single-digit carries in every single one of his appearances.
McLaughlin is better than the NFL gave him credit for on draft day, and he isn’t positioned to matter in a significant way any time soon — both things can be true and are, in my opinion.
McLaughlin’s Dynasty Ranking
Where does McLaughlin land in the dynasty RB landscape going into the 2024 offseason? Here are Soppe’s latest rankings, featuring where McLaughlin lands compared to other top names at the position.
1) Bijan Robinson | ATL
2) Christian McCaffrey | SF
3) Breece Hall | NYJ
4) Jonathan Taylor | IND
5) Jahmyr Gibbs | DET
6) Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX
7) Kyren Williams | LAR
8) James Cook | BUF
9) Saquon Barkley | NYG
10) Kenneth Walker III | SEA
11) De’Von Achane | MIA
12) Isiah Pacheco | KC
13) Tony Pollard | DAL
14) Alvin Kamara | NO
15) Javonte Williams | DEN
16) Rhamondre Stevenson | NE
17) Josh Jacobs | LV
18) D’Andre Swift | PHI
19) Rachaad White | TB
20) Aaron Jones | GB
21) Zamir White | LV
22) Austin Ekeler | LAC
23) Tyjae Spears | TEN
24) Joe Mixon | CIN
25) Nick Chubb | CLE
26) Najee Harris | PIT
27) David Montgomery | DET
28) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS
29) Jaylen Warren | PIT
30) Raheem Mostert | MIA
31) Derrick Henry | TEN
32) Khalil Herbert | CHI
33) James Conner | ARI
34) Kendre Miller | NO
35) Zach Charbonnet | SEA
36) Roschon Johnson | CHI
37) Dameon Pierce | HOU
38) Tank Bigsby | JAX
39) J.K. Dobbins | BAL
40) AJ Dillon | GB
41) Miles Sanders | CAR
42) Alexander Mattison | MIN
43) Gus Edwards | BAL
44) Zack Moss | IND
45) Tyler Allgeier | ATL
46) Chuba Hubbard | CAR
47) Elijah Mitchell | SF
48) Jerome Ford | CLE
49) Antonio Gibson | WAS
50) Devin Singletary | HOU
51) Justice Hill | BAL
52) Darrell Henderson Jr. | FA
53) Jamaal Williams | NO
54) Chase Brown | CIN
55) Rashaad Penny | PHI
56) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI
57) Deuce Vaughn | DAL
58) D’Onta Foreman | CHI
59) Jordan Mason | SF
60) Sean Tucker | TB
61) Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN
62) Samaje Perine | DEN
63) Pierre Strong Jr. | CLE
64) Cam Akers | MIN
65) Michael Carter | ARI
66) Leonard Fournette | BUF
67) Damien Harris | BUF
68) Jeff Wilson Jr. | MIA
69) Ezekiel Elliott | NE
70) Zach Evans | LAR
Should You Trade McLaughlin in Dynasty?
Are you considering trading McLaughlin? Our free PFN Trade Analyzer allows you to find the best trade offer to make in seconds!
We can agree that Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler, even in his prime, was far from a “traditional” leadback, yes? Current Broncos and former Chargers offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi funneled over 59% of RB carries and 63% of RB touches to the way of Ekeler during his two seasons in Los Angeles, a featured role that I believe he will want to place upon Williams as soon as possible.
In this era of backfield committees, there are instances in which a team can provide reasonable value to both RBs. This Broncos offense is in flux at the quarterback position and is far away from a unit that I trust to do that in 2024 or any time soon.
2023 Denver Broncos:
- 24th in first downs
- 25th in yards per play
- 26th in yards per game
- 30th in goal-to-go efficiency
I’m trading McLaughlin if I can now, and if not, I’m looking to capitalize on the first optimistic report coming out of training camp. He’s not a bad player; he’s just blocked at a level that I am not comfortable with.
If you are a strong team that is just refining the edges of your roster, a player like McLaughlin is fine to stash — handcuff running backs are smart depth pieces in that specific situation, as you have the luxury of not needing production.
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But if you’re fighting for a playoff spot this season or even amid a rebuild, I’d be looking elsewhere — you can find a more impactful piece for 2024 if you’re competing or a player with a more favorable path to future work if you’re in the middle of a rebuild.
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