Denver Broncos Week 3 Stock Report

The Denver Broncos are 2-0 and travel to play the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football in Week 3.

They continue to win with defense as the offense gets things sorted out. We’ve seen the Broncos try to come out in the shotgun early—and that was largely ineffective against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. We’ve also seen the Broncos come out and run the ball early—then they abandoned that philosophy after falling behind 14-0 against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2.

It will be interesting to see how the Broncos approach an 0-2 Lions team on the road. Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak has a healthy respect for this week’s opponent.

“They're an explosive football team on the offensive side of the ball and I think that they were the No. 1 defense in football last year—if I'm right," he said. (The Seattle Seahawks were No. 1.) With this league, you don't get too carried away if you're off to a good start. If you're not off to a good start, you keep your frame of mind right and keep going. It's a long, tough season.”

Kubiak explained, “It's their home opener. It's another tough place to play. It's kind of the same challenge that we had in Kansas City in a lot of ways.”

Here is the stock report for the Broncos as they head into Week 3.

Stock Up: WR Demaryius Thomas

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Earlier this year, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was staying away from the team facility as his new contract was worked out. Slapped with the franchise tag, he had until July 15 to work out a new deal. The two sides took all of that time (up until about 30 minutes left) to come to an agreement, and this means Thomas missed all of minicamp and OTAs this offseason.

When training camp started, he was eased back into action and showed a lot of rust at the beginning. As the preseason and the month of August rolled on, we saw improvements from Thomas—but he still didn’t look quite like himself as he was getting used to the new offense.

Even in the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, he put together a somewhat ho-hum stat line of seven catches for 60 yards on 11 targets. He seemed to be a little out of sync with quarterback Peyton Manning, and his timing within the offense seemed to be off.

In Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Thomas came through in a big way as the Broncos fought and clawed back from an early 14-0 deficit. On 14 targets, he hauled in eight catches for 116 yards and was a key player for Manning in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. Thomas didn’t get into the end zone, but he battled for the ball in the air and looked more like the dominant presence Broncos fans are used to.

This week against the Lions, Thomas could find the end zone and continue as the team’s primary weapon in the passing game.

Stock Down: WR Cody Latimer

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The 2014 NFL draft might have had the best collection of wide receivers we’ve ever seen enter the league at once. It was an exciting move when the Broncos moved up in the second round of that draft to select wide receiver Cody Latimer. After a rookie season where he didn’t do much, many were expecting Latimer to take that next step in 2015.

That hasn’t happened yet.

Instead of flourishing as the team’s third receiver, he’s instead barely playing and is fourth or fifth on the depth chart. Andre “Bubba” Caldwell and Jordan Norwood have seen more time in the passing game than Latimer has.

We’ve seen Latimer on the field but primarily as a blocker. Norwood has run 69 routes so far this year, and he’s been targeted 10 times, snaring five passes for 39 yards. Caldwell has run 15 routes while getting targeted three times and catching two passes for seven yards. Latimer has run five routes so far this season, and he hasn’t been targeted with a single pass in 2015.

Latimer has a ton of natural talent. It seemed like most days in training camp he was coming down with a big play—mostly with the second-team offense. He seems to have a strong chemistry with backup quarterback Brock Osweiler, but Latimer does not share that some connection with Manning.

In the preseason, Latimer seemed to fall out of favor with Manning. The receiver didn’t come down with a couple of targets in the preseason, and there was at least one time where Manning chastised him for running the wrong route. Latimer needs a boost of confidence so that he can start playing up to his enormous potential.

Stock Up: QB Peyton Manning

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On a short week against the Kansas City Chiefs, quarterback Peyton Manning had to look like his old self once the Broncos fell behind 14-0. After not scoring a touchdown with the first-team offense in the preseason or in Week 1 against the Ravens, Manning moved the team with the passing game and got the ball into the end zone—more than once.

Manning finished the game against the Chiefs with 256 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. He seemed to be more comfortable than ever doing what he’s known to do—running the offense from the shotgun and using pace (no-huddle) to attack a defense. The passing game was on point, but the Broncos still are a one-dimensional offense as they continue to struggle running the ball.

Kubiak wants to improve the rushing attack, and he feels by doing that the team will protect Manning better.

“If you run the ball, you usually protect your quarterback better. We have seven sacks right now in two weeks. We can't ask him to hold up that way throughout the course of the season. To me, running the ball creates opportunities to make some big plays, which we have had a few opportunities.”

Those big plays could include some play-action passes. If the Broncos can threaten a defense with the run, then perhaps Manning could take more deep shots downfield after making a play fake.

The Broncos still want to run the ball, but Manning can still be “Peyton Freaking Manning” in a shotgun/pass-happy offense if the team needs him to be.

Stock Down: C Matt Paradis

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The offensive line is a work in progress—and it has a lot of work left to do. A big problem for the offense at this time is the lack of a ground game. There are few holes for the running backs, and too often we see defenders in the backfield before the back even gets to build a head of steam.

Kubiak thinks technical problems up front have held back the rushing attack.

“There are just too much line-of-scrimmage plays where the line of scrimmage is ugly, nothing going on. We've studied the heck out of it through the weekend. Obviously, you've got to do some things that try to make it better.”

Kubiak explained: “You've got to get your guys space and then sometimes they've got to create their own space, too. I think it's a combination of a lot of things, but it's just about consistency right now and being better at everything that we're doing.”

In addition to the struggles running the ball, the Broncos offensive line is allowing too much pressure to get to Manning. Edge pressure is one thing, and even a statuesque quarterback such as Manning can avoid some rushers coming around the outside. However, middle pressure is difficult for any quarterback to avoid. Paradis is the man in the middle, and he needs to do a better job of watching for delayed blitzes that come to his zero gap.

Kubiak knows that opposing defenses are being aggressive when it comes to getting after Manning.

“They've been very aggressive with us these first two weeks whether it's with him [Manning] or anything. They've been very aggressive with us whether it's up front, trying to create some confusion for our guys up front. Regardless of how they choose to do it, as coaches, that's something that you have to adjust to.”

Kubiak continued: “As players, you have to adjust to it and find a way to make some plays. If you're going to get played in a seven-man front and one back or eight-man front and two back, you still have to find a way to make plays.”

As the center, Paradis is the quarterback of the defense. He needs to stand strong in the middle in order for the rest of the line to hold up to varied pressures from opponents who are looking to stuff the run and/or rattle Manning.

Stock Up: CB Bradley Roby

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The Broncos defense might be the best in team history—and it may be the best unit in the game today. The secondary might be the best in the league too.

Starters Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib keep things locked down on the outside. Second-year pro Bradley Roby could start for several teams in the NFL, but with the Broncos he works as the nickel corner—and oh how he shines in that role.

A first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft, Roby has the speed to stick with receivers downfield. He has an aggressive mindset and does not back down from a challenge when facing some of the most talented (and savviest) receivers in the NFL. Roby watched as both Harris and Talib picked off Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith in Week 2.

When it was time for him to make a play, Roby sealed the victory for the Broncos with a scoop-and-score with less than one minute to play. When Jamaal Charles fumbled the ball, Roby was right there to pick up the ball, make Smith miss a tackle and get into the end zone.

Kubiak likes what he’s seen from Roby this season.

“Bradley has had a good offseason and training camp. Things tend to continue to move in that direction—just look at [CB] Aqib [Talib] with the type of camp he had. Look at Bradley, he worked as a starter for most of the offseason because of the things going on with [CB] Chris [Harris Jr.] in camp,” Kubiak said. “I think that he's just reaping the rewards of his work. He's playing well.”

Hard work comes with benefits. It’s good to see Roby making the most of his limited opportunity, and it makes one excited for his future as a starter with the Broncos.

All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted. Advanced stats via ESPN's employees-only database.

Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac. Transaction history provided by Pro Sports Transactions.