Denver’s edge duo is dominating early. Bonitto leads the league with 21 pressures and a 31.3% rate (10+ pressures), while Cooper has 15 on the season and nine in the latest game. Elliss and Tillman are generating high-quality pressure from the second unit, with Elliss already producing a sack and a crucial forced fumble on Derius Davis. Payton is balancing playtime to keep the rush fresh, yet the unit’s impact is proving a real fantasy lever for sacks and turnovers.

The Broncos’ front seven is reshaping game flow, turning hurried throws into field-position tests and creating more likely sack and FF opportunities. For fantasy managers, Denver’s edge pressure translates into week-to-week upside at DE/OLB spots and potential turnover-driven points as the rotation stabilizes.

Denver’s Week 2 loss to Indianapolis boiled down to a late misalignment, a pre-snap swap, and a penalty that erased precious clock. Tillman’s jump in the snap, Uwazurike’s positional shuffle, and a jumper-style block concept sparked by Colts observers collided with Sean Payton’s clock usage as the Broncos dropped to 1-1. Rizzi owned the miscue, while the wider NFL storm surrounding last-minute kicks adds volatility for Broncos kickers and fantasy managers alike.

Past-proven kicks and blockers frame this as a cautionary tale for fantasy kickers and defenses: special teams chaos, not just offense, can swing outcomes, and Payton-era Denver will be judged on its late-game discipline and risk-reward decisions as the season unfolds.

Kaleb Johnson’s kickoff misread opened Week 2 with a Seattle kickoff TD, fueling a 31-17 Seahawks win over Pittsburgh and underscoring how nuanced live-ball rules can swing fantasy value in special teams. Denver’s Week 2 heartbreak at Indianapolis followed, as a leverage penalty on a missed 60-yard field goal produced an untimed down for Spencer Shrader, who cashed in from 45 yards to seal a 29-28 Colts victory. Both sides admitted late-game missteps that shaped the outcome and the fantasy ripple effects.

Shrader’s perfect 14-for-14 start and history of shorter kicks contrast with the risk of longer attempts, while Indianapolis’ late-game approach—and Jonathan Taylor’s usage—highlight how game flow can reshape kickers, running backs, and goal-line decisions. For fantasy managers, the Week 2 tape underscores volatility in kickers, return specialists, and coaching gambits in high-leverage moments.

As the season unfolds, the takeaway is clear: special-teams chips and clock-management decisions will drive weekly fantasy outcomes as much as offense and defense—making Week 3 a frontier of cautious optimism and contrarian pivots.