Von Miller's rookie season with Denver stands as a benchmark for the Broncos’ evaluation of pass rush talent. In 2011 he flashed with 11.5 sacks and earned a 90.0 overall PFF grade, the highest among Broncos rookies drafted since 2006. That immediate impact helped vault a 4-12 squad into the playoffs in 2011, setting the tone for a culture-shifting defense and launching Miller toward a Hall of Fame career.

The Broncos’ 2015 Super Bowl run crowned Miller as the defining force of that era, and his leap from Denver to a second championship with the Los Angeles Rams underscored the durability and adaptability of his peak. That arc – elite rookie production, franchise-transforming years in Denver, then title glory outside Colorado – remains a touchstone for fantasy managers sizing up edge stars and rookies who can carry immediate and long-term fantasy upside.

For fantasy players, Miller’s rookie-year breakout reinforces the value of early-edge talent in dynasty formats and the importance of team context and scheme in maximizing a defender’s fantasy impact. It also highlights how a franchise can recalibrate around a dominant rookie, producing ripple effects across defensive units and surge potential for their linemen in the year following a historic breakout.