Getty Images Courtland Sutton celebrating a touchdown.
The Denver Broncos have turned a new page on Tuesday as they were the first team to apparently make a move before Tuesday’s 4 pm deadline. The Broncos have a plan to ship off their veteran wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to the Houston Texans, in exchange for what is rumored to be a fourth-round pick, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The trade for Thomas was inevitable, but nobody was sure where he would end up. Regardless though, it was clear that the Broncos were entirely comfortable with moving forward with Emmanuel Sanders and the rookie Courtland Sutton leading the wide receiver corps.
The former SMU Mustang was one of the biggest names in the 2018 NFL Draft class when it came to wideouts. As he was projected to be taken within the first two rounds, the Broncos got incredible value for him as they drafted him in the second round with the 40th overall pick. Once the Broncos took Sutton, it was clear that they viewed Thomas in a different light.
There were rumors of Thomas being on the trade block since last year, so it was no surprise that Sutton was brought in to be his replacement. And with Thomas finally out of the picture, Sutton season is approaching in Denver for second-half of the season.
What’s the Fantasy Impact of The Trade?
In 2018, Sutton has caught 17 of his 37 targeted passes. He is totaling for 324 yards and two total touchdowns. With Thomas being shipped off to Houston, Sutton owners should be happy to know that he will most likely find himself targeted a lot more. While Thomas was taking up 74-percent of the offensive snaps, Sutton was creeping right behind him with close to 69-percent.
Now, Sutton will more than likely see a substantial increase in his percentage that should be matching somewhere around 80-percent, just like Sanders. For this year, Sutton’s value will surely go up, but I wouldn’t consider buying him high just yet.
With Case Keenum still struggling under center, it’s quite difficult to trust Denver receivers. But for a quick pickup off the waiver wire, if available, Sutton is definitely worth it. Now, there won’t be anybody in his way as he will see a significant increase in playing time and targets. Get your claims in quick though, because the demand on the waiver wire is going to be high.