Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele (ribs) missed practice all week with an injury to his ribs and was officially ruled out on Friday for the team's Week 2 home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's extremely disappointing for Vele, who caught all eight of his targets for 39 yards on 49% of the offensive snaps in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The 26-year-old seventh-round selection this year seems to have already built some nice chemistry with fellow rookie quarterback Bo Nix, but he'll have to get healthy first before hoping to carve out a role as the WR3 in Denver in his first year in the NFL. For now, Vele is mostly just a bench stash in deep fantasy leagues and dynasty/keeper formats. Vele's absence on Sunday will create more targets for Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds and Marvin Mims Jr. against a tough defense.
Sep 13, 2024 9:28 PM EST
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele made a statement in his NFL debut on Sunday in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Vele didn't have a banner day by any means with just 39 receiving yards, but his eight receptions (on eight targets) surprisingly led the team on a day in which the Broncos offense couldn't really move the ball at all consistently in rookie first-round quarterback Bo Nix's NFL debut. Vele caught all eight of the balls thrown his way in this one and was tied for second in targets with Josh Reynolds, behind Courtland Sutton's 12. Vele, a seventh round pick this year, wasn't targeted very far beyond the line of scrimmage with his eight receptions, but just that fact that he commanded that much attention from Nix is notable. The 26-year-old seems to have developed some good chemistry with his QB and is worth a look in deeper fantasy leagues as a waiver pickup.
Sep 9, 2024 12:21 AM EST
Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele drew praise from head coach Sean Payton when interviewed on Friday. Vele had been one of the standouts of Broncos camp and made the cut this week as Denver whittled down their roster to 53 in preparation for the regular season. When asked about the release of Tim Patrick, Payton remarked on the similarities between him and Vele and how the rookie reminds him of the veteran wideout. "They have like body types. They're big, they have strong hands in traffic," Payton said. "They're smart. They're tough. They catch it well. They block. Devaughn is a guy that I see in a similar way." Given his blocking ability and frame (6-foot-5), the former Utah Ute may see the field in his inaugural season. Additionally, the Broncos have little proven depth behind an aging Courtland Sutton and Josh Reynolds. Vele will compete with second-year wideout Marvin Mims Jr. and fellow rookie Troy Franklin for playing time in Denver's third wide receiver slot but can be safely avoided by fantasy managers for the time being.
Aug 30, 2024 10:01 PM EST
Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele (undisclosed) was absent from practice again on Friday after leaving Wednesday early for an undisclosed reason. When asked by the media about Vele's absence, head coach Sean Payton said "he'll be fine." Payton did not offer specifics on the body part in question, though it does seem to involve a lower extremity, and he added that the wideout could suit up Sunday when Denver takes on the Green Bay Packers at home. The Broncos drafted Vele in the seventh round (235th overall) of April's draft out of Utah, and while he wasn't expected to make much of an impact in his rookie season -- he's balled out over the last week, and the excitement is building around him. Vele isn't your typical rookie, -- making his NFL debut at 26 years old -- but he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4, and Denver's WR room is ripe for the taking behind Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and Josh Reynolds.
Aug 16, 2024 10:12 PM EST
Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele was a seventh-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, meaning his path to making the opening-day roster will be challenging. However, Broncos reporter Benjamin Allbright said he is likely ahead of fourth-round rookie Troy Franklin on the depth chart, so he could have a realistic shot. The 26-year-old caught 98 passes for 1,288 yards and eight touchdowns in his final two seasons at Utah, but his solid showing at the 2024 NFL Combine was likely the primary factor in him being drafted. While it would be a nice surprise if he's on the Week 1 roster, he's unlikely to make a fantasy football impact as the potential WR4 or WR5 in an offense led by veteran Jarrett Stidham or rookie Bo Nix.
Aug 5, 2024 4:57 PM EST
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