Week 16 vs. New England Patriots
Courtland Sutton saw another red zone target in Week 15, but unfortunately he couldn't reel it in this time. He did rack up 71 yards on six targets and five catches as he continued to dominate the downfield receiver passing role for the Broncos and Russell Wilson. Sutton is prone to the occasional dud playing in a run-first offense that has struggled at points this season, but he has finished as a viable fantasy starter more of than not in 2023 due to his red zone involvement and ability to score touchdowns. Now the Broncos host the lowly Patriots as home favorites in Week 16. Sutton is the clear top option in the Denver passing attack and warrants consideration as a flex play for the fantasy playoffs.
Week 15 @ Detroit Lions
Courtland Sutton has been one of the most reliable sources of touchdowns at the receiver position this year. He caught his 10th touchdown in Week 14, and managed to accumulate 62 yards on only four targets and three catches. Sutton will never see the target volume of the elite receivers, but he has earned the eighth-most red zone targets in the NFL and has converted his scoring opportunities at a very high rate. Now Sutton gets to face off with a Detroit secondary that has given up plenty of production to opposing passing games and is trending in the wrong direction this late in the season. Fire Sutton up as a solid WR3 option for the fantasy playoffs.
Week 14 at Los Angeles Chargers
Courtland Sutton only caught two balls in Week 13, but he made them count by racking up 77 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown bomb from Russell Wilson. The touchdown was Sutton's ninth of the season, which ranks third in the NFL amongst receivers. Sutton is not guaranteed huge volume in a Denver offense that has shifted to being firmly run-first, but he has consistently produced touchdowns and is earning a ton of targets in the red zone. Sutton should be viewed as an upside WR3 in fantasy terms, and he gets a great matchup against a Chargers defense that has struggled to contain opposing passing games all year. He makes for a solid start as we close out the fantasy regular season.
Week 13 at Houston Texans
Courtland Sutton is coming off a disappointing performance in Week 12 when he caught three of six targets for 61 scoreless yards. The Broncos' passing offense as a whole didn't do much against a stout Cleveland defense, but they get a much better matchup this week taking on a Houston defense that is soft against the pass. Sutton is somewhat touchdown-dependent in the Denver offense as Week 12 demonstrated, but he is maintaining a 23% target share from Russell Wilson and his 15 red zone targets rank sixth amongst all wide receivers. Sutton can be inserted back into lineups as a flex option this week and should have a good chance at finding the end zone yet again.
Week 12 vs. Cleveland Browns
Courtland Sutton saw limited volume in Week 11 with only four catches on five targets, but he found the end zone yet again to haul in his eighth receiving touchdown on the season to save his day. Sutton's eight receiving touchdowns rank second in the NFL behind only Tyreek Hill. Sutton and the Broncos have the difficult task of dealing with the Browns' elite defense this week, but Cleveland notably falls closer to league average in terms of suppressing production to opposing wideouts. The Broncos will likely have to lean on the passing game this week to have a chance, which should benefit Sutton in terms of seeing some additional targets. Sutton remains a solid flex play as someone who will never receive huge volume but is a really good bet to score a touchdown on a weekly basis.
Week 11 vs. Minnesota Vikings
Courtland Sutton has not cleared 100 yards receiving in any game this season, but he has remained fantasy relevant because of his robust red zone production. Sutton caught his seventh touchdown in Week 10 as part of a 8-53-1 line, and this one was on an excellent toe-tapping catch in the end zone. So long as Sutton remains Russell Wilson's primary red zone option, he will remain in the flex conversation for fantasy. This week the Broncos take on a Vikings defense that is more vulnerable to the pass than the run, which suggests Sutton could find success again and will have a reasonable chance to extend his touchdown streak to five games. The Broncos' offense isn't always pretty, but Sutton's prominent role makes him worthy of starting as a flex option.
Week 10 at Buffalo Bills
Courtland Sutton's consistent red zone presence has been a pleasant surprise this season, but he has still had volatile production being part of an offense that is average on a good day. Even coming off a down performance in Week 8 when Sutton only caught two balls, he still found the endzone on one of them to at least show up in the box score. Coming out of the bye, Sutton will travel to Buffalo to take on a Bills defense that has been average in terms of allowing fantasy points to opposing wideouts on the season. Sutton is a weekly touchdown threat with six on the season, and that does enough to get him into the flex conversation.
Week 8 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Courtland Sutton turned in another strong fantasy performance in Week 7 when he caught all six targets for 76 yards and was once again on the receiving end of Russell Wilson's only touchdown. Sutton has a 22% target share on the season, which is solid but not spectacular. Where he has thrived is in the red zone, where his nine targets and five touchdowns rank him in the top-10 amongst all wideouts. A difficult matchup against a strong Chiefs defense lowers the ceiling and floor for all Denver skill players in this game, but Sutton is clearly the best bet for fantasy production on the Broncos and deserves flex consideration due to his role and projected game script.
Week 7 vs. Green Bay Packers
Courtland Sutton remains a lonely bright spot in the Denver offense as he caught Russell Wilson's only touchdown in Week 6 and logged a 4-46-1 line on six targets. Sutton is playing nearly every snap for the Broncos and has held off the younger Jerry Jeudy and Marvin Mims to remain Wilson's top target through six games. Sutton's eight red zone targets rank seventh amongst WRs, and his four receiving scores place him in the top-five at his position. So long as Wilson continues to look Sutton's way in the red zone, he will be a viable flex play in fantasy. The Packers are a middling matchup for opposing wideouts, placing Sutton in the WR3 tier for Week 7.
Week 6 at Kansas City Chiefs
Courtland Sutton's production fell off a cliff in Week 5 when he only managed 13 yards on one catch while only seeing three targets. Sutton's 21% target share through five games is solid, but the overall passing offense has not been productive enough to sustain consistent WR2 stats for any pass catcher on the Denver roster. Jerry Jeudy saw seven targets in Week 5, and given the state of the Broncos' offense there will not be enough production to go around for both guys on a weekly basis. Now the Broncos will take on the Chiefs at Arrowhead. While Kansas City can score and provoke more passing out of Denver, the Chiefs' defense has been tough on opposing passing games. Sutton is a flex at best in Week 6.
