Broncos Could Debut Rookie RB Blake Watson in Week 2

With Audric Estime now on IR, Watson may be called upon vs. Pittsburgh.

Denver Broncos running back Blake Watson (43) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half of a preseason game Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Broncos defeated the Colts 34-30. / Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Before the Denver Broncos announced that running back Audric Estime would be placed on injured reserve, head coach Sean Payton held a press conference in which he discussed a potential spark to the team's plodding rushing attack:

Undrafted rookie Blake Watson, the caboose on a four-deep depth chart who was inactive for last week's season opener — and who this week could well make his NFL debut.

“There’s a lot that goes into if Blake comes up, then who goes down? We’ll have a good plan relative to our running game," Payton told reporters Wednesday.

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Down goes Estime, set to miss at least the next four games with an ankle injury. Up likely now comes Watson, mixing in alongside de facto starter Javonte Williams and scatback Jaleel McLaughlin for Sunday's home matchup versus the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A projected late-round selection, Watson went undrafted this past spring despite a breakout 2023 campaign at Memphis where he set career highs across the board: rushing yards (1,152), yards per carry (6.0), rushing touchdowns (14), receptions (53), receiving yards (245), and receiving scores (3).

The 5-foot-9, 195-pound back joined the Broncos as a priority college free agent, his contract containing $275,000 in guarantees — one of the league's highest-paid UDFAs.

"He was one of those guys again in the seventh round, sixth round, but we saw a player that was natural catching the ball. That was a big draw," Payton said of Watson in May. "When we read a player, that was a draw to his vision. What’s the vision? So now we’re learning more about him. I’m not making the comparison, but when [the Saints] drafted [Saints RB Alvin] Kamara, we saw that vision, but we didn’t realize the other things in the running game. The first handoff in the preseason I think against the Chargers, he went 52 yards for a touchdown. And we were like, ‘Man, we can hand the ball off to him.’ But if you asked me the traits that attracted us to Blake, it was certainly that we saw in the passing game, and you saw pretty good football IQ too."

Those traits were on display this preseason. In Denver's Aug. 11 victory against the Colts, Watson totaled 59 scrimmage yards across 10 touches, including a 33-yard reception and a six-yard TD run. He added 66 yards (58 rushing) over further exhibition play, doing enough to crack the 53-man roster.

"I think he's a good player. He's got great vision for a back and he hits the hole hard," wide receiver Josh Reynolds said, via The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson.

Blake Watson szn.pic.twitter.com/f6WpitLbVi

— Zack Kelberman (@KelbermanNFL) September 12, 2024

The Broncos will require all the ground help they can get coming off a Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks that featured quarterback Bo Nix as the team's leading rusher (35 yards), and Williams and McLaughlin each held to under three yards per carry.

"When you look at Javonte and Jaleel’s numbers, we have to be more effective there and that’s something we talked about in the team meeting. ... I would say from an assignment standpoint, our landmarks, some of those things have got to get cleaned up," Payton said Monday.

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