3 Reasons Broncos Rookie WR Troy Franklin is Emerging

The Denver Broncos have to be happy about Troy Franklin's growing confidence.

Oct 17, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin (16) stays inbounds for a reception against New Orleans Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry (14) during the second quarter at Caesars Superdome. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

As the Denver Broncos continue to rack up wins after a slow start to the season, rookie wideout Troy Franklin has been making strides in Sean Payton's offense. Franklin has become more involved in the game and even led the team in targets and receptions in Thursday night's 33-10 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Why is Franklin continuing to improve under Payton? Let's break it down.

Nix Keeps Feeding Him

Bo Nix hasn't seemed to lose any confidence in his former Oregon teammate, as he continued to feed Franklin the ball over the last three games. Nix even went as far as blaming himself for Franklin's dropped touchdown pass during the Week 5 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

"I could've put a yard less on it, and he'll catch it," Nix said.

It seems to be only a matter of time before Nix and Franklin link up for a deep touchdown to redeem themselves for that ugly Week 5 drop.

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Confidence Continues to Grow

As the season progresses, Franklin's comfort level in Payton's offense has noticeably grown — from his dejected look after letting a beautiful deep ball from Nix slip through his fingers to his post-touchdown scream after securing the first score of his career in the Week 6.

With every catch, Franklin's confidence is growing. And he's showing a tremendous amount of emotional intensity after every reception.

Payton Getting Creative with Speed

Payton made it evident during Denver's first drive in New Orleans that he would get his speedy receivers involved in the offense. Using Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr. in creative motions, even lining wideouts up in the backfield, creates a nightmare for opposing defenses.

If Denver continues to make a serious effort in making its wideouts a focal point, Franklin will keep turning heads as he finds ways to get open, as he did when Nix missed a wide-open Lucas Krull early in the game. Looking just behind Krull, Franklin was wide open for a walk-in touchdown.

Bottom Line

The young Broncos continue to get more comfortable under their veteran head coach, and it's starting to bear some fruit. The Broncos are 4-1 in their last five games.

With Franklin beginning to emerge, the Broncos can add a new wrinkle to their offense and keep teams second-guessing whether they should commit an extra defender to the run. A 100-yard game could be rapidly approaching for the rookie fourth-rounder.

---

Follow Denver Broncos On SI/Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!