Contract Terms
Josh Reynolds is signing a two-year, $14 million deal with the Denver Broncos.
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Fantasy Football Impact
Reynolds is moving to Denver after three years with the Detroit Lions. He joined Detroit in 2021 after a short stint in Tennessee. Reynolds was a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2017 and has played much of his career with Jared Goff as his quarterback. During his time in the NFL, Reynolds has primarily played a complementary role, never recording more than 52 catches or 618 yards in a single season. He did have his best season in Detroit in 2023, registering 40 catches for 608 yards and five touchdowns.
In Denver, he'll be one of three wide receivers vying for the spot vacated by Jerry Jeudy. Last season, Jeudy finished second on the team with 87 targets, but the Broncos traded him to Cleveland earlier this month. Reynolds will compete with Marvin Mims Jr. and Tim Patrick for those vacated targets. However, Mims is heading into just his second season, and Tim Patrick has missed each of the last two seasons with injuries. A healthy Reynolds could be the team's No. 2 option by default.
On top of needing to win the job, Denver's quarterback situation also hurts Reynolds's value. Denver parted ways with Russell Wilson to start the offseason, and currently, only Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are on the roster. They are a favorite to draft a quarterback early in the upcoming draft. Having played with Goff for a long time, there is chemistry there that Reynolds will now need to build with a rookie.
Reynolds is a good player, but his size and career numbers indicate he's a better fit to back up Courtland Sutton than play opposite of him. This contract seems to suggest he will have a good chance at a starting role, but we could see Jeudy's vacated targets spread out, and Reynolds could end up in a similar role to the one he left in Detroit, but with a worse quarterback. He was the WR55 last season, an appropriate fantasy value heading into 2024.
The Fantasy Football Fallout
In Denver, there are too many questions to answer at this point. Reynolds' arrival is probably worse for Tim Patrick than for Mims or Sutton. There were trade rumors surrounding Sutton for much of the offseason, and there may still be plans to move him. As it stands, Sutton could see increased volume, as he is now the No. 1 receiver on the team without question. Reynolds should not affect whatever role the team has in mind for Mims. Expect Reynolds and Tim Patrick to split time in 3-WR sets.
Detroit reportedly wanted to re-sign Reynolds and must find a worthy replacement. He was third on the team in targets last season, and at 6'3", he was a perfect tandem with Amon-Ra St. Brown in the slot. The loss of Reynolds should necessitate a more prominent role for Jameson Williams. The former 1st-round pick has just 25 receptions in two seasons. It's time for him to show his field-stretching ability more consistently. An increase to 65+ targets would be a sight for sore eyes and could bring back top-40 value in fantasy, far better than his current WR77 slot in our Early Draft Rankings.
Reynolds' absence could also open things up for Donovan Peoples-Jones. Detroit traded for him during the 2023 season, and he just re-signed with them two weeks ago. He fits Reynolds's size profile better than any other receiver on the Lions' roster. Peoples-Jones would be more of a best-ball roster-filler to start the season but could be an intriguing waiver-wire option later in the year.
Stock Watch
Risers
Fallers
Overview
After three years in Detroit and over six seasons with Jared Goff as his quarterback, Josh Reynolds is moving on. He signed a two-year deal with the Denver Broncos that could be worth up to $14 million. His role and quarterback in Denver are still a mystery, making him a risky fantasy prospect heading into the 2024 season.
