Football season is here. More importantly, fantasy football is back in action.

This is the time of year when fans become general managers. Friendships are tested. And a matchup between the Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons will matter to someone in North Dakota.

The Broncos don’t have players like Justin Jefferson, Patrick Mahomes or rookie Bijan Robinson, who some might consider drafting in the early rounds. But some players can be impactful.

Here are five Broncos players to consider during the fantasy football season.

Broncos’ defense

This is obvious. Denver’s defense was solid in 2022, finishing 10th in DVOA, according to Football Outsiders, despite dealing with a handful of injuries.

In 2023, they have everything in place to be a top-10 defense in the league once again. Pat Surtain II is one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Safety Justin Simmons has 16 interceptions in the last three seasons. Defensive end Zach Allen looked like a beast during training camp.

Denver’s pass rush should be improved with a healthy Randy Gregory and Frank Clark. Meanwhile, edge rushers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper are expected to make major strides this season.

Tight end Greg Dulcich

Adam Trautman might be listed as the first-string tight end on the unofficial depth chart, but Dulcich will be heavily involved on offense. Denver will most likely run multiple tight-end sets featuring Trautman and Dulcich.

Trautman provides protection up front, whereas Dulcich is a pass-catching threat who can grow to become one of quarterback Russell Wilson’s go-to targets. During the offseason, head coach Sean Payton referred to Dulcich as the “Joker” and praised the second-year tight end’s ball skills.

“The one thing that is interesting about this tight end group is that there are some clear roles that you can see,” Payton said. “(Dulcich) is someone who can really threaten (you).”

Dulcich showcased his potential in an injury-plagued rookie season, totaling 411 receiving yards and two touchdowns while averaging 12.5 yards per catch. In Year 2, there’s a strong chance he will unlock another level in his game with Payton at the helm.

Wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr.

For any dynasty league folks, Denver’s rookie wide receiver might be someone to consider. Wilson is not afraid to let the ball fly, and Mims proved throughout his college career at Oklahoma that he can quickly get down the field to make big plays.

With Tim Patrick and Jerry Jeudy sidelined, Mims should have a bigger role than initially expected. But looking past this season, there’s a chance he will be a key part in Denver’s offense for the foreseeable future.

Quarterback Russell Wilson

There’s no way Wilson can be worse than last season, right? Wilson has spent his entire career being one of the league’s most prolific passers. All signs point towards him returning to that level instead of sinking further into mediocrity. He is slimmer and more focused and determined than before. Oh, and by the way, he has Payton, an offensive guru, running the show.

To be clear, Wilson’s numbers might not reflect his 2020 seasons when he threw for over 4,212 yards and 40 touchdowns.

“This guy has been in tons of big spots, championship games (and) Super Bowls throughout his career,” Payton said. “That’s what puts him in that class where he’s at. He’s got a certain expectation of himself.”

Running back Samaje Perine

Starting running back Javonte Williams is back. However, his workload, especially during the first half of the season, remains uncertain after tearing his ACL last October. Williams played 12 snaps in the preseason loss against the San Francisco 49ers, and Payton said Thursday that the third-year running back will be on a pitch count in the season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

With that said, Perine is a solid player to add to a roster since the Broncos are trending toward splitting the workload between him and Williams. In 2022, Perine had 95 carries and 38 catches for 681 total yards and six touchdowns for the Bengals while seeing the most snaps of his career (41%).

Payton’s history with using multiple running backs should provide optimism. In New Orleans, he paired running back Alvin Kamara with Mark Ingram (2017-18) and Latavius Murray (2019-20). Murray carried the ball 146 times while surpassing 600 rushing yards each season. In 2019, he played 41% of the offensive snaps compared to Kamara at 69%.

Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.