Home is where the game-changing opportunities are.

That’s the approach Ja’Quan McMillian has taken this year.

The second-year nickel is the surprise of the Broncos’ resurgent defense. Undrafted out of East Carolina, McMillian took over as Denver’s starting nickel in Week 4 and has done nothing but make big plays since.

He has two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and five tackles for loss in seven games since replacing Essang Bassey as Denver’s slot man.

He’s helped turn each of the Broncos’ past three wins, picking off Pat Mahomes in Week 8, forcing and recovering a fumble on the first snap Week 10 at Buffalo and then picking off Josh Dobbs and recovering a fumble against Minnesota last week.

The funny part? He doesn’t even fully consider himself a nickel yet.

“It’s crazy. Home – well, maybe it’s not home anymore because I’m loving nickel – but the majority of my life and all of my career until I got here, I played cornerback,” he told The Denver Post.

McMillian plays nickel now, and he’s good at it. In fact, the Broncos may not have turned their defense around as radically as they have if not for the 5-foot-10, 185-pound lightning bolt.

In drawing such a clear distinction between being a cornerback and being a nickel, McMillian highlights the nature of the slot as a specialty position in today’s NFL. When the Broncos had injury issues during training camp and early in the season, perhaps only safety Justin Simmons’ hip/groin issue provided more trouble for Denver’s defense than K’Wuan Williams’ season-ending foot injury.

Williams manned the slot last year after signing as a free agent from San Francisco and quietly became one of the most important players on Denver’s defense because of his ability to communicate, cover and hold up against the run.

It’s not easy to find a player capable of handling that list of responsibilities.

“In today’s league, it’s so hard,” Simmons said of playing nickel. “Especially against teams like (Minnesota), Kansas City, Seattle, teams that kind of run like a 12 personnel package but that tight end is basically another receiver. You don’t always want to have a ’backer on him. But you also ask your nickel to come in and then they run the ball a little bit more so you’re always playing this cat-and-mouse game.”

When secondary coach Christian Parker and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph decided to give McMillian a chance, the position became a strong point almost immediately.

Parker told The Post recently that he and Denver’s scouting staff thought even before the 2022 draft that this might be a potential landing spot for McMillian.

“That was the vision even when he came on the ‘30 visit’ during the draft process a year and a half ago,” Parker said. “We know you can play corner and you’re comfortable there, but this is a spot where your instincts, your awareness and your football savvy, that you can do.

“This is the first time he’s actually played it full-time and not had to bounce back and forth, so he’s been able to really dial in on everything that comes with that position.”

The most impressive thing about McMillian stepping in and making plays so fast: He only gets to do that after he helps set the coverage plan on every play.

“Am I working with him? Am I working with the ’backer? Am I working with the safety?’ Whatever that entails, he has to control that,” Parker said. “You can see it on film. He’s very demonstrative. He’s talking to ‘Fab’ (Moreau) or Pat (Surtain), he talks to (inside linebackers Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton), turns around and talks to Justin and then he turns back, locks in and does his job.

“That’s what the job takes and that’s why it’s tough for some guys. It’s not like you’re just listening. You have to give it and then you’ve got to settle down and play.”

So far, so good for McMillian. The Broncos decided to give him a look and in the process might just have found a long-term solution for one of the most unique positions in the game.

“There’s a lot more plays I can make inside, so I’m having fun with it,” McMillian said. “… I can still play both if I have to, but we’ve got guys.

“Fab’s out there, we’ve got PS2 out there, they’re both shutting it down out there and I’m just trying to do my thing inside.”

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