The Broncos are the hot young team in the AFC. The defense is among the five best in the NFL,  Bo Nix's game is growing by the week, and the receiving room is young and wide-open for anyone to earn a significant role in the future. 

Devaughn Vele is an early candidate to become one of Nix's favorites for the foreseeable future. Denver's WR2 for the past four weeks, Vele is fantasy football's WR34 during that span in PPR formats.

Vele's rookie production is a promising indication that he has a fantasy future for the Broncos. He's second on the team in receptions and yards and he's only one target behind Lil'Jordan Humphrey for the second spot in that category. 

Vele's seventh-round draft capital could fool fantasy GMs and analysts into thinking otherwise. Marvin Mims Jr. is a second-round pick, and Troy Franklin is a fourth-round option. 

Sean Payton's history will tell you to ditch draft capital. Lance Moore was an undrafted free agent that the Cleveland Browns let slip through their fingers. Marques Colston was a seventh-round pick. This pair was more productive than second-rounder Devery Henderson and first-rounder Robert Meachem.

Courtland Sutton will remain the primary option through 2025, and we should expect Denver to acquire another talent in the offseason who could replace Sutton in 2026. Even so, Vele has the skills and the opportunity to grow into a reliable contributor with legitimate fantasy value in many formats. 

The Pre-Draft Scouting Report

The 2024 Rookie Scouting Portfolio graded Vele as a capable contributor out of the box. His Depth of Talent score of 78.2 translates to a player with starter execution in a limited role and diminishing returns beyond that scope: 

"A walk-on in 2019, Vele has NFL-caliber size and athletic ability. He has a starter ceiling but should be regarded as a developmental project because there are a lot of details in Vele’s game that need refinement.

Vele has a lot of release moves, but most develop a greater range of movement and pace variation to execute them with the artistry necessary to separate against top man-to-man defenders in the NFL. He’s fast enough to defeat cornerbacks playing tight to the line and eat into the cushion of others playing off-coverage.

Vele stacks opponents when he earns separation on vertical stems. It would benefit Vele to sell the vertical concept of routes further into his stems than he does so he can set up routes breaking back to the quarterback with more ease.

The rest of his stem work and setups at the top of stems have a solid foundation. He should continue perfecting his craft so that each phase of the route sets up the next.

Vele’s breaks need the most refinement with his route running. He drifts out of speed breaks and doesn’t earn enough weight drop for sudden hard breaks. He’s physically capable of developing both styles of breaks, and this will maximize the threat of his speed, which is good enough to become a starting flanker in the league.

Vele must attack the ball earlier in its trajectory. He can do so, but his effort to do so is the exception rather than the rule at this point. This is probably the greatest impediment between Vele’s current standing as a prospect and what he can become because allowing the ball into his frame is the root for the variety of minor issues with his pass-receiving that could become magnified in a league where the opponents are good at exploiting the smallest weakness in a player’s game to their advantage.

After the catch, Vele moves with quickness and urgency when changing direction. He can spin off collisions. He has a good feel for which direction to turn downfield against coverage as well as the peripheral vision to dip away from pursuit.

Vele finishes well. He pulls through reaches to his lower body. He has an effective stiff arm with good reach to ward off contact to his upper body. He will meet oncoming collisions in the secondary with his pads low and keep his feet moving, bouncing off safeties. His ball security can be tighter, especially in the open field with defenders in pursuit.

If Vele’s athletic ability and work ethic helped him go from walk-on to leading starter for a Pac-10 team, there’s reason to be open-minded about Vele continuing to grow into a reliable contributor if not a starter by the end of his first contract.

What is the best scheme fit? Vele’s potential as a route runner and his work after the catch makes him a long-term fit for a West Coast Scheme. He could produce quicker in a spread offense, but the lessons he could gain in a West Coast Scheme might make him a better player long-term and one whose game translates best across offenses.

Pre-NFL Draft Fantasy Advice: Vele and Cornelius Johnson are the two of the players near the top end of this fourth tier who have the highest ceiling of potential to develop into starters. Vele is a worthwhile stab after the fourth round in rookie drafts before the NFL Draft. If it’s an IDP league, Vele and Johnson could be available in rounds 6-7."

How Denver Is Matching Vele's Skills to Its Scheme

Vele is not a strong enough route runner to beat cornerbacks playing him one-on-one on an island when running timing routes like curls, outs, digs, and comebacks. These are the big-boy man-to-man routes of the wide receiver kingdom.

The potential is there for him to develop these routes, but I'm skeptical he'll ever be a matchup threat against top cornerbacks with these routes. It doesn't kill his fantasy value, but it may limit his ceiling if the Broncos try to make him a full-time perimeter option. 

When Denver Aligns Vele Outside

Denver knows this about Vele, and they have specific uses for the rookie when the offense aligns him outside. 

How the #Broncos like to use Devaughn Vele when they align him outside: Off-man/zone coverage. pic.twitter.com/wCAE7I7PYG

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) November 26, 2024

Another way the #Broncos like to use Devaughn Vele when they align him outside: As the underneath receiver with teammates running off the defense so he can be a ballcarrier. pic.twitter.com/YoAbCle27q

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) November 26, 2024

A third way Devaughn Vele is used outside: Quick slants with his size against C3.

Solid stick-shed release combo. Again, underhand attack and slight juggle but good catch. Ball arrived at back hip that also required slight turn. #Broncos pic.twitter.com/PhAuo0mq6C

— Matt Waldman (@MattWaldman) November 26, 2024

None of these patterns are timing routes against tight man-to-man coverage. At the same time, these looks allow Denver to use Vele as an outside weapon and create variety with alignments. 

Vele gets to use his size as a receiver and a ballcarrier, and that's a win for the offense.