Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick has been placed on injured reserve, ending his 2023 season before it began. He suffered an Achilles tear in practice Monday. Patrick had recently returned after missing the entirety of the 2022 season with an ACL tear.
The Broncos have officially placed Tim Patrick on IR after tearing his Achilles on Monday, ending his 2023 season.
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) August 2, 2023
What does this mean for Russell Wilson, Broncos WRs?
Patrick missed the entirety of the 2022 season as well, which was the first season in which Wilson joined the Broncos. This upcoming season’s stat lines will likely look similar to last season’s for Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy, the two top-billed wide receivers in Denver. Last season, Jeudy had 972 receiving yards, and Sutton had 829.
Wilson struggled to get things moving in Denver last season, drawing severe criticism from fans after the Broncos gave up quite a bit of draft stock to acquire him. Patrick would have been another high-value target — he had 734 receiving yards in 2021, his last active season — but Wilson’s fantasy numbers will depend on a lot more than Patrick’s absence.
Rookie Marvin Mims may get a chance to shine in Patrick’s absence, though. The Broncos’ second-round pick, Mims is now listed as a starter on the depth chart. If Wilson is able to pull things together offensively under new head coach Sean Payton, Mims could be a sleeper breakout pick this season.
Kendall Hinton, who had 311 receiving yards last year, will also likely be seeing more reps in the WR rotation. If Mims struggles to adjust, keep an eye on Hinton, who could see an increase in playing time.