A thorough assessment of a team’s draft can’t truly be reached for another three years or so. That said, with tighter rosters and larger rookie contracts, a successful draft must yield at least some immediate help. With that in mind, here’s a look at how AFC West teams fared over the weekend—both from a big-picture NFL standpoint as well as a fantasy perspective—taking into account how key needs were (or weren’t) addressed and the impact potential of the players acquired.

Denver Broncos

This draft was not only viewed as the springboard to rebuilding the Denver defense in a 3-4 mold, it also included the picks received from trading away franchise quarterback Jay Cutler. So you’ll have to excuse Bronco fans if they’re a little puzzled by just what this class netted. There’s little question RB Knowshon Moreno is a talent, but it was an odd selection because a) the Broncos signed two running backs in free agency and still had multiple contributors on their roster from 2008, and b) Josh McDaniels employed a committee-heavy approach to the backfield in New England. Denver’s second pick, Robert Ayers, might find a more immediate path to the starting lineup as an end, though ultimately the Broncos project him as a rush linebacker. Second-round CB Alphonso Smith and CB/S Darcel McBath bring youth and depth to the secondary, as does fourth-round S David Bruton. TE Richard Quinn is a definite fit for the Patriots West offensive scheme, a blocking tight end who can also catch when need be. Late-round offensive linemen Seth Olsen and Blake Schlueter both have the speed Denver’s zone-blocking style covets, and WR Kenny McKinley has plenty of speed himself and could contend for a spot in the receiver rotation. Alas, the Broncos failed to address the need for a 3-4 nose tackle—unless you count undrafted free agent signee Chris Baker—and the selection of QB Tom Brandstater in the sixth round isn’t quite the Sanchez-like replacement for Cutler Denver fans may have been hoping for.

Fantasy nugget: While the backfield is crowded in Denver, there is little question Moreno is the most talented. But there is also little to suggest he’ll get the bulk of the workload; in McDaniels’ three years as New England’s offensive coordinator no back reached the 200-carry mark or topped 835 yards, and aside from Corey Dillon’s 13 scores in 2006 no back found the end zone more than seven times. In fact, over the three year span eight different backs scored at least two touchdowns.

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