Rookie Profile: Audric Estime, Running Back, Denver Broncos
Welcome to the Rookie Profile: Audric Estime, Notre Dame RB. Estime graduated from Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey. NJ.com named him their Football Player of the Year, recording 1857 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior.
Estime committed to Michigan State before agreeing to attend Notre Dame. He saw the field more and more in each of his 3 seasons as a Fighting Irishman, culminating with a strong junior year. As Notre Dame’s starting running back in 2023, Estime compiled 1483 total yards and 18 touchdowns.
Although not utilized much as a pass-catcher, Estime can be used in the passing game. However, he’s best as two-down and goal-line grinder.
Measurables
Draft Capital & Landing Spot
Draft Capital- 5th Round, Pick 12
- Estime was the 11th RB off the board, after the likes of Isaac Guerendo and Braelon Allen. That doesn’t bode well for his prospects given the teams that passed him up and his capital doesn’t guarantee him a roster spot.
- Thankfully, the big-bodied Estime has an ideal role in the NFL in the minds of many. The concern is that his Day 3 capital could make him obsolete sooner rather than later.
Landing Spot- Denver Broncos
- Denver is the ideal landing spot for Estime, given that Javonte Williams has struggled with injury and Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine haven’t taken control of the backfield. He may earn the goal-line role immediately.
- Sean Payton prefers to run a multi-back system, so Estime can grab a good portion of the backfield work if he excels.
Team Depth Chart
Expected Role: Situational Runner
Depth Chart via Fantasy Pros
Fantasy Impact
The 2023 UDFA Jaleel McLaughlin is being hyped up by fantasy analysts this offseason. The 2024 UDFA Blake Watson is being hyped up by Broncos beatwriters. Samaje Perine still exists. Javonte Williams is still capable of rebounding from injury and assuming a workhorse role. And Estime will miss all off-season activities after sustaining a knee injury. There is a ton up in the air right now.
For rookies to steal work, they need to be on the field. They need to show they have a command of the offense and they can offer something that the team is lacking. With Estime now slated to miss a few months of on-field work, it’s unlikely he will carve out any kind of role early on. He’s an avoid for me right now, and I’m not sure I’m buying him at all in the future either.
Check out The Fantasy Football Universe Sneak Peek Video of Audric Estime.
Check out our 2024 Rookie Rankings Page for a full breakdown of this rookie class.
