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Bennie Fowler was on the field for the Denver Broncos for over half of all offensive snaps in 2017. That number surprised me, but Fowler plays his most important role on the team in his career last season.
That significant increase in playing time helped Fowler have himself the best season of his career.
Bennie Fowler 2017 Stats
| Week | Rec | Yds | YPC | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week | Rec | Yds | YPC | TD |
| Week 1 | 3 | 21 | 7 | 2 |
| Week 2 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Week 3 | 4 | 55 | 13.75 | 0 |
| Week 4 | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 0 |
| Week 6 | 3 | 21 | 7 | 0 |
| Week 7 | 5 | 45 | 9 | 0 |
| Week 8 | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 0 |
| Week 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Week 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Week 11 | 1 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| Week 12 | 3 | 33 | 11 | 1 |
| Week 13 | 1 | 23 | 23 | 0 |
| Week 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Week 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Week 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Week 17 | 4 | 56 | 14 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 29 | 350 | 12.07 | 3 |
Bennie Fowler PFF Grade
According to Pro Footbll Focus, Bennie Fowler III finished the 2017 season as the 91st ranked wide receiver in the NFL with a 47.9 grade. Sadly, that included poor grades in receiving (47.6) and run blocking (47.2).
From the slot position, Fowler ranked 26th in the NFL. He caught 26 of his 29 passes on the year from there, but was largely ineffective in comparison to the rest of the league.
Bennie Fowler Contract
Fowler will enter the 2018 offseason a Restricted Free Agent. The Broncos should let Fowler walk. He has had a fine career in Denver, but his role on the offense is likely to diminish next season and there is no reason to give him a new deal or even pay him an RFA tender.
2018 Status
The 2017 season was a career year for Fowler, but if 29 catches for 360 yards is all he could do despite being on the field for over 50% of all offensive snaps, then it is time to move on. He has been a good role play on the team, however, so if the plan is to keep him around for solid veteran depth then that might also make a lot of sense.