Broncos announce bad news on Troy Franklin for Patriots' AFC Championship game

The Denver Broncos beat the Buffalo Bills to advance to the AFC Championship game, but not without some major injuries.

Bo Nix is done for the year, leaving Jarrett Stidham as the starter. The wide receiver room also isn't fully healthy. Pat Bryant got a concussion early in the Bills game, while Troy Franklin wasn't healthy enough to suit up for Denver.

In the Broncos' announcement of inactives for Sunday's championship game against the New England Patriots, the statuses of both Bryant and Franklin got big updates. Bryant is suiting up, but Franklin, Nix's college teammate, will sit on the sidelines with him.

Broncos get bad news on Troy Franklin

Franklin is listed as the top inactive for the Broncos for the AFC Championship game, meaning the wide receiver room for Stidham against the Patriots' defense will be a little short-staffed.

Bryant being good to go is some big news, but Franklin, a down-the-field option, is a big loss. This season, Franklin had 65 receptions for 709 yards and six touchdowns, the second-best totals on the team.

Aside from Bryant, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims, and Lil'Jordan Humphrey will lead the wide receiver room for Denver.

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Evan Engram is good to go, as are running backs RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Tyler Badie. But, just like how Franklin is out, J.K. Dobbins is missing another week.

If the Broncos pull off the upset win over the Patriots, Dobbins and Franklin might be good to go against the winner of the NFC Championship between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams.

But, for now, the Broncos offense will be significantly short-staffed, as Nix, Dobbins, and Franklin will all miss the most important game of the year for the Broncos.

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• Bo Nix injury update: Broncos QB suffers season-ending ankle fracture in win over Bills
• Can Broncos sign a free-agent quarterback to replace injured Bo Nix?
• Broncos' Sean Payton shares what Bo Nix said about season-ending ankle injury
• Ja'Quan McMillian OT interception: How Broncos cornerback stole ball from Brandin Cooks and saved Denver's season