The Broncos are without their second-leading receiver for their most important game of the season.
Denver ruled out WR Troy Franklin with a hamstring injury for Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Patriots. The receiver was originally listed as questionable but wasn't seen participating in pregame warmups. In Franklin's place, practice-squad veteran Elijah Moore was elevated for his Broncos debut.
The 22-year-old Franklin took a major leap in his second season in Denver, finishing 2025 with 65 catches for 709 yards and six touchdowns. He was also one of Broncos backup QB Jarrett Stidham's primary targets throughout training camp and the preseason, robbing Stidham of some easy chemistry as he starts in place of the injured Bo Nix against New England.
In the second quarter of last week's 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round, Franklin came up limping and grabbing at the back of his left leg after running a second-down route. He was a limited participant for three straight days in practice, but ultimately was held out on Sunday with the non-contact injury.
Moore was elevated from the practice squad for the second straight week and activated for the first time since signing with Denver in early December. The 25-year-old Moore was a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and caught a combined 120 passes in 2023 and 2024 with the Cleveland Browns. A stint in Buffalo didn't end well in 2025 -- just nine catches for 112 yards in nine games -- but Moore offers an injection of speed to Denver's wideout group, .
