Broncos activate Jonah Coleman from IR, put Badie and Elliss on IR

The Denver Broncos activated rookie running back Jonah Coleman (ankle) from injured reserve on Saturday, and he will play Sunday at Arizona. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network posted the move Saturday afternoon, and The Denver Gazette confirmed it.

Denver made room by putting two players on IR. Running back Tyler Badie went on injured reserve with a broken thumb, and outside linebacker Jonah Elliss went on IR with an ankle injury. Both were hurt in the 17-14 overtime win over Seattle on Oct. 15. The Broncos also activated edge rusher Jonathon Cooper, who came off the commissioner's exempt list last week.

This finishes the return that began Wednesday, when Denver opened Coleman's 21-day practice window. He practiced fully all three days this week and was listed as questionable Friday, according to DenverSports.com. He hurt the ankle in the Week 2 win over Jacksonville, when he ran for 39 yards, 38 of them in the fourth quarter, and he has missed the minimum four games.

What is confirmed: Coleman is back on the 53-man roster and will play Sunday, and Badie is out of the backfield for at least four games. What is still open: how Denver splits carries in his first game back. Rotoworld notes that Coleman led the backfield in snaps in Week 2 and could take back the main rushing role, but the Broncos have not said how big his workload will be.

The Badie move matters for this decision. With one fewer back on the active roster, there is a clearer path for Coleman to see real volume, even if Denver eases him in.

For RSO owners, this is an action item before lineups lock. If Coleman sits in an IR slot, move him to your active roster now, and plan the cut that makes room. If he is unrostered in your league, he is worth a waiver claim or a solid bid, since a rookie deal on a back with a lead role is cheap control for future seasons. Treat him as a flex option this week rather than a locked-in starter until you see his usage.

What to watch next: Coleman's snap share and carries against the Cardinals, how much work the other Denver backs keep, and whether his ankle holds up through a full game.