The Broncos will be starting a lesser and/or inexperienced quarterback this season. With their defense, they're going to want to lead with the ground game and win some lower-scoring affairs. They just need a running back to take charge of their backfield.
C.J. Anderson will probably start, but it could be a committee, in which Devontae Booker and maybe Jamaal Charles also play. Booker was their fourth-round pick a year ago, so they'd like to get him going. But it sure didn't happen for him as a rookie.
Most notably, of all the backs with at least 100 attempts last season, only three of them failed to contribute a single 20- or 40-yard run. T.J. Yeldon (another recent disappointing draft pick), Doug Martin (terrible a year ago and suspended to start this season), and Booker.
Maybe in his second season he'll put it together, but there's not a lot of reason to expect he'll be a breakout performer.
| RUNNING BACKS, 20- AND 40-YARD RUNS, 2016 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Att | Yds | Avg | Long | TD | 20+ | 40+ |
| Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 322 | 1631 | 5.1 | 60t | 15 | 14 | 3 |
| LeSean McCoy, Buff. | 234 | 1267 | 5.4 | 75t | 13 | 11 | 3 |
| Jay Ajayi, Mia. | 260 | 1272 | 4.9 | 62t | 8 | 10 | 4 |
| Jordan Howard, Chi. | 252 | 1313 | 5.2 | 69 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
| Isaiah Crowell, Clev. | 198 | 952 | 4.8 | 85t | 7 | 8 | 3 |
| LeGarrette Blount, N.E. | 299 | 1161 | 3.9 | 44 | 18 | 7 | 3 |
| Melvin Gordon, S.D. | 254 | 997 | 3.9 | 48 | 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 227 | 1079 | 4.8 | 75t | 11 | 7 | 2 |
| Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 217 | 988 | 4.6 | 47 | 6 | 7 | 2 |
| Lamar Miller, Hou. | 268 | 1073 | 4.0 | 45 | 5 | 7 | 1 |
| Mike Gillislee, Buff. | 101 | 577 | 5.7 | 44t | 8 | 7 | 1 |
| David Johnson, Ariz. | 293 | 1239 | 4.2 | 58t | 16 | 6 | 2 |
| Jonathan Stewart, Car. | 218 | 824 | 3.8 | 47 | 9 | 6 | 1 |
| Ryan Mathews, Phi. | 155 | 661 | 4.3 | 30 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| Jeremy Hill, Cin. | 222 | 839 | 3.8 | 74t | 9 | 5 | 3 |
| Latavius Murray, Oak. | 195 | 788 | 4.0 | 42 | 12 | 5 | 1 |
| Terrance West, Balt. | 193 | 774 | 4.0 | 41 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Tevin Coleman, Atl. | 118 | 520 | 4.4 | 55t | 8 | 5 | 1 |
| Matt Forte, NYJ | 218 | 813 | 3.7 | 32 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| DeMarco Murray, Tenn. | 293 | 1287 | 4.4 | 75t | 9 | 4 | 2 |
| Mark Ingram, N.O. | 205 | 1043 | 5.1 | 75t | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Rob Kelley, Wash. | 168 | 704 | 4.2 | 66 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 261 | 1268 | 4.9 | 44 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| Tim Hightower, N.O. | 133 | 548 | 4.1 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Bilal Powell, NYJ | 131 | 722 | 5.5 | 35t | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Spencer Ware, K.C. | 214 | 921 | 4.3 | 46 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Jacquizz Rodgers, T.B. | 129 | 560 | 4.3 | 45 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Rashad Jennings, NYG | 181 | 593 | 3.3 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Chris Ivory, Jac. | 117 | 439 | 3.8 | 42 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Todd Gurley, L.A. | 278 | 885 | 3.2 | 24t | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Jerick McKinnon, Minn. | 159 | 539 | 3.4 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Matt Asiata, Minn. | 121 | 402 | 3.3 | 29 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Paul Perkins, NYG | 112 | 456 | 4.1 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Alfred Blue, Hou. | 100 | 420 | 4.2 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Thomas Rawls, Sea. | 109 | 349 | 3.2 | 45t | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Frank Gore, Ind. | 263 | 1025 | 3.9 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| C.J. Anderson, Den. | 110 | 437 | 4.0 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Derrick Henry, Tenn. | 110 | 490 | 4.5 | 22 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Devontae Booker, Den. | 174 | 612 | 3.5 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Doug Martin, T.B. | 144 | 421 | 2.9 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 130 | 465 | 3.6 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
--Andy Richardson