The Broncos have used a committee at running back in recent years, even when one half of that committee isn't really pulling its weight. But maybe they're ready to move on. They've named third-round rookie Royce Freeman their starting running back, and looks like a good chance he'll have a good workload at the start of the season.
“Royce Freeman is the starting running back for our football team,” Vance Joseph says. He did, however, go on to qualify the workload projection somewhat. “That being said, it’s going to be by packages also. Royce is our leading runner, but on third downs you’ll probably see Devontae Booker and obviously having a package for Phillip Lindsay’s going to be important to each game plan we have each week.”
What's interesting is that although Joseph says Booker will play on third downs, he leaves the door open for Freeman to also get some of those snaps. "Freeman was really good in pass protection (in camp)," he said. "That's your biggest worry about having a young halfback playing with a veteran quarterback — the pass [protection] issues. He's shown the IQ and the maturity to be a great pass [protection] guy on third downs, especially."
Sounds like Booker will get most of those third-down snaps, but they're not afraid to use Freeman if situation warrant.
But the main takeaway here is that it doesn't matter than Booker started all the exhibitions -- it should be Freeman getting the first snaps in Week 1. Denver opens with a home game against Seattle, so not an ideal matchup, though Seattle was below-average (19th) against the run a year ago, and its defense doesn't look better now.
This might be it for Booker as a significant player in fantasy leagues (not that he ever really has been). Two years in a row, he's been one of the least effective running backs in the league, at least in terms of yards per carry. Table shows all backs with at least 100 attempts in either of the last two seasons, plus I snuck in Booker with his 79 carries last season.
| RUNNING BACK YARDS PER CARRY, 2016-2017 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2017 | Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 120 | 728 | 6.1 | 8 |
| 2016 | Mike Gillislee, Buff. | 101 | 577 | 5.7 | 8 |
| 2016 | Bilal Powell, NYJ | 131 | 722 | 5.5 | 3 |
| 2016 | LeSean McCoy, Buff. | 234 | 1267 | 5.4 | 13 |
| 2016 | Jordan Howard, Chi. | 252 | 1313 | 5.2 | 6 |
| 2016 | Mark Ingram, N.O. | 205 | 1043 | 5.1 | 6 |
| 2016 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 322 | 1631 | 5.1 | 15 |
| 2017 | Dion Lewis, N.E. | 180 | 896 | 5.0 | 6 |
| 2017 | Mark Ingram, N.O. | 230 | 1124 | 4.9 | 12 |
| 2017 | Kareem Hunt, K.C. | 272 | 1327 | 4.9 | 8 |
| 2016 | Jay Ajayi, 2 tm | 261 | 1272 | 4.9 | 8 |
| 2016 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 261 | 1268 | 4.9 | 7 |
| 2017 | Kenyan Drake, Mia. | 133 | 644 | 4.8 | 3 |
| 2016 | Isaiah Crowell, Clev. | 198 | 952 | 4.8 | 7 |
| 2017 | Alfred Morris, Dall. | 115 | 547 | 4.8 | 1 |
| 2016 | Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 227 | 1079 | 4.8 | 11 |
| 2017 | Todd Gurley, LAR | 279 | 1305 | 4.7 | 13 |
| 2017 | Alex Collins, Balt. | 212 | 973 | 4.6 | 6 |
| 2016 | Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 217 | 988 | 4.6 | 6 |
| 2016 | Derrick Henry, Tenn. | 110 | 490 | 4.5 | 5 |
| 2017 | Matt Breida, S.F. | 105 | 465 | 4.4 | 2 |
| 2017 | LeGarrette Blount, Phil. | 173 | 766 | 4.4 | 2 |
| 2017 | Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 196 | 865 | 4.4 | 7 |
| 2016 | Tevin Coleman, Atl. | 118 | 520 | 4.4 | 8 |
| 2016 | DeMarco Murray, Tenn. | 293 | 1287 | 4.4 | 9 |
| 2017 | Orleans Darkwa, NYG | 171 | 751 | 4.4 | 5 |
| 2017 | Giovani Bernard, Cin. | 105 | 458 | 4.4 | 2 |
| 2016 | Jacquizz Rodgers, T.B. | 129 | 560 | 4.3 | 2 |
| 2017 | Bilal Powell, NYJ | 178 | 772 | 4.3 | 5 |
| 2017 | Marshawn Lynch, Oak. | 207 | 891 | 4.3 | 7 |
| 2016 | Spencer Ware, K.C. | 214 | 921 | 4.3 | 3 |
| 2017 | Wayne Gallman, NYG | 111 | 476 | 4.3 | 0 |
| 2016 | Ryan Mathews, Phil. | 155 | 661 | 4.3 | 8 |
| 2016 | David Johnson, Ariz. | 293 | 1239 | 4.2 | 16 |
| 2017 | Derrick Henry, Tenn. | 176 | 744 | 4.2 | 5 |
| 2016 | Alfred Blue, Hou. | 100 | 420 | 4.2 | 1 |
| 2017 | Jay Ajayi, 2 tm | 208 | 873 | 4.2 | 1 |
| 2016 | Robert Kelley, Wash. | 168 | 704 | 4.2 | 6 |
| 2017 | Isaiah Crowell, Clev. | 206 | 853 | 4.1 | 2 |
| 2016 | Tim Hightower, N.O. | 133 | 548 | 4.1 | 4 |
| 2017 | C.J. Anderson, Den. | 245 | 1007 | 4.1 | 3 |
| 2016 | Paul Perkins, NYG | 112 | 456 | 4.1 | 0 |
| 2017 | Jordan Howard, Chi. | 276 | 1122 | 4.1 | 9 |
| 2017 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 242 | 983 | 4.1 | 7 |
| 2016 | Latavius Murray, Minn. | 195 | 788 | 4.0 | 12 |
| 2017 | Tevin Coleman, Atl. | 156 | 628 | 4.0 | 5 |
| 2017 | LeVeon Bell, Pitt. | 321 | 1291 | 4.0 | 9 |
| 2016 | Terrance West, Balt. | 193 | 774 | 4.0 | 5 |
| 2016 | Lamar Miller, Hou. | 268 | 1073 | 4.0 | 5 |
| 2016 | C.J. Anderson, Den. | 110 | 437 | 4.0 | 4 |
| 2017 | LeSean McCoy, Buff. | 287 | 1138 | 4.0 | 6 |
| 2016 | Christine Michael, 2TM | 148 | 583 | 3.9 | 7 |
| 2016 | Melvin Gordon, LAC | 254 | 997 | 3.9 | 10 |
| 2017 | Peyton Barber, T.B. | 108 | 423 | 3.9 | 3 |
| 2017 | Carlos Hyde, S.F. | 240 | 938 | 3.9 | 8 |
| 2017 | Latavius Murray, Minn. | 216 | 842 | 3.9 | 8 |
| 2016 | Frank Gore, Ind. | 263 | 1025 | 3.9 | 4 |
| 2017 | Melvin Gordon, LAC | 284 | 1105 | 3.9 | 8 |
| 2016 | LeGarrette Blount, Phil. | 299 | 1161 | 3.9 | 18 |
| 2017 | Leonard Fournette, Jac. | 268 | 1040 | 3.9 | 9 |
| 2017 | Javorius Allen, Balt. | 153 | 591 | 3.9 | 4 |
| 2017 | Jerick McKinnon, Minn. | 150 | 570 | 3.8 | 3 |
| 2016 | Jonathan Stewart, Car. | 218 | 824 | 3.8 | 9 |
| 2016 | Jeremy Hill, Cin. | 222 | 839 | 3.8 | 9 |
| 2016 | Chris Ivory, Jac. | 117 | 439 | 3.8 | 3 |
| 2017 | Devontae Booker | 79 | 299 | 3.8 | 1 |
| 2017 | Lamar Miller, Hou. | 238 | 888 | 3.7 | 3 |
| 2016 | Matt Forte, NYJ | 218 | 813 | 3.7 | 7 |
| 2017 | Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 117 | 435 | 3.7 | 2 |
| 2017 | Matt Forte, NYJ | 103 | 381 | 3.7 | 2 |
| 2017 | Mike Gillislee, N.E. | 104 | 383 | 3.7 | 5 |
| 2017 | Frank Gore, Ind. | 261 | 961 | 3.7 | 3 |
| 2017 | Jamaal Williams, G.B. | 153 | 556 | 3.6 | 4 |
| 2017 | DeMarco Murray, Tenn. | 184 | 659 | 3.6 | 6 |
| 2016 | T.J. Yeldon, Jac. | 130 | 465 | 3.6 | 1 |
| 2017 | Kerwynn Williams, Ariz. | 120 | 426 | 3.6 | 1 |
| 2016 | Devontae Booker, Den. | 174 | 612 | 3.5 | 4 |
| 2017 | Joe Mixon, Cin. | 178 | 626 | 3.5 | 4 |
| 2017 | Samaje Perine, Wash. | 175 | 603 | 3.4 | 1 |
| 2017 | Jonathan Stewart, Car. | 198 | 680 | 3.4 | 6 |
| 2017 | Chris Ivory, Jac. | 112 | 382 | 3.4 | 1 |
| 2017 | Adrian Peterson, 2 tm | 156 | 529 | 3.4 | 2 |
| 2016 | Jerick McKinnon, Minn. | 159 | 539 | 3.4 | 2 |
| 2017 | Ameer Abdullah, Det. | 165 | 552 | 3.3 | 4 |
| 2016 | Matt Asiata, Minn. | 121 | 402 | 3.3 | 6 |
| 2016 | Rashad Jennings, NYG | 181 | 593 | 3.3 | 3 |
| 2016 | Thomas Rawls, Sea. | 109 | 349 | 3.2 | 3 |
| 2016 | Todd Gurley, LAR | 278 | 885 | 3.2 | 6 |
| 2017 | Doug Martin, T.B. | 138 | 406 | 2.9 | 3 |
| 2016 | Doug Martin, T.B. | 144 | 421 | 2.9 | 3 |
If you were fortunate enough to grab Freeman in your drafts while others were selecting the likes of Ronald Jones and Sony Michel, looks like you're going to have a Week 1 starter.
--Andy Richardson