4. Running Back
In theory, C.J. Anderson should give the Broncos a top-tier running back in 2016. Unfortunately, the Denver Broncos don’t play theoretical football.
Now, I love C.J.; I think he’s immensely talented. But I have a hard time believing the Denver Broncos love C.J., even after they gave him a couple wheelbarrows full of money.
This is a guy who didn’t receive more than 15 carries in a game until the AFC Championship. To put that into perspective, 17 running backs averaged 15 or more carries a game last season, despite having the fourth-highest yards per carry (4.7 yards per carry) in the NFL for any back with more than 150 attempts.
Personally, it never added up. Anderson was clearly a more effective back than Hillman (4.2 yards per carry), but the Broncos refused to give him the ball. On the season, Hillman averaged roughly two more carries per game than Anderson, but when it mattered most, it was always C.J. making the game-defining plays.
All that said, it would make sense for the Broncos to be looking for a No. 2 to Anderson’s No. 1. Maybe it’s Juwan Thompson or Kapri Bibbs (both of which I like), but there’s no guarantee that they’ll be able to contribute out of the gate; neither have had hardly any experience in the NFL.
Not to mention, Anderson is clearly an injury prone back. Mostly bumps and bruises, and things of that nature, but they add up. It’ll be important for the Broncos to have someone who can carry the workload if he misses any significant time.
