Saddle Up, Bronco Fans

For the first time in 14 years (an eternity in NFL time), the once-proud two-time Super Bowl Champion franchise has a new coach, and with him, question marks beyond what a Denver Bronco fan can sanely process.

 

The much-publicized drama between QB Cutler and new HC Josh McDaniels led to even more changes. Brandon Marshall is pouting, possibly injured, and wants out. As of this writing, with 1^st round pick RB Knowshon Moreno holding out longer than any Bronco since 1997, the psychy of Denver’s fandom resembles the henhouse after the fox has been detected.

 

Even after Elway retired, there was still Shanahan, “The Mastermind,” and a refusal to pursue anything less than a championship every year. The term “rebuild” was off-limits. Replacing Elway was a mixed bag, but you could absolutely count on Rod Smith, and that there would be a 1,000 yard rusher behind that small, quick, O-line every year, whoever it was.

 

Even the defense, which could be counted on to be decent at the beginning of the season, only to predictably descend to awful by the end, has undergone the drastic switch to McD’s favorite 3-4 alignment.

 

So, what to expect from the Broncos this year?

 

A rough ride.

 

It’s safe to say that nobody on the team will hold the fantasy value of past seasons. Marshall and Eddie Royal were decent to great WR options in the past, but the questions marks are too large to draft them where we would have last year. Royal is probably not going to be drafted in many leagues, whereas Marshall’s upside will entice somebody to take a chance on him somewhere in the first 4-5 rounds. Kyle Orton can’t be considered a viable fantasy option until he has some observable success in this system, and the running back-by-committee approach takes away much of any value left for any Denver RB (including Moreno, although he looks to be a stud for the future – he is definitely a high draft pick for your keeper league if you can afford a little patience). Otherwise, Lamont Jordan, Correll Buckhalter, Ryan Torrain, and Patrick Hillis will be waiting on your league’s waiver wire, hoping that they can perhaps get a shot when those bye weeks begin.

 

To add to their woes, the Broncos have a very difficult schedule this year.  This is a team that will need to catch some breaks, but the easy prediction is that they won’t.

 

Shanahan couldn’t say it, but I will: the Broncos are rebuilding.

 

I wouldn’t draft any of them unless they fall below their current average draft positions.