DENVER BRONCOS '07 PREVIEW

DENVER BRONCOS PRESEASON PREVIEW
By Harsh Lochan, NFL Draft Bible

The beginning of a season is the same for every franchise- a breath of fresh air, that eternal ray of hope and confidence in the season to come.

That very confidence and hope in Denver has been injected by young quarterback Jay Cutler. Fans can be heard whispering the name “Elway” to each other as Cutler steps into a downfield pass in the Mile High sky. Behind the apparent answers, however, lie critical questions.

The receivers he’s throwing to? “The walking wounded.” The running game? “Leave it to Shanny – He’ll find a way.” JC? “He’ll come into his own.” The biggest and most important question - how will Denver fare this season?

If there’s ever a season where timing is critical, this is the one. With a monstrous defense that led the team to a 5-1 start last year, giving up a total of 44 points, 7.3 per game and the lowest points allowed in the NFL at the time. Offensive woes were overcome by a “bend but not break” defense, where Champ Bailey was the quiet and unofficial defensive player of the year. With an offense that ranked 31st in the league at the time with 12.3 points per game, even the defense couldn’t prevent a 4-6 downhill finish.

This year, much of the same can be expected with a decimated receiving core with the exception of Javon Walker. The defensive addition of Dre Bly to the secondary will keep points off the board long enough for the offense to get going. With the rest of the crew coming off various injuries, expect Cutler and the offense to get off to a slow start.

Jay Cutler
A keeper league gem and a promising performer, its Cutler’s ship and the Broncos are on it. With Plummer out of the picture and assured backup, Patrick Ramsey taking them from the bench, there is no quarterback controversy or worry over job security. Look for the talented Cutler to move up the ranks of second-tier fantasy quarterbacks this season and expect him to surge as the season progresses. He’ll face his growing pains early and grow stronger along with the owners who draft him.

Travis Henry/Mike Bell
Tally up an automatic 1,000 yards, with the veteran Travis Henry exploiting the runway between the tackles. A word of caution for future Mike Bell owners – expect him to struggle fantasy-wise as his running style isn’t that different from Henry’s. Not being a change of pace back can hurt his stock. While his hard-nosed, grind-it-out style of play admirably makes him a fan favorite, Bell’s similar running will leave him with less carries as Henry will be more featured.

It goes without say to draft Bell if you have Henry. Handcuffing backups is a good way to protect your investment - especially if the backup is as talented as Mike Bell.

Javon Walker
A steal in a bust out year last season leaves Walker as the only healthy disclaimer to the injury report that is the Broncos’ wide outs. Walker is the only viable target and as he proved last year, will put up big numbers if defenses aren’t geared to shutting him down.

Brandon Marshall
Coming off a thigh injury, Marshall hasn’t been on the practice field and is a definite candidate for a rough start. However, keep an in-season eye on Marshall who could become a weapon inside the twenty and a difference maker for deeper league fantasy teams starving for a receiver.

Brandon Stokley
A late value pick at best, look for the oft-injured Stokley to be a fantasy disappointment. Avoid being a hopeful if you are expecting him to bust out given the circumstances. Coming off a ruptured right Achilles earlier than expected, and without the luxury of indoor turf that serves as Madden turbo, hit the pass button instead.

Rod Smith
Coach Shanahan has offered a liberal, if not hazy assessment of Smith’s timetable for return from hip injury and subsequent surgery. Being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list doesn’t help matters. It comes to show you that injury and age will catch up even to the Hot Rod, as a spot for him should not be reserved unless you’re incredibly sentimental.

Daniel Graham/Tony Scheffler
Recovered from a broken foot and freshly activated, emerging Tony Scheffler was a bona fide sleeper until the acquisition of Daniel Graham. Considering Graham’s usage by New England as a Red Zone target, this leaves Scheffler in the role of a possession tight end. This translates to split numbers, as they would each cut into the others productivity. A good tandem, avoid too much fantasy expectation from either individually.

Email Harsh Lochan: harsh@nfldraftbible.com