Last Friday, we all witnessed the 49ers first preseason contest of 2009: a victory over the Denver Broncos. Up next in MYWFG? The Denver Broncos. There are some strange things going on in Denver, and the absence of Jay Cutler brings rain clouds into the Broncos fantasy forecast. Josh McDaniels and his Patriots-attitude has certainly created a shock wave in Denver, and there's a possibility that it's not over and Brandon Marshall could be the next guy out of town. Let's peak at the Broncos getting drafted.
Denver's mock results
- Brandon Marshall WR - Avg. Selection* 34; 100% drafted
- Eddie Royal WR - Avg. Selection 65; 100% drafted
- Knowshon Morenon RB - Avg. Selection 74; 100% drafted
- Kyle Orton QB - Avg. Selection 124; 90% drafted
- Tony Scheffler TE - Avg. Selection 136; 33% drafted
*-100th selection = 10th pick round 10 (10 man); 6th pick round 9 (12 man); 3rd pick round 8 (14 man)
After the jump, I try to remain focused on the Broncos, despite the Nationals getting a deal done with Stephen Strasburg!!!! (YEAH! Crab is next!)...
Rocky Mountain High
Brandon Marshall
Like the Jay Cutler era in Denver, the Brandon Marshall saga could soon be over. With all the uncertainty surrounding the situation, it may be best to avoid taking Marshall unless he drops later on in your draft. The WR is a stud, there's no denying that, but how effective will he be if he's unhappy in Denver? Furthermore, how effective will Marshall be with Kyle Orton or Chris Simms at QB? It's too difficult to begin prediciting what Marshall will end up with in 2009; at the moment, I have to advise you to avoid Marshall in the top 40. Keep in mind, even if Marshall does play with the Broncos in 2009, he's one slip on a McDonald's bag away from injury. Fantasy Forecast: I'm not touching this one guys, sorry
Eddie Royal
Royal is also affected by the Marshall situation, but at least we know he'll be a Bronco in 2009 - right? In 2008, the rookie was very impressive, finishing tops amongst rookie WRs in fantasy scoring. Taking Royal in the 60s doesn't seem like an awful decision, but his numbers can go either way in 2009. The QB situation doesn't help Royal's stock, but I don't think it hurts him greatly. It will be more devestating if Marshall is traded out of town, and Royal has to face constant double teams. Having to see Orton force passes into a tightly covered Royal could be very frustrating for Fantasy Owners and Broncos fans alike. I didn't forecast Marshall, but I'm bringing it with Royal. Fantasy Forecast: 1050 total yards, 5 TDs
Knowshon Moreno
Well it's good news that Mike Shanahan is out of Denver, right? For years, we had to suffer through RB after RB after RB in Denver's system, and could never rely on one solid fantasy threat. The system could turn Fooch into a 1000 yard rusher for Pete's sake! The Broncos invested a high choice in Moreno in this past April's draft, and hopefully the team can officially put it's load on Moreno's shoulders. Josh McDaniels had a slew of RBs in New England, and the team didn't really have a clear cut number one while he was there. However, with the high investment in the rookie, it looks like Moreno is the guy in Denver. I say draft him around 70, and you'll have yourself a very reliable RB3. Fantasy Forecast: 1100 total yards, 5 TDs
Avoid with a 10-foot pole
Kyle Orton
It's not that Kyle Orton is a terrible QB, it's that Orton has the weight of the world on his shoulders. The Purdue product actually had a decent 2008 (18 PaTDs, 3 Rushing TDs) and finished 18th amongst QB scoring. Getting traded for Jay Cutler, however, puts a little bit of pressure on Orton. Denver fans will be watching Orton under the microscope, and if the first preseason game is any indication, Orton will fall apart. I'm not ready to say Orton is a complete scrap heap in 2009 just yet, but it doesn't look promising. Because of that, I say stay far, far away from Orton this year. Fantasy Forecast: I'm selling out again, and avoiding this forecast with my 10-foot pole
Sleep on it
Tony Scheffler
I like the idea of Scheffler being productive in 2009, even if he doesn't improve on his 2008 numbers. Scheffler makes a good reserve TE, if your roster is big enough to carry a back-up at that position. In deeper leagues, Scheffler isn't a bad starting TE, as I expect him to duplicate his 2008 season. Last year, Scheffler was 12th amongst fantasy TE scoring, not too shabby at all. Definitely take a shot on Scheffler, if you haven't addressed your TE position until the later parts of the draft. Fantasy Forecast: 600 total yards, 4 TDs
* all fantasy stats are based on 2007-2008 Yahoo! Standard Public league scoring