Denver Broncos Fantasy Football Start/Sit vs. Baltimore Ravens
Jan 12, 2013; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker (87) runs the ball in the first half against the Baltimore Ravens during the AFC divisional round playoff game at Sports Authority Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
For all of you fantasy football nuts out there with Denver Broncos players on your team, let me first congratulate you on a smart decision. You’ve picked the right team to have fantasy players from.
Second, I’m here to tell you who to start, who to sit, and who has probably the best matchups.
Start ‘Em
- Peyton Manning, QB
- Demaryius Thomas, WR
- Wes Welker, WR
- Eric Decker, WR
Sit ‘Em
- Ronnie Hillman, RB
- Jacob Tamme, TE
Okay, let’s dive into this a bit. There are three players on the Broncos’ roster you should NEVER bench unless they are injured or on a bye week. Those players are Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas, and Wes Welker. If you’re in a deeper league, then Eric Decker would qualify as well.
Those guys are the no-brainers. The Broncos are going to run a lot of plays, and they are going to throw it a heck of a lot. You can’t go wrong with any of those players because Manning is going to find them no matter what.
As for the guys you need to keep on your fantasy bench for right now, I’d hesitate to put Ronnie Hillman or Jacob Tamme in there. Hillman looked a little shaky in the pre-season, and the Broncos are going running back by committee, at least to start the season.
For Tamme, he’s been upstaged by Julius Thomas, who will appear later in this article. Tamme isn’t a bad player by any means, but the Broncos may have a bigger role for their young tight end.
Give ‘Em a Shot
- RB Montee Ball
- TE Julius Thomas
- Broncos D/ST
I am and have always been really high on Montee Ball. I think when push comes to shove, he is the Broncos’ most physical runner, and he has probably the best chance to get carries on the goal line. He could go for pretty average fantasy points but I wouldn’t rule out 80-100 yards and a touchdown, even against a tough Ravens front seven.
The Broncos also love TE Julius Thomas, who is the starter to open the season. If you missed out on the upper tier of tight ends, why not take a shot on Thomas in the first week of the fantasy season?
I don’t see any reason not to start him unless you have an elite tight end already.
Best Matchup — Broncos WRs vs. Ravens DBs
The Ravens have a LOT of changes made to the defense, and there will be some new blood in the secondary. The Broncos will throw the ball a lot, and they have too many good weapons to not provide the Ravens D with huge mismatches.
Someone is going to be open, and this will become a weekly theme for the Broncos.
Worst Matchup — Broncos RBs vs. Ravens Front 7
I mentioned this before, but the Ravens have a big, strong, smart front seven. I’m not saying they’re going to completely bottle up the Broncos, but it’s not the strongest point for the Denver offense heading into the regular season, and you can fully expect Manning to be throwing rather than handing it off more often than not.
Sleeper — RB Knowshon Moreno
I just got done saying the Broncos’ RBs don’t have a great matchup, but Knowshon Moreno dominated the Ravens last time he played them, and he’s probably the Broncos’ best all-around back. I don’t think he’s necessarily going to repeat the performance we saw late last season, but Knowshon is a very good receiver and probably the Broncos’ best back in pass pro.
He could get the carries late in the game as well as four or five catches.