Denver Broncos week 1 fantasy football focus

Aug 22, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) throws in the pocket against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Because we know how important fantasy football is to all of you, we’re giving it to you straight here at Predominantly Orange so you can make the best possible lineup including your Denver Broncos players.

Let’s just get right to it — what players should you have in the starting lineup today, what players might be great for your daily leagues, and what players should you keep on the bench until further notice?

Peyton Manning

The Sheriff is back in town, and coming off of a disappointing preseason, some are really down on Peyton Manning. That’s completely understandable, but is it really justified?

Is Manning’s arm falling off like people say?

Well, I think people are going to be surprised at how great Manning still is, though there could be hiccups in this new offense. When push comes to shove, if the offense looks like it’s in trouble, Gary Kubiak and the Broncos can always put Manning in no-huddle situations that will help him succeed and put up the kind of numbers we’re used to seeing.

The biggest difference here is whether or not the Broncos will throw as much in the red zone as they have done in the past. So many of Peyton Manning’s touchdowns as a Bronco have come in the red zone, where Denver has been one of the best teams in the league the last three years. There’s a better than good chance the Broncos will run a lot more than normal this season, particularly in the red zone, but Kubiak also likes to utilize play-action in that area of the field.

In the end, you drafted Peyton Manning to your fantasy team to play him, not to stick him on the bench. He’s going to have a good game fantasy-wise.

Next: C.J. Anderson