Denver Broncos: Phillip Lindsay is Team’s Early MVP

In a youth movement on the Denver Broncos, no one expected a rookie to instantly become the team’s most valuable player.

Before the season started, the Denver Broncos needed depth at running back.

The franchise released fan favorite CJ Anderson before the season leaving Devontae Booker as the veteran of the group. Royce Freeman, Phillip Lindsay, and David Williams were all added to the roster, but the surprise is what transpired during training camp.

Lindsay went undrafted in this 2018 NFL Draft much like Anderson in 2013. Lindsay proved there was no obstacle in his path he could not overcome. He became a focal point of an offense that drafted Freeman and Williams ahead of him.

Freeman is a valuable part of the offense at running back and feeds off of Lindsay’s energy.

We are almost running out of positives to talk about regarding Lindsay and his running style. Yet, seeing him perform at a high level on limited carries begs the question of how valuable Lindsay is on this team.

We previously spoke about him being the heartbeat of the offense. Fast forward to where we are now, and Lindsay is not just a feel-good story anymore, but a legitimate offensive rookie of the year candidate and the team’s most valuable player on offense.

There’s no better argument for this than the Baltimore Ravens game. Lindsay saw himself ejected on a questionable decision to fight for a loose ball. Once that happened it sucked the life out of the team, not just the offense.

It is surprising for a player to be the team’s most valuable player on offense with a little workload. Lindsay is answering the questions about his running between the tackles, durability, and toughness. All three are becoming traits of a dominant football player.

Lindsay’s biggest strong suit is in the passing game. The Denver Broncos have yet to touch that aspect nearly as much. Leading up to the 2018 NFL Draft, ‘three-down back’ and ‘Phillip Lindsay’ weren’t included in the same sentence. If we are honest, even I was in this category.

Lindsay is making believers out of everyone he meets on the football field. Lindsay’s on-field fire reminds me of Chris Harris Jr. Both play like it’s their last game and it’s us against the world. The swagger cannot be overstated either.

These types of players are ones teams can win with in the future. Lindsay’s “Mile High Salute” sealed his status as a fan favorite against a rival Los Angeles Chargers team.

Over the years, the Broncos needed a player that matched Harris Jr.’s presence on offense. The Broncos did not just find a running back, but a cornerstone for the future in Phillip Lindsay entering week 12 of the regular season.