Denver Broncos: Emmanuel Sanders setting sights on week one

Emmanuel Sanders has been making his way back from an Achilles injury this offseason and could be on track to play week one against the Raiders.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders has been working hard this offseason to recover and get himself ready for his 10th NFL season.

Sanders suffered an ankle injury that limited him in the 2017 season and an Achilles injury in 2018 that landed him on injured reserve.

The last two seasons have been tough sledding for Sanders as far as injuries are concerned, but despite his injuries, he was playing at a Pro Bowl level for the Broncos in 2018 and is hoping he can re-capture that Pro Bowl magic in 2019.

He’s setting his sights on a week one return, but with no guarantees.

With Joe Flacco throwing passes, Sanders could very well be on track to have a Pro Bowl year. It’s not that Flacco is the second-coming of 2012 Peyton Manning in Denver, but Flacco can give the Broncos more consistency at the QB position than anyone else who has played there for the Broncos since Manning retired.

If that’s the case, Sanders will have a big year, provided he can stay healthy.

At the age of 32, Sanders clearly hasn’t lost his speed, quickness, or ability to make plays.

Achilles injuries, however, are quite scary for professional athletes regardless of the sport you play. Some theorize that athletes never quite regain their original explosiveness after injuries like this, but Sanders is obviously hoping to buck that trend.

The Broncos have contingencies in place and young players ready to step up if Sanders can’t get back to full strength early in the season, but everything we’ve seen from his rehab so far this offseason seems to indicate that Sanders is well on his way to not only playing week one, but making an impact.