Denver Broncos: Undrafted players with the best shot at making the team

George Aston, fullback

The injury to Andy Janovich paves the way — ironically, considering that’s what Janovich is best at — for George Aston to claim a 53-man roster spot.

This is Aston’s time to shine.

Although Aston is the only traditional ‘fullback’ on the Broncos’ roster behind Janovich, who will miss potentially four or five games in the regular season (hopefully less), he will have some competition for this role.

Troy Fumagalli, one of the Broncos’ backup tight ends, recently started getting work as a fullback and could currently be Aston’s biggest competition for a roster spot versus a practice squad spot.

Aston looks like he was created in a fullback lab back in the mid-90s when the position was thriving and essential for pretty much every NFL team.

Aston has a chance now, with Andy Janovich hurt, to prove he can be the new waymaker for the Broncos’ fun young duo of running backs. He’s also a really strong receiver out of the backfield and a good short-yardage runner.

Aston had 28 rushing attempts in college, six of which were first downs and another six were touchdowns. He had 45 career receptions at Pitt, and 17 of those were first downs with another eight being touchdowns.

In all, Aston had 73 touches throughout his college career, and among them 23 first downs and 14 touchdowns. That means more than 50 percent of Aston’s touches in college were either a first down or touchdown despite his role on the team being short-yardage and check down option in the passing game.

I’m excited to see him with an expanded role and with the first offense.