Denver Broncos Wednesday injury report gives fans reason for optimism

The Denver Broncos heading to the AFC championship game on Sunday, are looking for as much hope as they can find. With quarterback Bo Nix out for the season, almost nothing that happens can turn out to be positive on the injury front. However, this might be changing in front of our very eyes.

With Nix sent to miss the remainder of the playoffs, the Broncos' offense is going to need to take on a new look against the Patriots this week. And what is a somewhat unexpected but major boost, the Broncos could be closing in on the return of two offensive starters. Typically, no team ever wants to have their season on the line with the backup quarterback at the helm, but it is a manageable situation if everyone around him is healthy.

For basically the entire season, the Broncos have been missing at least one of their starters on offense. Starting guard Ben Powers missed a considerable amount of time earlier in the season on the injured reserve, but has since made his way back to the starting lineup. Even with his return, the Broncos remain down to key offensive starters heading into the playoffs. Wednesday’s injury report painted a brand new picture for Denver, one that can provide fans hope during this trying time. 

Luke Wattenberg and JK Dobbins returned to practice on Wednesday

The Denver Broncos returned key starters to practice from the injured reserve on Wednesday, giving a much-needed boost to a quickly depleted offensive group. Starting running back JK Dobbins and starting center Luke Wattenberg were both participants at practice for the first time since they were each placed on injured reserve. Both would be a much-welcomed addition to the starting lineup, especially with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham taking the reins of the offense for the remainder of the season. 

For Wattenburg, his return to the lineup cannot come at a better time. His backup, Alex Forsyth, briefly departed Saturday’s game against Buffalo with an injury. He was replaced by now third-string center Sam Mustipher, who had only joined the Broncos a few weeks prior. The immediate future for Wattenberg is much clearer than for Dobbins, as the Broncos' starting center is expected to be back in the lineup immediately. As for their starting running back, the rest of the week is going to decide to what extent he is available on Sunday, if at all. 

Dobbins has been out since the Broncos’ Thursday Night Football victory over the Raiders, in which he suffered a Lisfranc injury that sidelined him for the rest of the regular season. A returning Dobbins would completely change the complexion of the Broncos' offense and would give Stidham a strong running back to lean on this Sunday.