Just as he was starting to get his feet back under him, C.J. Anderson‘s ankle gives out and we’re right back where we started.
According to 9News’ Mike Klis, Anderson does not look like he’ll be good to go for this weekend’s game against the Oakland Raiders.
https://twitter.com/MikeKlis/status/675384437559824384
Anderson, who started out the season slowly, has come alive since the the Broncos bye week. Before suffering an ankle sprain against the Chargers last week, Anderson was averaging 6.32 yards per carry in his previous five games.
And while it’ll be disappointing to lose Anderson for the week, the real worry is whether he’ll be back at 100 percent any time soon. He was dealing with a similar injury during training camp and preseason, and despite the fact that he was on the field, he never looked like his usual self until he got an extra week of rest during the bye.
Luckily, Ronnie Hillman has been playing well, too, averaging 4.1 yards on the season; he’ll need to take on an even larger roll, though, in Anderson’s absence.
Likewise, this’ll also be an opportunity for Broncos fans to get a good, long look at what Juwan Thompson has to offer. In fact, according to Jeff Legwold of ESPN, Gary Kubiak is prepared to start Thompson this Sunday if he feels he’s the best, most-healthy option.
Heading into last week’s matchup versus the Chargers, Thompson had only five attempts all season; after Anderson and Hillman came up gimpy, though, he received eight carries against San Diego, alone.
It’ll be important for Kubiak and this Broncos offense to establish the run against the Raiders on Sunday, and I’m sure Kubiak believes they can, no matter who’s starting at tailback. According to Pro Football Focus, the Raiders sport the league’s 12th-best run defense, which means that Denver should be able to have success if they execute correctly.
And who knows? We’ve seen plenty of Broncos running backs get a small opportunity and turn it into a fantastic season. Maybe it’s Juwan Thompson’s turn?