The Denver Broncos 2015 season was a great year for the team as they finished 12-4 in the regular season, and went on to win Superbowl 50. The Broncos success was mostly due to the great defense that the team played throughout the season. While the Broncos team had a great season, fantasy-wise it was a disappointment for most of their skilled position players. Let’s look at the Denver Broncos 2015 fantasy football recap.
Denver Broncos 2015 Fantasy Football Recap
Last season the Broncos quarterback play was average at best. Over the last few seasons the Broncos have been led by one of the all-time greats, Peyton Manning. In 2015 it was apparent that father time had finally caught up to Manning as he failed to produce solid fantasy points. Manning threw for 2249 yards, nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions in the games that he played. Manning’s season was hindered by a new offense and also by several injuries throughout the season. Manning did lead the Broncos to a Superbowl championship and has since retired from football and will go down in history as one of the best to ever play the game.
While Manning was injured, backup quarterback Brock Osweiler took over as the Broncos starting quarterback. He produced decent fantasy numbers, but was more of a game manager during the season. Brock threw for 2500 yards 10 touchdowns and six interceptions in the games that he started. Osweiler has since left the Broncos and signed with the Houston Texans. He is a sleeper that can be drafted in the later rounds of your draft next season. With the retirement of Manning and the departure of Osweiler, the Broncos traded for quarterback Mark Sanchez and also drafted rookie Paxton Lynch out of the University of Memphis. Whomever is the starting quarterback whether it be Sanchez or Lynch they could produce solid fantasy numbers and be a bye week fill in for your team next season. Both can be drafted in the later rounds of your draft next season.
Running back CJ Anderson was coming off a great 2014 season and was drafted in the late first or early second round of 2015 drafts. Anderson failed to live up to the hype and did not produce the fantasy numbers that people expected in 2015. He totaled 900 total yards and five touchdowns in 2015. He totaled 120 fantasy points and finished as the 30th ranked running back in fantasy last season, averaging seven fantasy points per game. Anderson has signed a new multi year contract with the Broncos but will have competition from Ronnie Hillman and rookie Devante Booker. Anderson should produce solid RB 2 numbers next season and should be drafted around the fourth round of your draft next season.
Ronnie Hillman was another running back who saw a considerable amount of touches last season for the Broncos. Hillman totaled 970 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished with 137 fantasy points and was the 19th ranked running back last season. Hillman also averaged eight and a half points per game last season. Hillman is not much more than a handcuff to Anderson, but is worth a late round flyer in next year’s fantasy drafts.
Over the last few seasons Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas has been one of the most dominant and consistent in the NFL and in fantasy football. However 2015 was a down year for Thomas. He totaled 1300 yards but only had six touchdowns. Thomas finished the season with 162 fantasy points and averaged 10 points per game and finished as the 12th ranked wide receiver last season. While Thomas’s 2015 season numbers were not terrible it was not what most expected of him when they drafted him somewhere in the early rounds of there drafts last season. With the departure of the quarterbacks Thomas may fall in drafts this year into the fourth or fifth round and will most likely be in for a similar season that he had in 2015.
Next leading receiver for the Broncos was Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders has been a solid wide receiver since he signed with the Broncos. Last season Sanders totaled 1135 yards and six touchdowns. He finished as the 17th ranked receiver in fantasy with 148 points and averaged nine points per game. Sanders was again a decent WR 2 and will most likely be able to duplicate his 2015 stats and be a low end WR 2 or a high end flex in the upcoming 2016 season. Sanders will most likely be available to draft in the 5th or 6th round next season.
Over the last few seasons the Denver Broncos tight end has been very productive in football and fantasy football. Last season this was not the case as Denver had a new tight end in veteran Owen Daniels. Daniels was third on the team in receiving yards with 517 yards but only scored three touchdowns. Daniels totaled 70 fantasy points and averaged only for fantasy points per game. With Daniel’s having a limited role in the Broncos offense he is not worth much more than a late-round flyer in next year’s draft.
The 2015 season ended with the Denver Broncos sitting a mile high as the Super Bowl champions, but 2016 could be a very different story for the Broncos. The Denver Broncos lost a considerable amount of talent in the offseason due to free agency. With the departure of several key players on offense and defense the Broncos could be in for a down season in 2016. The Broncos skill position players will still be worthy of drafting in your fantasy league next season but temper expectations as they will be led by an aging Mark Sanchez or rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch.
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