Some people may have thought that the Broncos’ chances of getting far in the playoffs took a huge hit after it was revealed a couple of weeks ago that Peyton Manning; who has not looked like himself for a majority of the season, had a partially torn plantar fascia in his left foot, which would force him to miss games. There was much uncertainty surrounding Manning’s backup, Brock Osweiler, who had yet to start a game in the NFL prior to this season. Osweiler put some of those concerns to rest with a solid performance last week’s victory over the Chicago Bears, and he may have put all of those concerns to bed by leading Denver to a Week 12 victory over the New England Patriots.
Osweiler had a solid overall performance in his second NFL start, passing for 270 yards, one touchdown, and one interception on 20-for-27 passing. Though the numbers he put up weren’t spectacular, he showcased a poise in the pocket reminiscent of Peyton Manning himself. Osweiler hit many of his receivers in stride throughout the night, and put the Broncos in a position to win the game in overtime. Whether Osweiler remains the Broncos’ starting quarterback when Manning comes back remains to be seen, but as for right now, he has performed quite well in his two NFL starts. He is not quite ready for prime time from a fantasy perspective, but his performance may have shown the Broncos’ brass that they have their quarterback of the future.
C.J. Anderson has been a disappointment for much of the season for fantasy owners, reaching the 100 yard threshold just once this season. His timeshare with Ronnie Hillman made the waters even murkier for fantasy owners, especially for those who spent a first round pick on him. On Sunday night, Anderson rushed for 113 yards, and two touchdowns, including a game-winning, 48-yard touchdown run in overtime. Anderson also added four receptions for 40 yards in Sunday’s win. Anderson definitely chose a great time to have his best performance of the season. Anderson remains a risky RB2 play with Hillman in the picture.