The Denver Broncos found themselves behind the Carolina Panthers in the early going Thursday, but fantasy football players were likely more interested in the performances of three of their primary offensive weapons.
Running back C.J. Anderson got off to a quick start in the first half, recording 52 rushing yards on nine carries to go along with a 21-yard reception, while wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders were not as much of a factor. Carolina seized a 17-7 lead by halftime in part because of its ability to slow the Broncos passing attack.
Here’s a look at the stats from Denver’s three playmakers through the first half of Thursday’s game:
Fantasy players relying on Thomas and Sanders were likely worried about quarterback Trevor Siemian, especially after the slow start. Receivers’ performances are intricately tied into that of their quarterback, and Siemian had never thrown a regular-season pass in his career before Thursday.
However, there is reason to think things will improve moving forward. For one, the Panthers ranked sixth in the league last year in points allowed per game and reached the Super Bowl behind that strong unit. Opposing defenses will be more vulnerable in the immediate future, which should open the door for more fantasy points for the Broncos playmakers.
Denver will play the Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers within its next five games. The Falcons ranked 14th in points allowed per game last year, while the Buccaneers, Colts and Chargers were all abysmal at 26th, 25th and 21st, respectively.
Don’t just assume there will be a drop-off for Thomas and Sanders all year just because they have Siemian under center instead of Peyton Manning. Manning was far from an all-time great last season, with nine touchdown passes, 17 interceptions and a career-low 2,249 passing yards. If Thomas and Sanders produced with last year’s version of Manning, they should do the same with Siemian.
Thomas is one of the most consistent receivers in the league. Even with Manning’s struggles under center, he tallied 1,304 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2015. That came after three straight seasons with more than 1,400 receiving yards and double-digit touchdown catches.
He has also been targeted more than 140 times in each of the last four years, so fantasy players don’t need to worry about whether Denver will look his way in the passing attack.
Sanders, who spent four years with the Pittsburgh Steelers before joining Denver, has become a fantasy force alongside Thomas. Opposing defenses are often forced to shift additional attention Thomas’ way with double-teams and shaded safeties, which means Sanders often receives single coverage and takes advantage of it with shifty moves in the open field.
He posted 1,404 receiving yards in 2014 and 1,135 in 2015 with a combined 15 touchdown catches. As long as Thomas is attracting defensive attention, Sanders figures to rack up yards for fantasy players this season as well.
Behind Siemian, Anderson doesn’t have the track record of dominance that Thomas does, but he has been solid over the last two years, with 849 rushing yards in 2014 and 720 in 2015.
He’s also a factor in the passing game, recording a combined 507 receiving yards over the past two seasons.
The 25-year-old was effective down the stretch last year, notching 70-plus rushing yards in the final two regular-season games and all three playoff contests, including 90 in the Super Bowl. Anderson looks to be turning the corner as he hits as prime, and Thursday’s early performance should encourage fantasy players who are hoping the trend will continue.
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