Montee Ball doesn’t see the fire yet, but he sure smells the smoke. Despite being listed as the No. 2 tailback on the Broncos’ depth chart, Ball didn’t get a carry until the fourth quarter of their 19-12 preseason victory over the 49ers on Saturday.

That didn’t sit well with the former Wisconsin star, a second-round pick in the 2013 draft.

“I was really surprised by that. I barely got any touches,” Ball said. “I guess that’s the way they wanted to do it.”

The third preseason game usually is the one that best models the regular season, and Ball was stuck without a significant role in it.

Broncos coach Gary Kubiak, who has built a career out of getting the most out of running backs, defended his decision to not play Ball much by saying it’s difficult to give carries to four running backs during a game.

“Special teams is a big factor with him and Juwan (Thompson),” Kubiak said. “We’ll see. I’m fine with Montee.”

Ball doesn’t think everything is fine. He was emotional in expressing his confusion with his true place on the depth chart as well as with his lack of snaps.

C.J. Anderson, the Broncos’ starting tailback, controlled most of the carries in the first half Saturday with Ronnie Hillman spelling him occasionally. Hillman and Thompson were the go-to backs to start the second half.

It wasn’t until after third-team players began to enter the game that Ball made his first appearance.

Ball was at a loss for words when asked to guess the reason he was stuck on the pine.

Kubiak said the roster cut to 75 players probably would happen Monday morning and it’s unlikely to expect any of the four running backs — Anderson, Hillman, Thompson or Ball — would be among them. But when the 53-man roster is decided by Saturday, Ball could be in the conversation, depending on his performance in the final preseason game Thursday.

“I heard I was going to get a lot of snaps, but it just didn’t work out like that,” Ball said. “Right now it’s C.J., Ronnie, then Juwan, then me. So I guess just what it is.”

Through three preseason games, Ball has 16 carries for 41 yards and no touchdowns. And as Kubiak mentioned, he isn’t a factor on special teams.

Back in June, there was more talk about Ball catching Anderson on the depth chart than him not being on it at all. He was finally healthy. He looked faster and slimmer, and appeared to be an overall better back. Also, he was fully aware of his spot on the depth chart.

“As of right now I’m second; I’m behind C.J.,” Ball said after a June practice. “But I’m sure it’s going to be a 1-A, 1-B style.”

Not only is it not a 1-A, 1-B style, or even a 1-2 style, it’s a 1-4 style.

And there aren’t many fourth-string running backs that stick with NFL teams without making outstanding contributions on special teams.

Ball might be holding on by the merits of his draft status. Kubiak inherited Ball from the John Fox era, and it’s common for coaches to fall in and out of love with players on their roster in a transition year.

Ball made three starts last year before bowing out because of a groin injury that nagged him all season. He ended the year with 55 carries for 172 yards (an average of 3.1 yards per carry) and one touchdown in five games.

“Obviously they need to see something else out of me,” said Ball, who rushed for 559 yards in 2013 as a rookie. “I’m going to go out there and give it all I got.”

In the most telling moment Saturday, the Broncos chose Thompson over Ball at the goal line in the fourth quarter — and the undrafted tailback punched it in.

“It’s a trust factor. I’ve been working hard, and it’s good that they believe in me,” Thompson said.

Kubiak could be sending Ball a message, as he did with young wide receiver Cody Latimer earlier this summer. And the Broncos could very well keep all four running backs, as they did last season. But the team’s final preseason game, against the Arizona Cardinals, figures to be intriguing, just to see who gets the snaps.

“I promise you there will probably be plenty to go around on Thursday,” Kubiak said.

Ball, meanwhile, keeps slipping down the depth chart. If the Broncos decide to cut a running back this week, it looks like it will be Ball before Thompson.

“I think I deserve to be on this team, but we’ll see how it goes,” Ball said.

Cameron Wolfe: 303-954-1891, cwolfe@denverpost.com or twitter.com/CameronWolfe