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As the mercury rises and we inch closer to the open of training camps, our resident fantasy football sickos, Brad Evans and Liz Loza, will profile their favorite booms/busts of every NFL team. Today’s topic: The Orange Crush.

This year’s rookie RB class is unusually deep and talented, Royce Freeman included. In .5 PPR, OVER or UNDER 20.5 final RB rank for the Oregon product this season. (OVER = outside top-20; Under = inside)

Brad – UNDER. Pull the rug out from under your leaguemates by drafting Freeman at his absurdly affordable 59.7 ADP (RB27). Yes, it’s Denver, an organization steeped in backfield unpredictability. However, long gone are the days when wildcards Mike Anderson, Rueben Droughns and Tatum Bell tormented owners. Oh, that devilish Lucifer Shanahan. This is a team recommitted to Gary Kubiak’s run-heavy system. Within it, Freeman will soon seize control from Devontae Booker. It’s practically a foregone conclusion.

The former Duck is about to take flight. Different from the undersized, scat-type backs Oregon produced in recent years, he’s big bodied (5-foot-11, 235 pounds), an incensed moose between the tackles (3.39 YAC/att in ’17) and surprisingly fast (4.54 40-yard). His vision, patience, footwork and hands are also pluses. Over his decorated college career, he routinely ripped through arm tackles and shook defenders in the open field (No. 11 in elusive rating last fall).

Freeman’s odometer reading is already high which limits his longevity, but he’s the clear-cut favorite to eclipse 250 touches right away. Booker and De’Angelo Henderson are weak challengers. Suffice it to say, he’s the franchise’s new, and more talented, C.J. Anderson, a rusher capable of finishing inside the position’s top-15 Year 1. Keep in mind, Case Keenum is a massive upgrade at QB and the Broncos’ supposedly ineffective offensive line ranked No. 9 in run-blocking efficiency last year according to Football Outsiders. With a strong camp and Preseason, Freeman should open the regular season as the starter earning 15-18 touches per game. Assuming that comes to fruition, he’s capable of 1200-1300 combined yards with 7-9 TDs this season. Gleefully invest.

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Liz – OVER. Freeman was selected in the third round to replace C.J. Anderson, who managed a 1,000-yard effort last year, finishing just inside of the top-20 fantasy RBs. That means the rookie is a shoo-in for lead back duties, and that managers should pay up for him, right? WRONG. That’s simple plug-and-play analysis.

Like it or not, this is a crowded backfield. Devontae Booker is a favorite for starting duties. While Booker’s 2017 massively underwhelmed, it’s important to remember that he was recovering from a broken wrist for the first half of the season. Once given a shot upon the urging of OC Bill Musgrave, the back-up managed two top-24 outings between Weeks 11 and 17.

While those performances came against two of the worst run defenses in the league (CIN and WAS), it’s important to additionally note that Booker’s workload increased as the year wore on (and his health improved). When Booker was on the field, Anderson averaged 14.3 totes per contest. While Booker was sidelined, however, C.J. managed over 18 attempts per game. That shows me the team’s dedication to and belief in Booker… regardless of what #footballtwitter has to say.

With first-year wide receivers Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton breathing down their necks are Demaryius Thomas (44.5, WR20) and Emmanuel Sanders (79.6, WR35) OVERVALUED, UNDERVALUED or PROPERLY VALUED?

Liz – UNDER. Thomas hasn’t missed a start since 2012. He’s also been a top-twenty fantasy producer for six consecutive seasons, clearing 1,000 yards in five of those years (he missed the milestone by 51 yards in 2017). While he’s no longer an elite option, the former first-round pick remains a target hog (#8) with an incredible catch radius. He’ll also get an upgrade at QB with Case Keenum coming to Mile High. While Courtland Sutton remains the future, Thomas is the NOW.

PROPERLY VALUED. Interestingly, Sanders is my WR35, so his current ADP feels spot on. Entering his age-thirty-one season and coming off a high ankle sprain, the vet’s stock is undeniably low. While I’m confident a return to health and stability under center will allow him to best last year’s showing (WR61), it’s hard to imagine Sanders racking up the yards or TDs necessary to keep him inside of the top-thirty players at the position. After all, Royce Freeman can catch, and Courtland Sutton is a big-bodied red zone target. These new additions won’t be enough to unseat Sanders, but they will depress his production.

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