Julius Thomas is confident the week-to-week uncertainty about his playing status is resolved.

“I’m looking forward to this week,” he said.

The Broncos tight end caught an NFL-record 12 touchdown passes through nine games, then missed most of the next one plus the past three weeks with a severely sprained left ankle.

The Broncos decided at the last minute Sunday to activate Thomas for the game against the Buffalo Bills, but he didn’t play.

He is planning to play Sunday at San Diego. Another Broncos starter, weakside linebacker Danny Trevathan, is eligible to play against the Chargers.

Trevathan has been on the injured reserved list with a designation to return this week. The Broncos have until Saturday to activate him. Trevathan has been out the past eight weeks with a fracture near the left kneecap.

“I’m back as far as practice,” Trevathan said. “But whether I’m ready to play in a game, I don’t know.”

Burse returns to practice squad. The Broncos signed returner/receiver Isaiah Burse to their practice squad Monday after the rookie cleared waivers. To make room for Burse on their 10-man practice squad, the Broncos released offensive lineman Mark Asper.

Burse was the Broncos’ punt returner through the first 11 games but was waived last week to make roster room for kickoff specialist Brandon McManus.

Fox backs Manning. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has averaged 203 passing yards the past three games as the team has concentrated on improving its rushing attack.

Manning averaged 342 passing yards per game last year. Is all this huddling up, taking the snap from under center and operating at a slower pace in an effort to boost the running game coming at Manning’s expense?

“I can’t think of another quarterback I’d rather have than Peyton Manning,” Broncos coach John Fox said at his Monday news conference. “I would remind everybody that whether it’s two weeks or three weeks, at the end of the day, we’re not done with our body of work yet. We’re just trying to win games. We’ve been blessed. We’ve won three in a row. We’ll lean on whatever we have to lean on.

“So our passing game is fine. You never know. We might put our foot on the gas and throw it 50 times. I can’t really predict what’s going to happen because a lot of it’s based on what an opponent does and matchups.” Running back update. There’s a chance running backs Ronnie Hillman (foot sprain) and Montee Ball (groin strain) might do a little more than side work this week.

There’s a chance Hillman could be available for the Broncos’ game Dec. 22 at Cincinnati, although midfoot sprains and artificial turf are not an ideal combination for a speed running back.

