Week 10 – C.J. Anderson vs. Oakland Raiders
With the game pretty much out of hand in New England last week, C.J. Anderson received some playing time, running for a team-high 18 yards on three carries and catching three passes for 33 yards. The Broncos were held to only 43 rushing yards, as Ronnie Hillman and Juwan Thompson combined for just 22 yards on the ground. While Denver could put the Raiders away early on Sunday which could net Anderson some more mop up action, there is no reason for him to be in your starting lineup, especially now that Montee Ball is back.
Week 9 – C.J. Anderson vs. New England Patriots
Last Thursday against the Chargers C.J. Anderson had just one carry. Ronnie Hillman and Juwan Thompson have filled in quite well for the injured Montee Ball. There is no reason for Anderson to be on your fantasy roster.
Week 8 – C.J. Anderson vs. San Diego Chargers
In the win over San Francisco on Sunday night C.J. Anderson had two carries for nine yards. Even with Montee Ball out, Ronnie Hillman and rookie Juwan Thompson have been filling in just fine. There is no reason for Anderson to be on your fantasy roster.
Week 7 – C.J. Anderson vs. San Francisco 49ers
Even with Montee Ball out of action due to a sore groin, C.J. Anderson did not see any action in the win against the Jets last Sunday. Ronnie Hillman and Juwan Thompson carried the load on the ground, combining for 32 carries. Anderson may see some rushing attempts in the coming games as Ball heals, but there’s no reason for him to be on a fantasy roster.
Week 6 – C.J. Anderson vs. New York Jets
C.J. Anderson was a healthy scratch last week versus the Cardinals. Juwan Thompson was activated in his spot (likely due to his role on special teams) and ended up scoring his first NFL touchdown. Now that Montee Ball is out for at least a few weeks with a groin injury, look for the Broncos to utilize Ronnie Hilllman, Thompson and Anderson, but Hillman will be the starter and should receive the bulk of the playing time. C.J. is likely not worth start yet in a tough matchup, but keep an eye on the Denver RB situation in the coming weeks. All three backs are worth speculative adds, as Montee Ball has been lackluster so far this season.
Week 5 – C.J. Anderson vs. Arizona Cardinals
In the loss to Seattle in Week 3, C.J. Anderson had only two rushing attempts. Ronnie Hillman also saw some action in that contest, but Montee Ball will continue to receive the bulk of the carries. Anderson has only 11 rushes for 55 yards through the first three games and should only be on your roster as a handcuff to Ball.
Week 3 – C.J. Anderson vs. Seattle Seahawks
Montee Ball had 12 of Denver’s 19 rushing attempts in the win over the Chiefs last week, with C.J. Anderson getting five carries for 31 yards. Anderson is a tough runner that always seems to fall forward. C.J. appears to have taken over as the No. 2 RB for the Broncos but is definitely not worth a fantasy start. He remains a high upside handcuff in Denver.
Fantasy Upside
After an impressive 2013 preseason in which he rand for 69 yards on 15 carries against the 49ers, C.J. Anderson didn’t see much time on the field in the regular season. He suffered a knee injury shortly after that first impression and failed to make an impact. However, when he was called on for action, he performed pretty well, rushing for 38 yards on seven attempts (5.4 yards per carry). Now that Knowshon Moreno has moved on to the Dolphins, there really isn’t a clear cut RB on the Denver roster. Sure, Montee Ball is the starter and is expected to see the majority of the action, but the second year player still has a lot to learn and is recovering from an appendectomy that will keep him out of preseason action. C.J. is a small package at just 5’8”, but his 220-pound frame makes it tough for opponents to bring him down.
Fantasy Downside
Heading into the season, C.J. is no more than third string, behind Ball and Ronnie Hillman. He is also being challenged by rookie Juwan Thompson. After losing about 20 pounds and rebounding from unimpressive OTAs and minicamp, Anderson could see more action during the ’14 regular season, but right now he’s not expected to be much of a factor in the Broncos offense.
Bottom Line
Back in 2012 Denver kept five RBs, but don’t expect that to be the case this year, especially with how the position has transformed recently. C.J. will run hard when he gets his chances, but he is not worth drafting; however, assuming he makes the team, Anderson and Thompson could push Ball and Hillman, who’ve both had trouble hanging on to the ball.
