25-year old WR Eddie Royal burst onto the scene for the Broncos’ offense as a rookie in 2008.  In 2008, he played in 15 games in which he caught 91 passes for 980 yards (10.8 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  In 2009 though he didn’t get much of a chance to do anything as he only caught 37 passes for 345 yards (9.3 avg) with 0 TDs.  This year though, Kyle Orton has been looking his way quite a bit so far.  Royal has caught 25 passes for 299 yards (12.0 avg) with 2 TD grabs so far this year.  He has also returned 9 punts for 92 yards (10.2 avg) this year.  The Broncos need to keep getting the ball in Royal’s hands because he’s a playmaker.

With little threat of a running game the offense has been dropped almost entirely on 27-year old QB Kyle Orton’s right arm and he has responded.  Orton has completed 83 of 125 passes (66.4%) for 1,078 yards with 4 TD passes and 2 INTs (97.4 QB Rating) so far this year.  He also has carried the ball 7 times for 18 yards (2.6 ypc) this year.  Orton is proving that last season was no fluke.  He played in all 16 games for the Broncos last season in which he completed 336 of 541 passes (62.1%) for 3,802 yards with 21 TD passes and 12 INTs (86.8 QB Rating).  Orton also carried the ball 24 times for 71 yards (3.0 ypc) last season.  Orton had the reputation in Chicago of being nothing more than a game manager type of QB.  But, in Denver so far he has shaken that tag as he has been a solid throwing QB.

Brandon Lloyd caught 5 passes for 117 yards (23.4 avg) in the season opener last weekend against the Jaguars.  It’s possible that he could be a late bloomer.  He played in 2 games last season for the Broncos last season in which he caught 8 passes for 117 yards (14.6 avg) but his season ended early due to injury.  Coming into this year, Lloyd played in 81 games in 7 years in which he caught 164 passes for 2,370 yards (14.5 avg) with 15 TD grabs.  It will be interesting to see if Lloyd can stay healthy and productive for the Broncos this year as he has never put much together in his NFL career as of yet.

Who would have ever thought that 27-year old QB Kyle Orton would outplay the guy he was traded for (Jay Cutler)?  Certainly not me but he did.  Orton played in all 16 games for the Broncos and he completed 336 of 541 passes (62.1%) for 3,802 yards with 21 TD passes and 12 INTs (86.8 QB Rating).  Orton also carried the ball 24 times for 71 yards (3.0 ypc) this year.  Orton has now played in 49 games in his NFL career and he has completed 841 of 1,454 passes (57.8%) for 9,121 yards with 51 TD passes and 39 INTs (76.9 QB Rating).  Orton has also carried the ball 77 times for 163 yards (2.1 ypc) with 3 TD runs in his career.  Orton was awful in the last game of the year when the Broncos really needed him to step up but he played hurt for at least half of the season which evens that out quite a bit.

29-year old Chris Simms is one of the worst QBs I have ever seen.  If his daddy wasn’t Phil Simms he would have been out of this league a long, long time ago.  Simms played in 3 games for the Broncos this season and he completed 5 of 17 passes (29.4%) for 23 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT (15.1 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 3 times for -4 yards (-1.3 ypc) this year.  Simms has now played in 23 games in his NFL career and he has completed 297 of 511 passes (58.1%) for 3,117 yards with 12 TD passes and 18 INTs (69.1 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 33 times for 48 yards (1.5 ypc) with 1 TD run in his career.  The Broncos need to cut Simms and bring in a legit veteran back-up to Orton.

31-year old RB Correll Buckhalter has been solid all year long for the Broncos.  He has played in 13 games for the Broncos this season and he has carried the ball 114 times for 624 yards (5.5 ypc) with 1 TD grab.  He also has caught 29 passes for 237 yards (8.2 avg) this season for the Broncos.  Buckhalter even helps out on special teams once in a while as he has returned 7 kickoffs for 164 yards (23.4 avg) but the Broncos were smart not to use him too much in that role due to his injury prone past. 

25-year old DE Elvis Dumervil is still playing at a very high level for the Broncos.  He has played in 11 games for the Broncos this season and he has 37 tackles, 14 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and he defensed 3 passes.  Dumervil has now played in 56 games in his 4 years with the Broncos and he has 117 tackles, 8 passes defensed, 1 interception, 9 forced fumbles and he has 40 sacks.  The Broncos need Dumervil to finish strong and help them make the playoffs which are in reach.

Brandon Marshall is once again the #1 WR for the Broncos.  He has quit picking fights with management and he is focusing on playing the game.  Marshall has caught 33 passes for 356 yards (10.8 avg) with 4 TD grabs and he has also carried the ball 3 times for 25 yards (8.3 ypc).  Look for the Broncos to really start getting the ball in Marshall’s hands more starting tonight in Pittsburgh.

2nd year WR Eddie Royal isn’t putting up the kind of numbers he did at WR as a rookie last season as he has only caught 18 passes for 148 yards (8.2 avg) this year.  But, he has found a home as the main return man for the Broncos.  He has returned 8 kickoffs for 222 yards (27.8 avg) with a TD and he has also returned 13 punts for 172 yards (13.2 avg) with a TD this year.  Royal was the main reason that the Broncos beat the Chargers recently as he returned both a kickoff and a punt for a TD against them.  Royal has a wide array of moves to go with his speed as he is a threat to go the distance any time he touches the football.

What an amazing turnaround WR Brandon Marshall has had for the Broncos this season.  They tried the trade him the whole off season and they suspended him right before the year started but he is acting his age and he is performing well lately.  Marshall has caught 29 passes for 332 yards (11.4 avg) with 4 TD grabs and he has also carried the ball 3 times for 25 yards (8.3 avg).  Look for him to have a huge game against the Ravens tomorrow who are having issues with big wide receivers like Marshall this season.

31-year old cornerback Champ Bailey has not lost a step this season as he has been outstanding.  Bailey has played in six games for the Broncos this season and he has 30 tackles, 8 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception.  Teams are still scared to throw the ball to Bailey’s side of the field and that’s why he only has 1 pickoff this season.  Bailey has also been solid in run support this season.  There is no reason to think that Champ Bailey is going to slow down any time soon for the Broncos.