Knowshon Moreno leads league in rushing TDs
Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno (27) before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
The Denver Broncos passing game has earned all the plaudits this season, and they do have an incredible group of pass-catchers, Peyton Manning, and probably the best passing attack we have ever seen in NFL history. But that shouldn’t give people a free pass to overlook the Broncos running game, which has been really good through six weeks. Knowshon Moreno and Ronnie Hillman have been two of the best backs in the league at getting the proper yardage needed based on down and distance, and having RBs who can consistently get solid yardage is crucial. That alleviates pressure off of the passing attack, and the Broncos RBs are doing a good job of taking advantage of solid blocking up front and the running lanes that are opened as a result of having such a potent passing attack.
It’s important to focus on Knowshon Moreno, since he has been great this season in a breakout year. He’s always shown flashes, but this is the first season that the former Georgia Bulldogs superstar has been able to consistently put things together. Moreno is the league leader in rushing touchdowns so far this season with seven, as he had a three-TD outburst against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. Marshawn Lynch has six touchdowns in second place, and both Adrian Peterson and Jamaal Charles have five each.
Moreno is also averaging a solid 4.7 yards per carry on the ground, and only three other running backs with at least 70 carries (Reggie Bush, Alfred Morris, and LeSean McCoy) are averaging more. Like Hillman, Moreno is also able to make a significant impact on the Broncos offense as a pass-catcher, as he has caught 20 passes this year.
It’s crazy to think that Moreno has been able to break out like this, and he has been one of the most efficient backs in the NFL this season. Overlooking Moreno would be a fool’s errand, and his break out has been absolutely huge for the Broncos offense. He gives this offense a lot more balance than a few people thought coming into the season, and the numbers show that Knowshon Moreno is a legit feature back in this league. If you were smart enough (for the record, I wasn’t) to pick up on Moreno early in fantasy football, then you should continue to reap the rewards.
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