Denver Broncos: C.J. Anderson and an elite half-season

The Denver Broncos offense faltered at the tail end of the 2014 season due to Peyton Manning‘s previously undisclosed injury, but the offense didn’t fail thanks to the efforts of C.J. Anderson, who became the starter after injuries to both Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman. Coming into the season, Ball was the clear-cut feature guy after an excellent college career, promising rookie campaign, and strong offseason, but he was promptly Wally Pipp’d by former change-of-pace guy Ronnie Hillman, who added a couple of 100-yard games before succumbing to an injury of his own.

For most teams, losing both of your best running backs would be crippling, but, in retrospect, it was a blessing in disguise for the Broncos, since it allowed them to discover just how much depth they have at the position. More importantly, it allowed them to uncover one of the breakout stars of the 2014 season in Anderson, who was quietly one of the league’s most efficient backs on his 179 carries.

Anderson turned those 179 attempts into 849 yards and eight touchdowns, and he finished the season with over 1,000 yards from scrimmage by catching 34 of his passes for 324 yards. His pass-catching ability is especially important, since the Broncos clearly value having a safety valve out of the backfield for Manning. Knowshon Moreno made a big impact in that regard in 2013, Ball improved on his receiving in the offseason, and that’s always been touted as one of Hillman’s strengths.

Despite playing behind an offensive line that took a huge step back from its brilliant displays in 2013 (plenty of that is on Manny Ramirez for a disappointing follow-up to his breakout 2013), Anderson never had less than 50 yards in games with at least double-digit carries (seven games). He finished the season with ten total touchdowns, which is exceptional for a player who had 213 total touches.

There are more impressive stats regarding Anderson’s sensational 2014 season, and the one that stands out the most deals with his ability to make defenders miss, which is obviously vital at the running back position. According to Pro Football Focus, Anderson forced a total of 59 missed tackles in both the passing and running games, and only Eddie Lacy, Marshawn Lynch, DeMarco Murray, and Le’Veon Bell made more guys miss as a whole.

The fact that Anderson did this on less touches makes his season all the more impressive, and he was fourth in PFF’s elusive rating. Additionally, his 12 runs of at least 15 yards were tied for ninth in the NFL, per PFF, so he definitely showed explosiveness in the open field and big-play ability.

Consistency is the name of the game at the running back position, and Anderson was consistent in just about every way imaginable. Not only was it impossible for defenses to render him a non-factor if he received sufficient carries, but he also averaged a stout 4.7 yards per rush. Maybe more impressively, he was stuffed on just 7.3% of his carries, meaning that only four running backs with at least 150 carries were stuffed less frequently.

Anderson has the uncanny ability to make big plays and avoid negative ones, so he isn’t a plodder or home-run threat; he’s an all-around beast as a rusher and pass-catcher. Throw in the third-highest first down percentage among all running backs, and you get a back who always moved the chains for his offense.

In a sense, C.J. Anderson is the perfect back for the Denver Broncos offense, though you could say that about almost any offense. So why the initial statement exclusively attached to the Broncos offense?

Well, the Broncos like running backs who aren’t liabilities in pass pro and who can make an impact as a receiver. Anderson dropped just three passes, forced 15 missed tackles in the passing game, had over 50 receiving yards in three games, and allowed no sacks and just one QB hit in pass protection. The Broncos also like backs who can move the chains, so Anderson’s 47 first downs in 179 carries certainly fit the bill.

In about half of a season, Anderson put up numbers that most running backs would be satisfied with in a single season (846 yards, 4.7 YPC, 34 catches, ten total TDs), and his rate stats unsurprisingly paint the picture of someone who was easily a top ten back last season.

Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson (22) against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Colts defeated the Broncos 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

This is a guy who showed that he can do it all for the Broncos, and while both Ball and Hillman have talent, it will be extremely difficult for them to unseat a guy who was one of the NFL’s most elusive backs.

Of course, being elusive isn’t the only trait a back should want to have, and Anderson passes the vision sniff test, which is why he’s so good at consistently netting first downs, avoiding stuffs, and getting into the end zone. 213 touches is a small sample size, but Anderson would be one helluva fluke in order to fall apart as a player after putting up elite feature back numbers.

Some backs do worse with more carries, but Anderson weighs 224 pounds and has the toughness- he fought for every freaking yard at the end of the season when both the passing game and offensive line failed the Broncos- to hold up.

For me, the question isn’t if Ball and Hillman can beat out Anderson for the Broncos feature back job, because I don’t see the 2014 revelation losing out. While it’s possible he could get beat, it’s not plausible. My question is, will Ball or Hillman play a significant role in the offense? Based on how well Anderson did in all downs and situations, it’s hard to see him trotting off the field if he can hold up through those touches. This guy looks like a keeper, and hopefully he doesn’t disappoint in a full season.

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