The Denver Broncos and fantasy football owners may lose Montee Ball at RB for a couple weeks and that makes Ronnie Hillman the best fantasy pickup moving forward with CJ Anderson, as those two players should get close to starter touches with Ball out in Week 6 as the team plays against the Jets on the road in New York following the Week 5 win over the Cardinals.
According to Pro Football Talk, Ball is dealing with a groin injury and while it will not need surgery, it is expected to keep him out for a couple weeks. Hillman came in after Ball was injured and took over main RB duties, while Anderson was next in line. Hillman was looked at as a sleeper to start the season, but he quickly was pushed back by Ball, but now he could get his chance to step up again with Ball likely out for multiple weeks. Hillman got the bulk of the carries after Ball went out and Anderson also played well with his chances and could be a sleeper option.
Ball is not an injury prone player stretching back to his days in college and ESPN.com reports that he should miss more than two weeks. At first the team thought it could have been more serious, but after an MRI showed no major damage and that no surgery was necessary, the team became more optimistic. The matchup against the Jets isn't a big deal for Peyton Manning to not have Ball, but the team also has the 49ers coming up. Ball has 172 yards this season and he put up seven yards on six carries before leaving the game on Sunday.
Hillman will be taking the lead role now that Ball is out and he has shown in the past that he can handle it. Last week coming in for Ball, Hillman had 15 carries for 64 yards and he is the top pick up option to handcuff with Ball until he returns. Hillman played in nine games last season and rushed for 218 yards and the season before that he had over 300. Hillman isn't much of a threat out of the backfield, but the Broncos have abandoned that part of their offense for the most part anyway.
Anderson is an option in deeper leagues and if Hillman also gets hurt, as he will be backing up Hillman with Ball out. Anderson had 11 carries for a very solid 55 yards last week coming in for Ball and those were his first carries of the season. With a choice, Hillman is obviously the option, but for any Ball owners that are desperate, picking up Anderson isn't a bad move, especially in deeper 12 team leagues.
The loss of Ball could also boost players like Julius Thomas, Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker, as if those players need more of a boost with Peyton Manning at their QB. Thomas, the WR one, had a massive game on Sunday and it could have been bigger if Thomas, the TE one, didn't get a penalty on a long TD catch and run from Manning.