The Denver Broncos have Brock Osweiler prepared to start in Week 13 with Peyton Manning out and the quarterback could continue to play for a at least a couple more weeks until Manning can return. Reports have Manning out for multiple games and he could be ready to come back in Week 15, but no official date has been set for Manning to return.
Manning is dealing with a foot injury and according to Chris Mortensen at ESPN.com, Manning is not going to be ready to come back "anytime soon." The Broncos said last week that Manning would miss at least two more games and Pro Football Talk reports that Manning is going to be in a walking cast until Friday. Manning has more rehab work to do after taking the cast off with a partially-torn plantar fascia tendon and that could keep him out until the last couple weeks of the season or the playoffs depending on how he recovers.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport wrote last week that Manning will miss "at least three weeks" and that could put him on track to start in Week 15 if he doesn't suffer any setbacks. Brock Osweiler has won his two starts so far for the Broncos and while there is a chance the team could consider keeping him in even if Manning is healthy, the team has made no indications that they will do that yet. Gary Kubiak and John Elway don't have to cross that bridge for a couple weeks at least and it's likely that if Manning is healthy, he will get the chance to start again.
The Denver Post reports that Manning is getting his cast off this week and that he will need "at least" a week of rehab after that happens. Osweiler has four touchdowns and two interceptions his two starts for the Broncos and his play has helped open up the running game for the offense as well. Ronnie Hillman and CJ Anderson had trouble getting things going this season with Manning starting and Osweiler's play has helped boost things on the ground.
Anderson had his best game in a while for the Broncos after putting up 113 yards and two touchdowns against the Patriots and he could be the better start option for fantasy owners in Week 13. Hillman has basically been the main starter over the last stretch of week and Anderson has finally bounced back from a tough half of the season. Anderson came into the season as the starter, but overall he was not as effective as he was last year. Anderson now has double digit carries in the past two games and he is worth starting into Week 13.
