FanHouse AndreHall

Just think, there was a time when the Broncos thought Travis Henry was the worst thing that could ever happen to their running game. Turns out the Henry era was only the precursor for the unit's complete collapse this season. Peyton Hillis will miss the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, which makes him the sixth Bronco running back to go down to injury this season.

Hillis became the latest name in the pantheon of "unknowns who Mike Shanahan plugged in successfully." He was a seventh-rounder on a team loaded with backs but ran for 305 yards and five touchdowns over the last four weeks.

Michael Pittman, Anthony Aldridge, Andre Hall and Ryan Torain are already out for the season. Selvin Young, the starter at the outset of the season, has played in just one of the last eight games because of a groin injury. Given all those players, its amazing that Hillis even made the team and lasted long enough to help them over the last month

That leaves Tatum Bell, one-time Bronco starter and scourge of the Lions locker room, and P.J. Pope as the only healthy running backs in the Rockies. The Broncos did give wide receiver Eddie Royal three carries yesterday, so perhaps they'll be creative in filling the need. Or, more likely, they'll just put even more on Jay Cutler's shoulders.

The Denver Broncos mustered merely 14 yards on the ground in yesterday's loss to the Dolphins. That's a depressing number for a team that used to get 1,000 yard seasons from pool boys. Things might not be getting better in the foreseeable future, either.

The Broncos placed Michael Pittman and Andre Hall on injured reserve today, dropping them down to two running backs. One of those backs, Ryan Torain, is a rookie who made his first NFL appearance on Sunday. The other is second-year man Selvin Young, who hasn't played since October 5 with a groin injury. Any chance Travis Henry can get a work release deal while his drug trafficking case gets adjudicated?

This news is the latest blow to a Bronco team that is adrift in a sea of turnovers, finger pointing and losses. Jay Cutler has thrown six interceptions in the last three games, and the injury-ravaged defense hasn't proven that it can shut down opposing offenses with any regularity. Now both Cutler and that defense will be under increased pressure to produce if the Broncos hope to contend for a division that could be won with a losing record.

Mike Shanahan will have to work his old magic with Torain to get the Bronco offense going again. Whether the two days before Thursday's tilt with the Browns is enough time to do so remains to be seen.

One week after getting steamrolled on national television by the San Diego Chargers, the Patriots returned the favor to the AFC West on Monday night by running all over the Denver Broncos, 41-7, keeping themselves within striking distance of the Buffalo Bills.

The Broncos were in a giving mood much of the night, and started on the games first drive when Andre Hall put his first of two fumbles on the ground, and the turnovers just kept on coming. Quarterback Jay Cutler, injured on the games first play when his hand struck Vince Wilfork's helmet, was picked off twice and lost a fumble, as the Broncos turned the ball over five times. Five turnovers is a bad idea, especially when you force none.

The Denver defense managed to get in Matt Cassel's face quite a bit, sacking him six times, but it didn't matter because the Broncos defense couldn't tackle Sammy Morris, and still allowed Cassel to complete 75% of is passes, right on par with what the rest of the Broncos opponents have done this year.

Every week when the dinner bell rings on Friday evening, we'll be here to provide you a comprehensive injury report for the NFL weekend to follow. For those injuries that go right down to the wire, drop by our Fantasy Fanhouse expert live chat from 10am to 1pm EST every Sunday and we'll take care of you on those bloody game-time decisions. As always, please feel free to chime in with opinions, updates, and rumors in the comments.

The Arizona Cardinals

Anquan Boldin - After the last Sunday's vicious hit, Boldin came away with a fractured sinus membrane, which I believe means he broke his face. While he is lucky that is the worst of it after what looked like a neck injury, he is very unlikely to play on Sunday at this point. It has not yet been ruled out however, so keep an eye on his progress.

The Baltimore Ravens

Willis McGahee - McGahee continues to keep things interesting as now he has injured ribs, which limited his playing time on Monday night. His efforts in practice this week have been limited, but he did practice on Friday, so he should be good to at least split carries.

The Buffalo Bills

Roscoe Parrish - Parrish is definitely out for three to five more weeks with a thumb injury. While this is not material for many people, it opens the door for James Hardy to gain some playing time and for Lee Evans to put up a couple of his sporadic breakout games.

The Carolina Panthers

Jonathan Stewart - Stewart is still on the injury report, but he will be fine to go this week.

Jake Delhomme - Delhomme is listed as probable with a thigh injury, but he will be ready for week 5. With Steve Smith back and Muhsin Muhammad getting involved, Delhomme's value is on the up and up.

Raise your hand if you thought Selvin Young was going to break free from the litter of the recycled Denver backfield and become a Fantasy Stud? Relax, you're welcome to a free membership in the "Fantasy Owners that hate Mike Shanahan" support group. OK, am I really jumping ship this quickly on the Selvin Young experience? Yes, it might be a bit premature. However, if last night was any indication, optimism ain't sitting shotgun for Selvin Young owners this morning.

Look, it was only one game, but Mike Shanahan decided he'd lay his cards right out in the open for us. The result appears to be a mixed bag of various RB's who will all assuredly get their fair share of cracks at Fantasy stardom. And if you think Shanahan won't also page Mike or Tatum Bell at some point this season you're far too naïve.

For years Shanahan has tortured various Fantasy owners into believing they had the sure thing in the Denver backfield. It's been a constant state of flux in Denver ever since they dealt Clinton Portis. The names certainly don't jump off the page at you from Olandis Gary, Mike Anderson, Reuben Droughns, Garrison Hearst, Ron Dayne, Damien Nash, Cecil Sapp, Tatum Bell, and Mike Bell and so on and so on.

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We here are at Fantasy FanHouse are deeply committed to helping the desperate. And you may be among them. If that's the case, we have some lovely last-minute gambles for you to try out in fantasy this week. Fourth and 26 isn't an "ideal" situation, but sometimes it works out.

Quarterback
Chad Pennington, MIA -- This is actually a really, really logical start. Pennington has the Jets playbook inside his head (I'm actually convinced the Fins will win), and he's out for revenge against the team that spurned him. He has a dangerous deep threat in Ted Ginn, and the running back tandem of Ricky Williams and (maybe) Ronnie Brown should give him some room to dink and dunk his way to nice low-end QB1 numbers. A nice waiver-wire scramble.

Trent Edwards, BUF -- Whaaa? Against the Seattle defense? Really? Yes. Really. As pointed out in this wonderful, wonderful book, the Seahawks defensive backs are short; neither Marcus Trufant nor Kelly Jennings are over six feet tall. Bills rookie James Hardy is 6-foot-5. Lee Evans is only 5-foot-10, but he's fast as all get-out. And the Bills have Marshawn Lynch to open up the passing game. Edwards won't win the week for you, but he won't be as bad as Eli Manning or Jason Campbell.

Selvin Young just lost one obstacle in his quest for 2,000 yards. Rookie RB Ryan Torain -- who had been very impressive in camp thus far according to the coaching staff -- just had a very bad day:

Torain was carrying the ball in a nine-on-seven drill when he was tackled. As he fell, Torain stuck out his left hand to brace his fall and his elbow popped.He suffered fractured bone fragments in the elbow. He was to be taken for an MRI around noon.

All told, Torain is going to miss two to three months. Being a running back and having to to take blows to the elbow often, I'm estimating this is more like three than two. This is a big blow for the talented Arizona State product, as he had a realistic shot of getting meaningful time on a team that makes studs out of ordinary running backs.

Within the article it was mentioned that Mike Shanahan thought Torain had a realistic shot at the tailback job in Denver. Now Andre Hall and Michael Pittman are left to push Young, who should have a pretty clear path to the starting gig.

Selvin Young just lost one obstacle in his quest for 2,000 yards. Rookie RB Ryan Torain -- who had been very impressive in camp thus far according to the coaching staff -- just had a very bad day:

Torain was carrying the ball in a nine-on-seven drill when he was tackled. As he fell, Torain stuck out his left hand to brace his fall and his elbow popped.He suffered fractured bone fragments in the elbow. He was to be taken for an MRI around noon.

All told, Torain is going to miss two to three months. Being a running back and having to to take blows to the elbow often, I'm estimating this is more like three than two. This is a big blow for the talented Arizona State product, as he had a realistic shot of getting meaningful time on a team that makes studs out of ordinary running backs.

Within the article it was mentioned that Mike Shanahan thought Torain had a realistic shot at the tailback job in Denver. Now Andre Hall and Michael Pittman are left to push Young, who should have a pretty clear path to the starting gig.

When the Broncos passed on signing Shaun Alexander recently, it appeared that they were content to go into battle this season with the running backs they had in house. Not the worst idea. Travis Henry, Selvin Young, Andre Hall and rookie Ryan Torain give them multiple looks to play with out of the backfield. Appearances can be deceiving, however.

Over at Pro Football Talk, MDS is reporting, via a league source, that the team is going to sign veteran tailback Michael Pittman to a one-year contract. Pittman's role in Tampa diminished greatly after the team drafted Cadillac Williams in 2005 and he slipped behind Earnest Graham and Michael Bennett last season. He still played a role in the passing game but when the team signed Warrick Dunn this offseason, the writing was more than on the wall that it was time for him to move along.

He should fill that pass-catching role for the Broncos this season and provide some depth should Henry struggle with injuries as he did last season. He'll have to battle to do anything more than that, however, and, if Young makes good on the promise he showed last season, may end up doing less or looking for another place of employment before too long.

**Correction appended

Broncos running back Andre Hall was cited on Tuesday on a misdemeanor charge for driving with a revoked, suspended, or canceled driver's license, the Pinellas County, Florida Sheriff's Office says on its web site and Pro Football Talk has reported.

No details were given on why Hall's driver's license has been revoked, suspended or canceled. The only interesting thing in the report is that Hall has a tattoo reading "Romans 15:5." That Bible passage says, "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus."

Hall was a first-year player in 2007 who made a solid contribution on the Broncos' offense, rushing 44 times for 216 yards. He's expected to get more playing time in 2008, especially if Travis Henry doesn't return to Denver.

**Correction: When I first posted this I suggested that Hall "was stopped by police" on Tuesday. I have since been told by the Broncos that Hall was not stopped by police on Tuesday but was actually driven to the Pinnellas County Sheriff's Office to take care of an outstanding ticket from a previous incident.