C.J. Anderson, Montee Ball, Ronnie Hillman, Kapri Bibbs and more; the football team from the Mile High City has many strong stallions in the stables.

Yes, running back is one of the Denver Broncos deepest positions as they head into training camp, which kicks off July 31 at the new and improved Dove Valley headquarters. And it’s a good thing the Broncos can boast so many talented backs because Gary Kubiak‘s offense will focus much more on the running game than Broncomaniacs have seen over the last few years.

Peyton Manning under center instead of the constant shotgun, turning and handing off or running the play-action; like John Elway or Jake Plummer in their heydays with Kubiak calling the plays. OK, Manning may not be as agile as either of those superb scrambling QBs, but Kubiak doesn’t seem concerned with No. 18’s lack of mobility. Don’t forget his fake handoff, naked bootleg touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in 2013, either.

Dating back to the Broncos best years and those back-to-back Super Bowl titles, Kubiak’s offense is all about this; running the ball by utilizing the zone-blocking scheme, which allows a wide spectrum of players to flourish. It bodes well for the multitude of backs in their Rocky Mountain stables, and it also does for the young, mashed-up offensive line.

When they do decide to run the rock, who will be taking a majority of the handoffs? It’s difficult to say for sure and the Broncos seem to be set up with a “running back by committee” situation. Although, Anderson is the one who should get the first shot at the starting spot.

C.J. Anderson

Anderson exploded on the scene for the Broncos in the second half of last season, carrying the load with confidence.

Here are a few stats that shine a light onto what C.J. Anderson did for Denver when he got his chance. Only Pittsburgh Steelers’ back Le’Veon Bell gainined more yard from scrimmage Week 10 on. That total was 1,066 yards; 776 on the ground with eight touchdowns and 290 yards receiving with two more scores.

Here’s another one:

From week 10 onwards defenses had 41 missed tackles on rushes by CJ Anderson, second only to Marshawn Lynch‘s 56. pic.twitter.com/MfP7OYs3CK

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) July 6, 2015

The two games which stick out the most are the wins over the Miami Dolphins at home and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead in consecutive weeks. In those games, when getting a full workload of 27 and 32 carries respectively, Anderson ran for 167 and then 168 yards. His yards per carry averages were a phenomenal 6.2 and then 5.3. In fact, Anderson enjoyed seven games with a 5.3 YPC or better last season, though it must be noted his carries were much less – 13 or fewer – in the other such contests.

What does it mean? When he was given the chance to carry the pigskin with consistency, Anderson did very well. He proved he can be an every down back, running with toughness and a clear ability to break tackles. Anderson was a determined bowling ball who rolled through opponents down the stretch of the season and after shedding some weight, it will be great to see what he brings to the gridiron this year.

Montee Ball

Whoever said a player can’t lose his spot due to injury didn’t understand how football works. Anderson won the job with the way he performed to finish 2014, however, it’s still a bum wrap for Ball, a seemingly stand-up guy and grinder from the backfield.

Ball was originally drafted in the second round in 2013 and he did well as a supplement to Knowshon Moreno in the former Bronco’s best professional season. As a rookie, Ball rushed for 559 yards and four TDs, including a stellar 4.7 YPC average. He also proved able to catch out of the backfield, with 20 receptions for 145 more yards. But when he injured his groin early last season, it meant missing games, a short-lived comeback and then being placed on injured reserve.

In those games, he looked like a fraction of the player he was when healthy and he’s reportedly been in the yoga and pilates studio trying to gain flexibility while rehabbing from the torn groin.

He’s determined to win the starting job back, too, telling the Associated Press in April, “C.J. deserves the No. 1 spot right now. I’m most definitely going to try to work to get it back. And I believe that I will. I like coming in and being the underdog, just keeping my head down, my mouth shut and just working.”

Meaning the competition between Anderson and Ball – the Broncos “A” and “B” backs – is just heating up.

Ronnie Hillman

Hillman is a John Elway draft pick, just like Ball, and the front office doesn’t want to give up on him. At least, not yet. But time seems to be running out.

Interestingly, Hillman’s games played per season has decreased over his first three years, from 14 to 10 to only eight last season, yet his production was a career-high in 2014. The change-of-pace back gained
434 yards with three touchdowns last year, including a personal best of 4.1 YPC.

Hillman showcases speed and quickness but isn’t equipped with the size to block effectively in the pass game. He could lose his spot to a similar player in the next one on this list.

Kapri Bibbs

At Colorado State, Bibbs was a one-year wonder. In 2013, Bibbs led the Rams to their first bowl game and win since 2008, running for an NCAA high 31 touchdowns and 1,741 yards, each were Colorado State records.

Bibbs is explosive and quick, and yet, can still run through the tackles, too. He’s at his best when he’s not touched, of course, cutting runs back against the grain to find open space in which to take off to the end zone. His juke moves are breathtaking, ankle-breakers and his speed is special.

Of course, Bibbs hasn’t done anything at the NFL level. Not yet. He spoke highly of the way the new coaching staff has treated him and about his hard work in the offseason recently as Bibbs looks to elevate from the practice squad to the active roster.

Jeremy Stewart

Jeremy Stewart is likely the most unknown quantity on this list. He was signed late last season following Ball’s placement on IR and has played little minutes in three years with the Oakland Raiders and Broncos.

Juwan Thompson

Thompson is a punishing back, a bruiser who’s unafraid of taking nor delivering hits. Weighing in at 225 pounds, he’s the Broncos’ biggest back and could be used in goal line situations if need be. Though, buried this deep on the depth chart, it’s unlikely to see him outside of the preseason unless injuries occur.

We can’t wait for the competition, and we’re sure you can’t either, Broncos fans.