"For Knowshon Moreno, the challenge is straightforward: How can Denver possibly be the best team in the AFC West if it has the worst starter at running back in the division?

The biggest question mark on the Broncos is Moreno.

Why?

With all due respect to high-mileage veteran Correll Buckhalter and unproven free agent Lance Ball, there really is no Plan B for the Denver rushing attack. With Moreno fighting a hamstring injury that obviously seems much worse than originally advertised, do the Broncos have a leg to stand on when they need tough yardage on third down?

"There's going to be a lot of rust to shake off, but I think I'll be all right," Moreno said Wednesday.

If Moreno is not 100 percent, then the Broncos' ground game might struggle to run at 50 percent efficiency.

Denver has not seen a 1,000- yard rusher since 2006. In the past five NFL seasons, what once was the No. 2 rushing team in the league steadily slipped to No. 18 during the first season Josh McDaniels was on the job as coach.

McDaniels might never regret the divorce with quarterback Jay Cutler for a single second. It was far wiser to trade receiver Brandon Marshall than throw $10 million per year at him. But one gamble this young Broncos coach really needs to pay off is Moreno.

If we held a draft of all the current running backs in the AFC West on the eve of this season, when would Moreno come off the board? Fourth? Or maybe fifth?

Kansas City vows to rock and roll on offense, with veteran acquisition Thomas Jones doing the bruising and young running back Jamaal Charles doing the bolting.

San Diego believes it has landed the steal of this year's draft in Ryan Mathews, a consensus preseason pick to be the league's top offensive rookie.

In his third pro season after signing a $60 million contract with Oakland, Darren McFadden finally needs to prove Raiders owner Al Davis didn't throw that money down a black hole.

On 247 carries as a rookie, Moreno broke runs of more than 20 yards only twice. The Broncos need him to accelerate as more of a game-breaking threat in his second NFL season."