As a rookie in 2008, Royal flourished in Mike Shanahan's offense with 91 catches for 980 yards and five touchdowns before his production plummeted last year under new coach Josh McDaniels (37 catches, 345 yards, zero TDs). That offense was built around Brandon Marshall, who saw 154 targets; Jabar Gaffney (87) had the next-highest mark in 2009.
This season, Denver's pass offense has been reinvented. With Marshall gone and the running game performing horribly, the Broncos are resorting to a pass-heavy attack that spreads the ball around. Because of this, Royal looks capable of continuing to put up good numbers.
While Royal is currently the third option, his production cannot be ignored. His 37 targets are more than that of DeSean Jackson, Donald Driver and Derrick Mason. Royal also makes the most of his opportunities, turning 78.4% of his chances into catches. That's a higher clip than both Lloyd (55.6%) and Gaffney (68.9%). With such sure hands, Royal should only gain more confidence from his quarterback. Royal's speed and smooth route running are perfect for this offense and for the accurate Kyle Orton.
With Lloyd bound to command more attention from opposing defenses, Royal should become a bigger factor in the offense. If you can somehow nab him in a trade, make it happen. At worst, Royal will be a solid No. 3 wide receiver by season's end.
Source: rotoexperts.com
Author: chris carbonell
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