Kyle Orton throws at Broncos camp. Online photo - no source available.

Kyle Orton has the special luxury of being a sleeper pick this year and an underdog to boot.  No one expected much out of him in Chicago and no one expects stellar QB play out of him now, but in Denver now, he has options and a head coach known for making something out of nothing.

Despite an early injury last season, Orton managed to throw for just over 2,900 yards an 18 touchdowns for a Bears offense that was somewhat lacking in the passing game.  This year he adds the likes of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal to his arsenal and looks poised to finally eclipse the 3k mark.

With a deep running back corps (Buckhalter, Moreno, Hillis, Jordan, etc, etc), look for the Broncos to play relatively balanced and give Orton the confidence he needs.  He’s not going to be Peyton Manning by any means but expect solid fantasy play (200 pts. in most leagues) and look for him as your number 2 option somewhere between rounds 8 thru 12.  With any luck, under McDaniels watchful eye, he’ll sneak into your number 1 spot halfway thru the season.

Check out our Preseason Fantasy Football 2009 Positional Rankings.