Denver Broncos running back Montee Ball carries a ball during practice at the Denver Broncos 2014 training camp on Aug. 11, 2014, at Dove Valley. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
OAKLAND — Running back Montee Ball will be among the seven players on the Broncos’ inactive list for the game here Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.
It will be the fifth game Ball has missed because of a strained groin. Ball opened the season as the Broncos’ starting running back but an appendectomy in training camp and the strained groin has set him back. He has just 172 yards rushing on 3.1 yards per carry.
There is a decent chance Ball will return to play next week at St. Louis.
Ronnie Hillman will be the Broncos’ starting running back against the Raiders. The question is who will be his primary backup. Juwan Thompson, an undrafted rookie, has been the Broncos’ No. 2 back the previous four games but second-year player C.J. Anderson was the most effective back last week at New England.
