The Sports Xchange

Denver Broncos running back Montee Ball is confident he will regain the starting job after a disappointing 2014 season.

Ball came into last season with high hopes after rushing for 559 yards — 4.7 yards per carry — as a rookie before being set back by injuries.

Ball will be competing with starter C.J. Anderson, Ronnie Hillman and Juwan Thompson. Anderson led the Broncos’ backs in 2014 with 849 rushing yards and 324 receiving yards.

“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,” Ball told the Associated Press. “I like coming in and being the underdog, just keeping my head down, my mouth shut and just working.”

Ball’s injuries last season led to a year with just 172 yards on 55 carries and one touchdown in five games (three starts). An appendectomy limited his offseason work, which Ball said led to a right groin injury that landed him on injured reserve in December.

“Every player should be saying, if they’re second or third on the depth chart: ‘I’m better than that player. I’m better than him,'” Ball said. “Because I believe that I am. But there’s no reason for me to be chanting that and yelling that. I’m just going to keep my mouth shut and work and work and work. Last year was just all bad, starting with the appendectomy.”