The last time the Broncos played the Los Angeles Chargers, who come to town this Sunday, Denver decided to give inside linebacker Alexander Johnson his first NFL start. Johnson went off for eight tackles, earning the game ball after the win, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Johnson took the starting job from Josey Jewell and has been a force for the Broncos, proving he can stuff the run and be a factor in the pass rush. He earned AFC defensive player of the month honors for October from Pro Football Focus, and his 61 total tackles in the last seven games are second on the team, just two behind fellow linebacker Todd Davis.