Denver will likely go into its next game without its top four tailbacks. Michael Pittman and Andre Hall suffered season-ending injuries in Denver's Nov. 2 game against Miami.

Against Cleveland on Thursday, running back Ryan Torain suffered another stroke of bad luck with a knee injury that will likely keep him out the rest of the season.

"I don't know the extent exactly but Steve (Antonopulos, the Broncos' trainer) said it didn't look good," coach Mike Shanahan said right after the game.

Running back Selvin Young should come back at some point this season, but it's uncertain when. He missed a month with a groin injury and although he suited up against Cleveland, he wasn't healthy. After Torain was hurt, Young was hobbling badly and came out of the game. He missed the entire second half.

Fullback Peyton Hillis was thrown in at tailback. He rushed for 24 yards on eight carries, including a huge pickup on fourth-and-1 on what turned out to be Denver's game-winning drive. The only other tailback on the active roster is P.J. Pope, who was signed off the practice squad in the days before the Cleveland game and was inactive.

The Broncos could choose to go with Hillis and Pope until Young gets healthy, and perhaps pick up a free agent to help with depth. Hillis was recruited out of high school as a tailback but ended up playing fullback at Arkansas, which had two future first-round picks at tailback in Darren McFadden and Felix Jones.