With the 2019 season behind us, football analytics site Pro Football Focus has named Justin Simmons a member of their 2019 All-Pro Team and Dalton Risner a member of the All-Rookie Team.
Simmons in particular had a spectacular season, as PFF's grades rated him as the NFL's top safety.
"The best-graded safety in the NFL this season, Denver's Justin Simmons has been a stellar performer in all areas," lead NFL analyst Sam Monson wrote. "Simmons wasn't in primary coverage for any touchdowns given up in coverage but had four interceptions and 11 pass breakups. He also ranked 11th in terms of defensive stops among all safeties, showing his ability to make plays all over the field. Whether he was lined up deep in the secondary or close to the line in the box, Simmons was making plays all year."
Head Coach Vic Fangio said Monday that he thinks Simmons can get even better, too.
"He played great for us," Fangio said. "I think he'll still at the stage of his career where he can still improve more, especially within the inner workings of our defense and mastering some of the things we do even better, which will only come through reps. It won't come through meetings. Really a good football player, a really good person and a really good teammate. He's everything we want in a player."
Alongside Elgton Jenkins of the Packers, Risner was named one of the two top rookie guards.
"Risner's college career at Kansas State was exquisite," PFF's Ben Linsey wrote. "He played four years of 600 or more snaps, and his lowest overall grade came as a freshman at 87.9. ... Risner's play at guard was solid as a rookie this season. His 63.5 overall grade at left guard ranked 19th among 39 qualifiers at the position."
With his first year behind him, Risner said he was eager to move on to Year 2.
"it was a hell of a year, man," Risner said after Sunday's season finale against Oakland. "How blessed am i to be able to play the game that I love, run out there at Empower Field and look at the seats where I used to sit as a kid, wishing I played? ... Being able to have so many people to support me, to be able to represent for my small town, what a blessed year. ... It was a blessed year as a rookie. I can't wait to not be called a rook. I'm going to start calling myself a vet everywhere I go now."
