ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It may not be long before Emmanuel Sanders is catching touchdowns on game day again.

Head Coach Vic Fangio said Monday he expects Sanders, who is returning from an Achilles injury, to play in the preseason.

Sanders continued to take team reps in practice on Monday, and Head Coach Vic Fangio said the veteran wide receiver's reps are "going up and up every day."

The 10th-year player suffered the injury in early December but did not start training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list. He began training camp by participating solely in individual drills but has added seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 work as the weeks progressed.

Fangio added that he's not surprised by Sanders' progress.

"If you guys remember, I kind of predicted it in the spring. My medical background gives me that prediction power," Fangio joked. "I thought he would make it back quicker than most, and he has. He looks fine. I've asked the guys that have been here in the past to compare him to what he's been in the past — because I don't have a past for him — and they don't see any difference right now."

Tight end Jake Butt (knee) may join Sanders in team-period drills later this week, but Fangio said he's "not sure of that." Butt participated in seven-on-seven work on Monday.

"That's too much of a hypothetical question," said Fangio when asked whether Butt needed to play in the preseason to make the Broncos' 53-man roster. "There's too many other factors. Maybe. But maybe not."