Coming into 2026, there might’ve not been a more contentious running back situation than what’s going on in Denver. It’s sort of just an embarrassment of riches.
J.K. Dobbins returns as the established veteran. RJ Harvey is a former second-round pick, who showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie campaign in 2025. Then there’s Jonah Coleman, a fourth-round pick from this past year’s draft out of Washington. In some circles, Coleman was a very popular fantasy sleeper pick the past month. At the very least, he’s already a name to be aware of.
As the Broncos get ready for their Week 1 matchup with the Chiefs on Monday Night Football, let’s break down this crowded backfield from a fantasy lens.
RJ Harvey or J.K. Dobbins Start or Sit Advice for Week 1
While last year’s usage is obviously relevant to projecting how this committee might end up playing out, we need to start with J.K. Dobbins’ recent injury. The 27-year-old suffered a soft tissue ailment in training camp and, as such, did not play a single down of preseason action. That feels relevant. While Dobbins wasn’t even listed on Denver’s injury report this week, remember that the veteran has not seen an offensive snap since all the way back in Week 10 of 2025, when his campaign ended due to a Lisfranc left foot ligament injury. Dobbins averaged 15.3 carries per contest last season as the clear No. 1 option in the running game. I don’t think we see him command that sort of monopoly tonight. I feel like Sean Payton will ease Dobbins back into action.
That’s not just compassion, either. Payton has the bodies to spread out snaps and keep his backs fresh. RJ Harvey was likely already locked into a third down role in the Broncos’ system, as he caught 47 passes in his rookie season, but I could see him getting a few extra carries with Dobbins’ conditioning in question. That said, Harvey is of a smaller build, and he didn’t exactly blow anyone away with his expanded opportunity in the aftermath of Dobbins’ injury in 2025. From Week 11 to Week 18, Harvey averaged just 3.4 yards per rushing attempt and failed to exceed 50 rushing yards in four of his seven games.
That’s probably why the Broncos saw the need to bring in Jonah Coleman. As Nick Kosmider of the Athletic reported in early September, Denver sees the physical Coleman as a between-the-tackles complimentary piece to Dobbins, while Harvey sort of fills his own archetype. That will limit Coleman’s fantasy appeal early on, particularly in PPR settings. However, it also means that if a running back deeper on the depth chart is going to vulture a touchdown, it’ll be Coleman. That’s not something to simply ignore.
The Bottom Line
The amount of mouths to feed in this running back room is concerning. Still, entering Week 1, both J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey have to be considered as solid FLEX options in most fantasy formats, with Harvey’s value increasing leagues utilizing PPR scoring. I’d assume both finish somewhere around 12-15 touches, with Dobbins likely the main option near the goal line. In the first 10 weeks of last season, Dobbins had 19 red zone carries to Harvey’s six.
Being stuck in a committee hurts everyone’s ceiling, as does a matchup with a very stout Chiefs defense. Kansas City allowed the seventh-fewest FPTS to opposing RBs in 2025, while also surrendering the eighth-fewest opponent rushing yard per game (105.7).
