RJ Harvey Fantasy Football Start or Sit Advice for Week 5

RJ Harvey caught all 10 of his targets in San Francisco last week, piling up 17 touches and 19.3 PPR points in the kind of afternoon that turns a passing-down specialist into a weekly lineup conversation. Denver heads to Los Angeles with one fewer back in the rotation and a Chargers defense that has been giving ground to running backs. Find out whether you should start or sit RJ Harvey in Week 5.

RJ Harvey Start or Sit Advice for Week 5

Harvey’s value lives in the passing game, and the numbers there are outstanding. He has caught 20 of his 21 targets for 132 yards across three games, commanding a 16.8% share of Denver’s targets. For a running back, that is wide receiver-level involvement, and it gives him a PPR floor that committee backs rarely enjoy.

The trend is moving in the right direction. Harvey drew seven touches in Week 1, eight in Week 3 after missing Week 2, and then 17 against the 49ers. That Week 4 jump came on both fronts, with seven carries for 25 yards alongside the 10 receptions for 68 yards, and it suggests Denver is finding more ways to get him the ball rather than leaning on him only in obvious passing situations.

The backfield is also getting thinner. Jonah Coleman, who handled 13 touches and scored in Week 2, is now on injured reserve with an ankle sprain. J.K. Dobbins remains the early-down option with 51.1% of the carries, but he is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry without a touchdown on the season. Harvey has been the more efficient runner on a smaller sample at 4.1 yards per carry, and Denver will also be without receiver Pat Bryant, who is expected to miss a few weeks with an ankle sprain. Fewer healthy pass catchers can only help Harvey’s case for more targets.

The matchup cooperates. The Chargers have allowed 23.4 PPR points per game to running backs, above the league average of 21.9, while facing 26.2 carries per game against a league mark of 22.2. That volume has come against Buffalo, Arizona, Las Vegas and Seattle, a group running for 9% more than league average, so the schedule has been close to neutral and the numbers are a fair reflection of the defense. Running backs have caught 4.0 passes per game against Los Angeles for 31.0 receiving yards, right in line with league norms, which leaves Harvey’s receiving role fully intact. Safety Derwin James Jr. is also week-to-week with a hamstring injury and did not practice Wednesday or Thursday.

The Biggest Fantasy Risk for RJ Harvey in Week 5

Harvey has no role near the goal line. He has zero red zone carries on the season and only two red zone targets, while Dobbins has six carries inside the 20. The short-yardage work belongs to Dobbins, and with Coleman sidelined, any carries Coleman would have taken in scoring position are more likely to flow to Dobbins than to Harvey.

That makes Harvey almost entirely dependent on receptions and yardage. He has not scored a touchdown this season, and Denver is not an offense that hands out many scoring chances. The Broncos are averaging 18.5 points per game with only two rushing touchdowns as a team, and they are running for just 3.61 yards per carry. Without the end zone in play, Harvey needs another heavy dose of targets to approach his Week 4 output.

The Chargers’ run defense also tightens up on a per-carry basis. Los Angeles is allowing 3.91 yards per carry to backs, below the league average of 4.14, so the rushing side of Harvey’s workload may not add much. His week will rise and fall with how often Bo Nix looks his way.

There is also the question of whether Week 4 was a new baseline or a one-game spike. Ten targets is a big number for any back, and Harvey had 11 targets combined across his first two games. Even at that earlier rate, though, he was drawing more than five targets per game, which keeps his floor sturdy.

Fantasy Outlook for RJ Harvey in Week 5

Start Harvey in Week 5 as a PPR FLEX with upside. His receiving role is real and growing, Coleman’s absence trims the rotation, and the Chargers have allowed running backs to pile up points all season.

He is a stronger play in full PPR formats, where his reception volume matters more than in standard leagues, where the lack of touchdowns and modest rushing efficiency show up more clearly. The ceiling is capped by Dobbins owning the short-yardage carries, but Harvey’s floor makes him a reliable piece for fantasy managers who need a steady contributor in their lineup.

With Kansas City and Carolina on bye this week, Harvey is the type of dependable FLEX option that can fill a hole without demanding a leap of faith. Put him in your lineup and expect a busy afternoon as one of Nix’s go-to outlets.

Find more Week 5 fantasy football start/sit coverage here!