The NFL season is quickly approaching, and fantasy drafts are in full swing. At DraftKings, you can play an array of different season-long fantasy contests.
This is a look at the fantasy value of all the players in the Denver Broncos’ backfield.
Denver Broncos Backfield
The Broncos are hoping to build on their success from last season. In Bo Nix’s rookie season as the Broncos’ starting quarterback, he led the team to the postseason. Denver had the best defense in the NFL last season by EPA/play and should be one of the league’s best defenses again. Nix didn’t make a lot of flashy plays and might not have the same ceiling as Jayden Daniels, but he did the job required for Denver to win games. With such an elite defense, good coaching and just enough weapons on offense, Nix just needed to manage the game and avoid mistakes. He did just that, leading the Broncos to 10 wins.
Last season was very much a running game by committee for Denver. Audric Estime, Bo Nix, Jaleel McLaughlin and Javonte Williams all ran for between 310 and 513 yards last season. Williams and McLaughlin had a pretty even split of the carries, and Nix was a weapon with his legs as well. The backfield will look completely different for Denver this season. Williams is now a Cowboy, and McLaughlin and Estime are likely to be bumped down the depth chart. The Broncos made two running back acquisitions this offseason, signing J.K. Dobbins in free agency and drafting RJ Harvey from UCF in the second round.
Running Back Handcuff: RJ Harvey
J.K. Dobbins is a talented back, but he has had issues staying on the field his entire career. In 2022 and 2023, he played a total of nine games for the Ravens. He moved to the Chargers last season, managing to play just 13 games for Los Angeles. Dobbins was productive when on the field, ranking 10th in the NFL in rushing yards per game. The Broncos are likely going to start him as the down-to-down, between-the-tackles back to start the season. However, with his injury issues throughout the years, a handcuff is required when drafting Dobbins.
The best handcuff choice is rookie RJ Harvey. In the modern NFL, teams don’t draft a running back in the second round unless they are going to play a significant role in the offense. Harvey has incredible potential, and over the last two seasons at UCF, he ranked fourth in the nation in rushing yards. Even if Dobbins starts the season as the official RB1, Harvey should get a lot of work as a change-of-pace back and in the passing game. The Broncos like using the read option and running RPO with Bo Nix, and Harvey’s dynamic ability as a runner and receiver should make him the perfect pair for those play calls. Harvey is a must-handcuff with Dobbins, and there is a decent chance that Harvey is the primary running back by the end of this season.
