The Broncos left Week 4 with a loss to the 49ers, but they also came away with something that may matter just as much moving forward: a clear reason to lean harder on RJ Harvey.
Denver was hanging around before George Kittle’s late touchdown stretched the game beyond reach, and the result added another layer to a month that has already exposed familiar problems. Still, buried inside the ugly finish was a bright spot from the backfield, where Harvey turned in the kind of all-around performance that should force the Broncos to rethink the pecking order.
Harvey’s stat line didn’t jump off the page at first glance, but it was productive in plenty of ways. He ran 7 times for 25 yards, caught 10 passes for 68 yards and added 2 kick returns for 64 yards.
Put it all together and he finished with 157 all-purpose yards, including 93 scrimmage yards on offense. He handled 19 total touches and averaged 8.3 yards per touch.
That kind of usage matters because Harvey still has room to grow as a runner, and he is not going to get there unless the ball keeps finding its way into his hands. The second-year back had a disappointing rookie season on the ground, but he also scored 12 touchdowns and showed the burst that makes him worth building around.
The bigger issue for Denver is that J.K. Dobbins has not looked like the player he once was. Through four games, he has not topped 4.5 yards per carry in any contest, a sharp drop from the 5.0 yards per rush he posted last year.
Jonah Coleman remains on IR and is not eligible to return until October 25th, which only strengthens the case for Harvey to get the bulk of the carries right now. When Coleman does come back, the Broncos could have a useful combination: Coleman working between the tackles while Harvey attacks on the outside.
Denver opened the 2025 season at 2-2, and while this version of that record feels very different, the Week 4 loss at least offered one encouraging answer in the backfield.
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