The Denver Broncos may have found something bigger than expected in RJ Harvey.
For most of the 2025 season, the conversation around Denver’s backfield was about how the team was finally getting some stability there. J.K.
Dobbins was on pace for more than 1,000 rushing yards before a freak season-ending foot injury against the Las Vegas Raiders changed everything. Harvey, meanwhile, brought real value as a receiver, but he wasn’t consistently efficient as a runner from down to down.
That’s where the interesting part comes in. Harvey scored 12 touchdowns, and his work in the passing game may have been even more important than it first looked.
PFF included Harvey on its list of the best pass-catchers when a defense generated pressure last season, and the rookie stood out in a major way.
"While Harvey may have spent much of his rookie season as the supporting cast to J.K. Dobbins‘ lead, the young back quickly carved out a starring role on passing downs.
The Broncos‘ elite pass protection did well to limit pressure situations, but in the event rushers did push through, the Bo Nix-Harvey connection made them pay for it. Harvey’s four touchdowns when the defense generated pressure not only led his team, but also topped all backs in the NFL."
Harvey finished the year with 47 catches, 356 receiving yards, and five receiving touchdowns. He caught 81 percent of his targets and posted a 121 passer rating when targeted in 2025, according to Pro Football Reference. His yards per catch were under eight, but he still finished at 4.6 yards per touch, which points to real efficiency in the role he was given.
What makes this even more notable is that Harvey led all running backs in that pressure-catch metric. That opens the door to a bigger receiving role in 2026, especially with Dobbins back healthy and Denver adding Jonah Coleman in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Dobbins is not much of a receiver, and with his injury history and running efficiency, he fits naturally as more of a runner-only option. Coleman profiles similarly, with his impact expected to come primarily on the ground rather than through the air.
The Broncos didn’t draft Harvey to be a receiver first, but that may be where his value grows the most. If he can also take a step forward as a runner, Denver could end up with a backfield that gives it three legitimate options and a useful kind of depth problem. For now, the clearest takeaway is simple: Harvey’s receiving ability was a real asset in 2025, and the Broncos should keep leaning into it in 2026.
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The 2025 numbers back up the argument. The Broncos were stout against the run, disruptive in the pass rush and steady in pass protection, a combination that gives them a foundation few rivals can match. Even with J.K. Dobbins part of the conversation before his injury, the larger picture is the same for Denver: if the trenches stay dominant, the path to the top of the division gets a lot clearer. [Read more 🡒]