The Broncos spent the offseason loading up on offense, and that reshaping could leave RJ Harvey in a tricky spot before 2026 even gets rolling.
Denver added wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, then kept building with rookie help at running back and tight end. On paper, it’s a much stronger unit than the one the Broncos rolled out before. But the moves also changed the math in the backfield, where Harvey’s role may not be as secure as his rookie stat line suggests.
Harvey put up 896 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns as a rookie, but Moe Moton still pegged him as the Broncos’ biggest bust candidate for 2026. The reasoning is pretty straightforward: Denver doesn’t appear eager to hand him a bigger workload after bringing back J.K. Dobbins and drafting Jonah Coleman in the fourth round.
“Expect Dobbins to maintain an early-down role. Harvey may share pass-catching opportunities with Coleman.
According to The Denver Post's Luca Evans, Coleman was heavily involved in the passing game during the spring. The Broncos beat reporter believes the rookie will "probably" see the field right away, which doesn't bode well for Harvey's second-year outlook.
As a collegian, Coleman caught 87 passes for 838 yards and three touchdowns. He's equipped to eat into Harvey's role on obvious passing downs.”
That’s the heart of the concern. Dobbins is back on a two-year deal, and while he isn’t a workhorse, he was the Broncos’ best back when healthy in 2025. He averaged five yards per carry and had only one game with fewer than 60 rushing yards.
The ideal setup for Denver is simple enough: keep Dobbins’ workload manageable, let Harvey and Coleman handle the rest, and hope the group stays productive. But if Coleman keeps flashing as a receiver and earns snaps early, Harvey could be pushed into a smaller slice of the offense than the Broncos expected.
Coleman’s case is not just about catching passes, either. He already brings pass protection ability, which gives him a chance to look like the more complete back. And if he proves he can handle enough work as a runner, the Broncos may have every reason to keep him on the field.
That’s where Harvey’s outlook gets cloudy. His best path to value is tied to his pass-catching skill, but if Coleman shows similar juice in that area, Denver could start leaning toward the rookie instead.
In the best-case scenario, the Broncos end up with three useful backs and a pleasant problem to solve. In the worst-case version for Harvey, Coleman’s emergence is exactly what nudges him toward that bust conversation.
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