J.K. Dobbins has not looked anything like the runner Broncos fans got to know last season, and the numbers through three games tell the story fast.
After 617 career carries at better than 5.0 yards per attempt, Dobbins is sitting at 121 yards on 35 rushes in 2026. That works out to 3.5 yards per carry, along with just four first downs, no touchdowns and one fumble.
He left the Week 2 win over Jacksonville early after what was initially reported as a possible hamstring injury, but he did not miss any time. Then came Sunday night against the Rams, when he handled 17 carries and finished with only 49 yards.
That decline was enough to spark a blunt discussion on a recent edition of “Dover and Cecil” on 104.3 The Fan, where Cecil Lammey went straight at the issue.
“Why can’t they run the ball with J.K. Dobbins?” Lammey said.
From there, he worked through the obvious suspects and dismissed the line as the main culprit.
“Is it the line? No, they’re top-10 in run block win rate.
Is it schematically? Maybe sometimes, like you said, some of those third and ones.
I did see J.K. dance way too much last night,” Lammey said.
That was the part that stood out most to him: Dobbins hesitating when the play called for a decisive burst straight ahead. In Lammey’s view, the short-yardage moments made the problem obvious.
“Get the ball, hit the hole. Stop dancing.
You’re not gonna reverse your field. You’re not gonna do any of these things.
Like, J.K. should know better than that,” Lammey said.
It’s a sharp contrast with the version of Dobbins who broke out in Denver last season, the one who looked quick, direct and dangerous the moment a crease opened. Lammey said the back he’s seeing now doesn’t match that player.
“But point-blank period, J.K. doesn’t look like J.K.,” Lammey said.
He then floated two possibilities: Dobbins is dealing with an injury right now, or the accumulation of injuries has simply changed him.
“J.K. looks like a knockoff of J.K. because I think either he is currently hurt, or it’s the compilation of all the injuries that have caused him to be just this player,” Lammey said.
Either way, it leaves the Broncos with a real issue. If he’s hurt, that would help explain the lack of burst and the extra hesitation.
If this is the result of wear and tear, it may be much harder to solve. And with RJ Harvey waiting behind him, Dobbins may not have many more chances to show he can still be the back Broncos Country remembers.
In Other News...
Broncos Just Got A Reminder Of Where They Stand With CBS
The broadcast assignments for this week offered a small but telling reminder of how CBS is viewing the AFC West picture. Rather than placing its top crew on Broncos-49ers, the network sent Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt to Raiders-Chiefs, leaving Denvers matchup to a different booth in the same time slot. For Broncos fans, it was the kind of selection that tends to sting a little, especially when the alternative is a game that could carry more weight on the field.
The reaction followed quickly, with plenty of fans arguing that star power and familiar storylines won out over the more compelling football. It also served as another confirmation that Tony Romo remains away from CBS broadcasts, even as the network leans on its other marquee voices for the biggest windows. For Denver, the message was hard to miss: the Broncos still have to earn their place in the spotlight before CBS treats them like a featured game. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Took An Unusual Risk In Denvers Comeback Win
Sean Payton did something out of character in Denvers comeback win over the Rams, and it helped swing the game. The Broncos pulled out a 30-26 victory with a pair of successful two-point conversions in the third quarter, a stretch of aggression from a coach who usually leans conservative in that part of the game. The calls were not just bold in the abstract, either, with one built around a pass from Bo Nix to Jaylen Waddle and another coming off a trick look involving Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant.
For Payton, the moves stood out because they ran against his usual preference to avoid going for two that early. It was the kind of in-game shift that can define a close win, especially when a team is trying to claw back against a quality opponent. The Broncos got the result they needed, but the more interesting part may be what it says about how far Payton is willing to push the envelope when the moment calls for it. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Secondary Suddenly Has A Jahdae Barron Question Again
Jahdae Barrons role changed quickly in the Broncos game against the Rams, when the rookie corner saw a notable bump in defensive work after being used sparingly in the first two weeks. Barron played 24 defensive snaps in that matchup, a sharp rise from just six total over Denvers first two games, and it gave the coaching staff a better look at where he fits in a secondary that has been shuffling pieces.
Barrons sudden uptick adds a fresh layer to a competition that already involves Riley Moss and JaQuan McMillian, and it may make Denvers next personnel decisions more interesting than they looked a week ago. The Broncos have been searching for the right mix back there, and Barrons expanded role at least suggests the conversation is not settled yet. [Read more 🡒]