The Denver Broncos didn’t stand on ceremony when it came to rookie running back and second round pick RJ Harvey‘s role in the offense moving forward.
Harvey, it seems, will be the featured back. Full stop. If that doesn’t make sense, you haven’t been paying attention to the dire state of the Broncos’ running game for the better part of the last decade.
According to the Broncos’ latest depth chart on OurLads.com, Harvey will enter minicamp as Denver’s starter at running back and ahead of a gaggle of players who have already been given plenty of chances to prove they’re The Man and failed.
For a team that hasn’t had a player rush for 1,000 yards since 2019, any change is welcome at this point. Establishing a competent run game might also be the key to Denver returning to the postseason for a second consecutive season.
“After conducting a deep dive for information, watching hours of game film and crunching the numbers, the Denver Broncos concluded that UCF’s RJ Harvey was the best running back not named Ashton Jeanty in the 2025 NFL draft,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote on May 7. “So when they were ready to make their second-round pick (No. 60 overall) on Day 2 of the draft, the decision was easy.”
“Instant juice…you’re not gonna catch him!”
Everything that was said about RJ Harvey on ABC, ESPN2 & NFL Network 👇
Harvey Called ‘Underrated Superstar’ in Rookie Class
We don’t need to look very far to see what kind of talent evaluator Denver head coach Sean Payton is when it comes to running backs — never forget this was the man who selected Alvin Kamara in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft when he was head coach of the New Orleans Saints.
Under Payton, Kamara became one of the NFL’s best running backs. He was the 2017 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and is a 2-time NFL All-Pro and 5-time Pro Bowler. He’s also one of the NFL highest paid running backs of all time and will have approximately $79.3 million in career earnings when his current contract runs out after the 2026 season.
Harvey, 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds, could be that kind of player for the Broncos. He had over 1,400 rushing yards each of his last 2 seasons at UCF as he racked up 3,498 yards of total offense along with 48 career touchdowns. He was named All-Big 12 and All-American in 2024 with 1,577 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns in 12 games while averaging 6.8 yards per carry. Harvey also showed the ability to catch the ball, with 20 receptions for 267 yards and 2 touchdowns.
“RJ Harvey is one of most underrated superstar potential player in league,” NBC Sports NFL Insider Chris Simms wrote on his official X account. “Ankle breaker and 80 yd td ability. Had him as the #3 RB.”
Broncos Lost Leading Rusher to Cowboys
The opening for a featured running back on Denver’s offense came after the Broncos didn’t lift a finger to stop last year’s leading rusher, Javonte Williams, from leaving town on a 1-year, $3 million free agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys.
While Williams led the Broncos in rushing 3 of the last 4 seasons, he had arguably his worst season as a pro in 2024, when he led Denver with 513 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns while he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry.
