If you’ve been following the Denver Broncos for any extended period of time, there’s one stat you’ve probably seen over and over again, if only for how it’s come to define the franchise in recent years.
The stat? Since Phillip Lindsay in 2019, no Denver player has cracked 1,000 rushing yards in a single season.
That’s a long time.
It’s a streak ESPN’s Field Yates thinks will come to an end in 2025 with rookie running back RJ Harvey, a second round pick (No. 60 overall) out of UCF.
“Broncos running back RJ Harvey will rush for 1,000-plus yards and catch 40-plus passes,” Yates wrote on May 9. “Some were surprised that Harvey lasted until late in Round 2, but I thought it was right on the money (Harvey was 65th on my final board). He gives me Bucky Irving vibes as a smaller back who plays and runs bigger, with explosive running skills and legit receiving upside.”
Before 2024, the Broncos’ streak of not having a 1,000 yard rusher or 1,000 yard receiver both dated back to 2019, but the combination of rookie quarterback Bo Nix and veteran wide receiver Courtland Sutton broke one of those streaks in 2024.
They also broke another streak — the most important streak — with the Broncos making the postseason for the first time since 2015.
Still, the running game fell flat. Leading rusher Javonte Williams, who left for the Dallas Cowboys in free agency, only rushed for 513 yards and 4 touchdowns while averaging a paltry 3.7 yards per carry.
If the Broncos can find a way to add a 1,000 yard rusher to the mix in Harvey, with all the other parts already in place, it’s not hard to see another playoff spot in the cards.
Broncos Already Handed Keys to Harvey
According to the Broncos’ latest depth chart on OurLads.com, Harvey will enter minicamp as Denver’s starter at running back. That’s a slight surprise but also probably the smartest move for the team.
As the No. 60 overall pick, Harvey is in line for a 4-year, $7.3 million contract.
“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.”
Harvey, 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds, 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 — a key to any good running back in Broncos head coach Sean Payton’s offense.
RJ Harvey was the ONLY RB in CFB to hit these marks:
➖1,500+ Rushing Yards
➖Sub 250 Attempts
His 2nd Round Draft Capital tells us a lot..
Notable Information:
➖40 Time: 4.40 (96th Percentile)
➖Target Share: 9.3% (96th Percentile)
A VERY clear path to being Denver’s RB1
“RJ Harvey is one of most underrated superstar potential players in the 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 … His vision is incredible … I thought he was the best at setting up blockers in the draft.”
