Out with the old, in with the new. The Denver Broncos allowed starting running back of the past two seasons, Javonte Williams, to hit the bricks in free agency this past spring.
Fortunately for Williams, he landed in a favorable spot with the Dallas Cowboys. He was a solid, reliable running back who epitomized the 'jack of all trades, master of none' label as a Bronco.
Although the Broncos have done well over the past two years to involve the running backs in the passing game, they fielded one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL with Williams as the lead back. Head coach Sean Payton knew that his offense was leaving too much meat on the bone.
Enter RJ Harvey via the second round of the 2025 NFL draft. As fantasy football players start eyeing their coming 2025 drafts, looking for those new players, or even veteran transplants in new environments, ESPN's Eric Moody has tapped Harvey as a player to target.
"Drafted 60th overall by the Broncos, Harvey landed in one of the best environments for running back production. Head coach Sean Payton's offense has long emphasized running back involvement in the passing game," Moody wrote. "Broncos backs have a league-high 226 receptions over the past two seasons, and Harvey is projected to lead the backfield in touches while taking over as Denver's primary receiving back. Harvey has a smaller frame at 5-foot-8, 205 pounds, but he ran a 4.40 40-yard dash at the combine (fourth among RBs) and was second in his draft class in runs of 10-plus yards in 2024."
So far, Moody seems to be reading the room right. Harvey is the early frontrunner to fill the Broncos' RB1 shoes vacated by Williams' departure.
However, in the final week of the offseason training program, the Broncos hedged their bet on the dynamic rookie by signing a sixth-year veteran who happens to only be 26 years old and boasts a 5.2 yards-per-carry average for his career, slightly muddying the water when it comes to projecting the work load this season.
The opportunity is there for the taking, though.
"The Broncos' backfield is wide open following the departure of Javonte Williams, who accounted for 285 routes run last season, more than twice that of any other Denver running back. J.K. Dobbins is likely to share early-down work, but Harvey should see plenty of passing-down opportunities," Moody wrote. "And with the Broncos having the fifth-most vacated touches among NFL backfields, even in a two-man committee, Harvey would see enough volume to be a high-end flex with RB2 upside."
Payton likes the running-back-by-committee approach, and while it's hard to say for sure whether Harvey or Dobbins will get the lion's share of the carries and receptions out of the backfield, it's safe to assume they'll be Denver's one-two punch. The arrival of this pair has left incumbents like Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Tyler Badie on less-sure footing, but of that trio, McLaughlin has the wiggle, speed, and skill set to thrive as the third back Payton throws into the fray.
One of the most mystifying aspects of Denver's poor run game last year was the play and presence of the offensive line, a unit regarded as one of the top one or two in the NFL. The Broncos prioritized explosiveness in their running back acquisitions this year, and both Harvey and Dobbins have much better vision than Williams, who frustrated fans by so often running into the back of his blockers.
That offensive line is returning all five starters in 2025, and it's the final point in Moody's closing argument for Harvey being a possible fantasy darling this season.
"Harvey also benefits from running behind one of the league's best offensive lines. Denver returns all five starters from an elite unit in 2025," Moody wrote. "Quinn Meinerz is arguably the league's best right guard, and tackles Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey were excellent pass protectors last season. If the Broncos' offense takes a step forward with Bo Nix and the line remains dominant, Harvey could exceed expectations in Payton's RB-friendly scheme."
Moody's ESPN colleague Mike Clay projects Harvey to rush for 811 yards and five touchdowns in 2025, and catch 54 passes for 421 receiving yards and three additional scores. For Dobbins, Clay projects 705 rushing yards and five touchdowns, with 30 receptions for 193 yards and another score.
If Clay's projections turn out to be accurate, Harvey will account for 1,232 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns. Based on what we know about Harvey as a player, how he's looked since arriving in Denver, and what Payton himself has said about him, it wouldn't surprise me to see him eclipse 1,500 scrimmage yards and double-digit touchdowns.
Fantasy football owners take heed.
