The Denver Broncos have not gotten a great effort from the running back position in the first four games of the 2026 season, and the team may soon be taking a different approach in the offensive backfield.
Against the San Francisco 49ers this past Sunday, the Broncos failed to create much on the ground, but there was one notable takeaway from the distribution of offensive snaps at the running back position. The Broncos had RJ Harvey on the field for 29 of their offensive plays, while J.K. Dobbins, the player who is supposed to be the team's RB1, saw only 21 snaps.
Dobbins carried the ball 11 times for 40 yards and caught two passes for 12 yards, meaning he touched the ball on 13 of the 21 plays he was on the field for. But his average of just
four yards per touch isn't cutting it.
The Broncos turned to Harvey more often, especially as a receiver out of the backfield, and he was the most productive player on offense against San Francisco. He rushed for only 25 yards on seven carries but led the team with 10 receptions for 68 yards. That translates to nearly 5.5 yards per touch, much better than Dobbins.
Will RJ Harvey soon surpass J.K. Dobbins on the depth chart?
This is a strategy that the Broncos will likely utilize going forward, particularly if an opponent is susceptible to running backs catching the ball out of the backfield, as that is a huge strength of Harvey's.
Watching Dobbins in action this year, it seems painfully obvious that he's just not the same player he was at this time last year. He lacks a burst and he's just not finding the holes that he was able to find running behind this same offensive line last season.
The Broncos are going to need much more out of their running backs the rest of this season and that is why the eventual return of Jonah Coleman will be so helpful. As for Dobbins, he could easily take a back seat to the two younger players once that happens.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Is RJ Harvey moving ahead of J.K. Dobbins for the Broncos?
