Is J.K. Dobbins or RJ Harvey Starting for the Broncos? Which Denver Running Back Should You Draft in 2025?

July 20, 2025

Is J.K. Dobbins or RJ Harvey the RB1 for the Broncos? Should you draft Harvey or Dobbins in 2025 fantasy football drafts? Joey's expert draft analysis and advice.

The Denver Broncos didn't get much production from their running back room last season. Javonte Williams averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, Jaleel McLaughlin totaled only 496 yards, and Audric Estime was barely involved as a rookie with 310 rush yards. Those three running backs totaled a combined 1,319 rushing yards. 

As a result, the running back position was a major need for this team this offseason. Williams left in free agency, and the Broncos couldn't possibly go into the season with McLaughlin and Estime as their top two running backs. That led to them selecting RJ Harvey early in the 2025 NFL Draft and picking up J.K. Dobbins in free agency. 

But is Dobbins or Harvey the RB1 for the Broncos this upcoming season? Which running back should fantasy managers be looking to target in 2025 fantasy football drafts? Let's dive in and find out. 

J.K. Dobbins Fantasy Football Outlook

There's no doubt that Dobbins has endured plenty of injuries throughout his career. He tore his ACL in a preseason game in 2021 and then tore his Achilles in Week 1 of the 2023 season. When healthy, though, the former Ohio State star has shown his potential throughout the years, including a career campaign in 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers. 

He rushed for a career-high 905 yards to go with nine rushing touchdowns. Those numbers helped him finish as the RB24 in PPR formats while averaging 14.8 PPR fantasy points per game. After going undrafted in most fantasy leagues last year, Dobbins was definitely a waiver wire gem for managers. 

The 26-year-old scored above 15 PPR fantasy points in seven of his 13 games and had three different 20-point PPR fantasy days (Week 1, Week 2, and Week 9). Although Dobbins missed four games due to an MCL sprain from Week 13 to Week 16, he emerged as a weekly must-start in a run-heavy Chargers offense. 

Running backs with more 30+ yard rushes than JK Dobbins last season:

Saquon Barkley
Derrick Henry
Bucky Irving
<end of list>

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) July 16, 2025

Unfortunately, the Chargers were not interested in bringing him back after the team signed Najee Harris in free agency and selected Omarion Hampton in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. That opened the door for Dobbins to sign with the Broncos later in the free agency period. Denver agreed to a one-year, $2.75 million deal with the five-year veteran in June. 

Coming off a solid rushing season on the ground, Dobbins should see plenty of opportunities in this Denver offense. He is on a Broncos offense that ranked 11th in team run plays per game last year (27.1), and the 26-year-old could start the season as the team's RB1. Cody Roark of Mile High Sports said at the beginning of July that Dobbins "will likely be the starter" to open the 2025 campaign. 

As a result, he could be a sneaky pick in fantasy drafts this season. His ADP currently sits at 134.4 on Sleeper, which is too low for a running back who is expected to begin the year as Denver's RB1. After averaging 4.64 yards per carry in 2024, there's no reason why Dobbins can't be a solid flex play in an ascending Broncos offense each week. 

RJ Harvey Fantasy Football Outlook

Denver was always going to select a running back in this year's NFL Draft. That position was a clear need, and the team needed a difference maker out of the backfield. The Broncos got just that when they selected Harvey in the second round (60th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft. The 5-foot-8 running back comes to the NFL after playing all four of his college seasons at UCF. 

However, it wasn't until his 2023 college season that Harvey really broke out. He rushed for 1,416 yards and 16 touchdowns during that campaign while also totaling 238 receiving yards in the passing game. The Florida native then put together his best college season in 2024, totaling 1,844 yards from scrimmage and 25 total touchdowns with the Knights. 

Therefore, it wasn't a surprise to see Harvey go early in the NFL Draft. He totaled over 100 rush yards in nine of 12 games in 2024, including a 196-yard, two-touchdown performance against Iowa State in the middle of the season. It was certainly an all-around strong year for the UCF product, who averaged 6.8 yards per carry in his final college campaign. 

The 24-year-old is now looking to make an immediate impact in the NFL. Even though the addition of Dobbins does hurt his fantasy value a bit, Harvey should still have a significant role in this offense in Year 1. He was praised during OTAs last month, with quarterback Bo Nix saying, "he can run the ball, but I think it's the other things that he's [already] showing." 

Nix essentially pointed out Harvey's potential in Denver's passing offense, which could help the rookie emerge as a reliable RB2 fantasy option throughout the season. Williams saw the fifth-most targets (70) and caught the sixth-most passes (52) among all running backs in 2024. That role should belong to the rookie in his first season, considering Dobbins hasn't been known as a pass-catcher in his career. 

Could RJ Harvey be among the RB leaders in receptions? 🚀 pic.twitter.com/5zgdaX4Lqt

— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) July 16, 2025

So, Harvey is worth taking at his 59.8 ADP on Sleeper. Although Roark's report states that Dobbins should start the season as the team's RB1, there's no way Denver is just going to push the rookie to the side. The UCF product is the third-highest running back taken by Sean Payton in his coaching career. Only Reggie Bush (No. 2 in 2006) and Mark Ingram II (No. 28 overall in 2011) were drafted higher. 

Both of those running backs were also heavily involved in their rookie seasons in Payton's offense. Bush totaled 1,307 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns in 2006, and Ingram totaled 474 yards and five touchdowns across 10 games. If Ingram hadn't missed six games due to injury, he would have totaled over 750 rush yards in his first year. 

That makes Harvey an RB2 target in the early-to-middle part of drafts. His receiving potential should help him see plenty of chances, and there is a strong chance the rookie eventually overtakes Dobbins for the RB1 role as the season progresses. The UCF product is just a more explosive runner, and his speed (4.40 40-yard dash) will make him a major weapon in this Broncos offense. 

Who Should You Draft in Fantasy Football? 

Both Dobbins and Harvey have the chance to stay fantasy-relevant throughout the year. Both backs will be running behind one of the best offensive lines in football. This Denver offensive line ranked first in run block win rate (75%) in 2024, and four of the five starters from last year (Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz, and Mike McGlinchey) return. 

As a result, both running backs are worth taking in drafts this season. However, if you had to choose one Broncos running back, the exciting rookie is going to be the better pick in fantasy drafts. Harvey has the chance to explode in this Denver offense in Year 1 and has a higher fantasy ceiling than Dobbins.

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 pic.twitter.com/MhwIlbFz59

— Austin Abbott (@AustinAbbottFF) May 8, 2025

Harvey's potential, both as a runner and receiver, could allow him to finish as a high-end RB2 in 2025, while Dobbins' fantasy upside is capped due to his likely limited involvement in the pass game and prior injury history. Still, both running backs should complement each other in this offense, making the rookie a nice RB2 target in the fifth/sixth round and the veteran a nice sleeper target in the later rounds. 

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