Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is one of the best offensive minds in modern football history. He's been so great at identifying talent at every turn of the NFL Draft, and we've seen him assemble some incredible draft classes over the course of his career.
Payton and the Broncos are obviously hopeful that the 2025 NFL Draft class can be a special one, even if it includes some bigger risks than anyone in Broncos Country was comfortable with back in the Spring.
Considering the Broncos entered the 2025 NFL Draft with running back as arguably their biggest need, Payton and the rest of the Broncos' brain trust took a significant risk by waiting until the 60th overall pick, even trading down, to take UCF playmaker RJ Harvey. That selection has quickly started to fulfill prophecy.
Broncos RB RJ Harvey emerging at the perfect time for Sean Payton
The JOKER has been unleashed in Denver... and his name is RJ Harvey 🃏
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) October 2, 2025
The Alvin Kamara comparison is eerie 👀@heykayadams | @Broncos pic.twitter.com/lDgMqoFwHB
The term "Joker" has been so widely discussed this offseason for the Broncos that it's become nauseating for fans of the team, but you can call it whatever you want for the time being. The last "Joker" Sean Payton had with the Saints was running back Alvin Kamara, and he was arguably the best one he ever had as well.
Kay Adams and her crew at Up & Adams posted a pretty remarkable comparison between Kamara and RJ Harvey in Week 4 of their respective rookie seasons, and the statistical production is eerily similar.
In Week 4 against the Bengals, Harvey had 18 touches for 98 yards and his first career receiving touchdown. In Week 4 of his rookie year back in 2017, Kamara had 15 touches for 95 yards and his first career receiving touchdown.
Payton couldn't have gotten this closer if he tried.
This is more than just Payton seeing shades of Kamara in RJ Harvey, this feels like Harvey fulfilling some sort of Payton prophecy. Over the course of the offseason, Payton joked that the Broncos hadn't given Harvey his "Joker wings" just yet, but the game against the Bengals seemed to be as clear of an indicator as any that the Broncos were unleashing the rookie.
We saw glimpses of it in the team's Week 3 loss against the Chargers where Harvey's biggest run was called back due to a penalty, and a pass play designed to get Harvey some space after the catch was foiled by missed blocks on the part of his teammates.
It's big enough for the Denver offense to have JK Dobbins running as well as he has this season, but to have Harvey making plays on top of it? It gives the Broncos a dynamic at the position they haven't had in a long, long time.