Exciting Broncos' rookie could be climbing up the depth chart ahead of Week 2

The Denver Broncos hope that their 2025 rookie class is a foundational one for the future, and this exciting rookie could pave the way for that.

Denver definitely went against the grain a bit in this draft, as they traded down multiple times and also were the only team that used a draft pick on a punter. This front office has been cooking with grease for years now, and this could be their latest dish.

Well, the rookie class did not get a ton of action in their first NFL games, a Week 1 win over the Tennessee Titans, but this key rookie definitely made the most of his chances and could be climbing up the depth chart a lot sooner than we all thought.

Will RJ Harvey climb his way to the RB1 role quicker than we thought?

RJ Harvey had a crucial 50-yard run in the fourth quarter of Denver's Week 1 victory, and this run really seemed to open things up for the offense. JK Dobbins had a rushing touchdown to cap off the drive, but Harvey's elite movement in between the tackles and overall burst is something that no other back on the Broncos has:

Not only is he up for the NFL Rookie of the Week award, but he finished with 70 yards on just six carries. The Broncos did come into the season with JK Dobbins as their RB1, and Dobbins is quite good. He's averaged 5.2 yards per carry over his career and simply an efficient player when he's on the field.

But as we know, he's got that brutal injury history, and he's just not nearly as explosive as RJ Harvey. As the season goes on, if Harvey continues to make the most of his chances, the Broncos could be faced with a reality that their rookie RB is the best back they've got.

JK Dobbins is a safe option in the backfield, but he's definitely more of a high-floor, lower-ceiling player. RJ Harvey might end up passing him on the depth chart in the 2025 season.