The Denver Broncos have needed to shore up the running back room for multiple years now, and for about half of the 2025 season, it seemed like things were trending in that direction. J.K. Dobbins was, as we know, on pace for well over 1,000 rushing yards before suffering a freak season-ending foot injury against the Las Vegas Raiders.
And while his receiving skill set was outstanding, RJ Harvey just was not an efficient runner on a down-to-down basis. He does possess exceptional speed, but the overall efficiency on the ground was only hurting the Broncos offense down the stretch when he got carries.
Harvey did get into the end zone 12 times, which was ideal, and it seems like his impact as a receiver was more impactful than we realize.
Denver Broncos' RJ Harvey was one of the best pass-catchers under pressure in 2025
PFF rolled out a list containing the best pass-catchers when a defense was generating pressure last year, and then-rookie RJ Harvey cracked the list:
"While Harvey may have spent much of his rookie season as the supporting cast to J.K. Dobbins‘ lead, the young back quickly carved out a starring role on passing downs. The Broncos‘ elite pass protection did well to limit pressure situations, but in the event rushers did push through, the Bo Nix-Harvey connection made them pay for it. Harvey’s four touchdowns when the defense generated pressure not only led his team, but also topped all backs in the NFL."
Harvey finished with 47 receptions, 356 yards, and five touchdowns. He caught 81 percent of his targets and had a 121 passer rating when targeted in 2025, according to Pro Football Reference. Harvey did average fewer than eight yards per reception, but he did finish the season with 4.6 yards per touch, so there was some efficiency present.
It is quite surprising, to be honest, that Harvey led all running backs in this metric, and it does make you wonder just how much more impactful he can be as a receiver in 2026. With Dobbins back in the mix and healthy, and the team having drafted Jonah Coleman in Round 4 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Harvey could potentially lean into this receiving role even more.
Dobbins isn't much of a receiver to begin with, and his efficiency as a ball carrier, plus his injury history, makes him a logical 'runner only' in the offense. Coleman is actually cut from a similar cloth. He's not a huge threat as a receiver and should primarily make his impact as a runner.
While the Broncos surely did not draft Harvey with the intention of him being a predominant receiver, this could be where things are headed. What would make this entire running back situation even more fun is if Harvey does progress in the right direction as a runner. It's possible, and it could create a situation where the Broncos have three legitimate running backs, perhaps creating a 'good' problem in the backfield.
But, the point here is that Harvey's receiving ability was clearly a massive positive for the team in 2025, so the Broncos must continue to showcase it in 2026.
Add us as a preferred source on Google