The Denver Broncos' running back room is still viewed as a concern by many analysts, and after losing starter Javonte Williams, their only addition to the room was second-round draft pick RJ Harvey. Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson each had some moments last year.
Estime and McLaughlin were solid to close out the season, but the room overall was terrible.
So, when we look at Pro Football Focus' top 32 running back rankings, should we be surprised that Harvey didn’t make it?
Four rookie running backs made it: Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Quinshon Judkins, and Tre’Veyon Henderson. You also have multiple backup running backs, including Najee Harris, Tyler Allgeier, and David Montgomery, gracing PFF's list. Some of them deserve to be on it, but a couple of those players are more questionable.
When all is said and done, it's fair to exclude Harvey from the list, for now. He barely cracked the second round (No. 60 overall) and wasn’t a gotta-have-him priority for the Broncos, as they were willing to trade down twice before taking him.
Even though Harvey is the top running back for the team, his unproven status makes it hard to rank him, even with four other rookies on the list. Those other rookies have much higher pedigrees than Harvey does, too, and played for bigger schools.
That said, when we get done with the 2025 season, it’ll likely look like a joke that Harvey wasn’t included in PFF's top 32 running backs. He will have the most touches among the Broncos' backs this season, provided he stays healthy and makes a significant impact, both as a runner and as a receiver.
Four running backs have been mentioned this offseason as trade candidates the Broncos should look into, and each made PFF's list. Seattle's Kenneth Walker III made it at 11, the New York Jets' Breece Hall ranked 15, Atlanta's Tyler Allgeier was 22, and Jacksonville's Travis Etienne checked in at 32.
The expectation isn’t for the Broncos to make a trade anytime soon, which allows them to give practice reps to their young talent; that could change if none of them step up. As we approach training camp and the regular season, if the young players behind Harvey don’t step up, then we can expect Broncos GM George Paton and head coach Sean Payton to consider adding veteran help to the room.
For now, the Broncos are betting on the young guys to step up, especially Harvey. Despite not having a top-32 running back at the end of May 2025, it's a safe bet that will change by January 2026.
