Broncos Predicted To Snub Rookie ‘Joker’ Candidate For 5th Round Pick In Week 1

The Denver Broncos spoke all offseason about the need for a ‘joker’ on the roster: a running back or tight end with elite capabilities in the passing game as a receiver.

And after bringing tight end, Evan Engram onto the team in March, Sean Payton and co. drafted running back RJ Harvey with the 60th pick in last month’s draft.

Although Harvey is by no means an elite route runner yet; having never surpassed the 270 receiving yards mark in college; he certainly has the raw tools to become the lead dual-threat back for Denver.

Harvey Not Predicted to Start In Week 1 For The Broncos

However, in Matt Holder of Bleacher Report’s latest piece, in which he predicts the starting lineups of each team for Week 1, the Broncos had one notable omission – Harvey.

Instead, Holder believes that last year’s fifth round pick, Audric Estime, will get the nod to start in Week 1.

Yet, he does note that whilst he believes Estime will be the starter, this will not fully eliminate Harvey from the equation.

“Sean Payton likes to use a committee at running back,” Holder writes, “….Rookie second-round pick RJ Harvey and Jaleel McLaughlin should get plenty of touches this year. ”

Can RJ Harvey Be Denver’s Future At Running Back

Taking a back in the second round of the draft – even towards the back end – normally means that they will be viewed as a future RB1, or at least an RB1b.

Nevertheless, Bleacher Report’s scouting department did not seem to hold the former UCF star in that high of a regard.

“RJ Harvey projects to be a change-of-pace RB2 for an NFL offense that runs inside zone, pin-pull, and duo concepts.” The BR Scouting Department wrote prior to April’s draft, “His patience and ability to manipulate second-level defenders by pressing running lanes and escaping is impressive. The lack of long speed and chasing the big plays on the perimeter will keep him regulated as a rotational RB rather than the lead dog in the clubhouse.”

“RB2” rather than “1” will certainly not be music to the Broncos’ ears. But unlike quarterbacks, offensive tackles and defensive ends, running backs’ draft position have a notoriously low correlation with their ultimate success, with numerous fourth, fifth and sixth round backs turning into excellent players.

In 2024 alone, the unequivocally best rookie running backs were the Bucs’ Bucky Irving and the Giants’ Tyrone Tracy Jr., selected in the fourth and fifth round of the 2024 draft.

Perhaps Estime, who had 310 last season as he came on in the second half of the year, will take the starting job by the horns. Or maybe we shall see Harvey blossom from day 1.