Denver Broncos rookie running back RJ Harvey is quietly having a tremendous rookie season. Though he hasn't put up dominant numbers as a running back, he has done one thing very well... Find the end zone.
With his touchdown reception against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas night, Harvey joined an exclusive list, becoming just the sixth rookie running back in league history to have 5+ rushing and 5+ receiving touchdowns in his rookie season.
Who else is on that list?
Gale Sayers
Doak Walker
Charley Taylor
Alvin Kamara
Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty has also accomplished that feat this season for the Las Vegas Raiders. The fact that it had only happened four other times prior to this season makes it a very impressive accomplishment.
Gale Sayers, known as the "Kansas Comet", was one of the best running backs who ever played the game. A member of both the Pro Football and College Football Hall of Fame, Sayers rushed for nearly 5,000 yards in just seven pro seasons.
Like Sayers. Doak Walker is also a member of both the Pro Football and College Football Hall of Fame and the Doak Walker Award, which is named after him, is given to the best running back in college football each season.
Charley Taylor helped the Washington Redskins win three Super Bowls during his 14-year career, and he, too, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Finally, and much more recently, Alvin Kamara posted a tremendous rookie season for the New Orleans Saints in 2017 in which he found the end zone 14 times (8 rushing, 5 receiving, 1 kickoff return) and by the time his career is over, he will likely get some consideration for the Hall of Fame as well.
This gives you an idea of the kind of season that Harvey has had and what the players who did it before him went on to do. In other words, it seems the Broncos hit a home run with their second-round pick, a draft choice that was highly criticized by some after it was made.
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Through 16 games, Harvey has rushed for 512 yards and seven touchdowns while catching 46 passes for 351 yards and five more touchdowns. His 12 total touchdowns are the third-most for a rookie in team history, behind only Clinton Portis (17) in 2002 and Mike Anderson (15) in 2000.
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