RJ Harvey is a popular tout to be a star running back immediately as a rookie for the Denver Broncos.
Their initial depth chart for Week 1 puts just a bit of a damper on that.
Harvey isn't listed as the No. 1 RB in Denver. That honor goes to J.K. Dobbins, the veteran free agent signing most recently with the Los Angeles Chargers.
The rookie out of UCF, Harvey, checks in as RB2.
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It's not entirely unexpected, and it probably doesn't matter all that much. Veterans often get the nod on such preseason depth charts. It seems safe to think Harvey will at least split the workload with Dobbins to begin the season.
The irony is that on the Broncos' first depth chart of the preseason, almost a month ago, Harvey was listed at RB5, which was never the real situation. So these can be pretty much disregarded.
Harvey seems destined to leave an immediate mark.
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He was an absolute star at UCF in college.
He ran for 1,416 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2023, then raised that to 1,577 yards and 22 TDs in 2024.
He also caught a combined 61 passes in his three seasons as a starter for UCF.
Sean Payton, the Broncos' head coach and offensive mastermind, must love the potential of Harvey.
He has both workhorse skills but also the ability to be versatile and make plays in a variety of ways.
The Broncos can keep Harvey fresh early on by utilizing Dobbins, but when Harvey is ready, Denver is unlikely to hold him back. He's too good to be held back, anyway.
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