The Denver Broncos beat the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football in Week 10. But during the win, late in the game, running back J.K. Dobbins suffered an injury.
There was some concern initially, but he wound up playing a bit after the injury, leaving some hope about his status going forward. However, after Chris Tomasson of The Denver Gazette's report, Dobbins could be a candidate to land on injured reserve.
If Dobbins does land on injured reserve, the Broncos will likely turn to RJ Harvey. Fantasy managers dealing with Dobbins' injury should do the same, as Harvey would be a great replacement for the injured Dobbins in lineups.
Why fantasy managers should pick up RJ Harvey after J.K. Dobbins' injury
Tomasson reports that the Broncos are considering what to do with Dobbins, which includes placing the star running back on injured reserve.
That would be a massive move for the Broncos, but also for fantasy managers. Dobbins has been a fantasy stalwart this season. In Full PPR, he's averaging 11.6 points per game and is the RB 18 on the year.
While he'd cooled off in the second half of the year so far, with 4.0, 9.0, 14.1, 6.9, and 9.4 points since Week 6, Dobbins is still a quality Flex option.
But now, with his foot injury that he allegedly suffered on a hip-drop tackle, much to Dobbins' frustration, fantasy managers need to find an alternative.
Harvey is the clear backup to Dobbins, as he's been involved in the offense this season, even as a backup. The only other options in the backfield are Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin, neither of whom has received more than three touches in a game.
In place of an injured Dobbins, Harvey will likely get the bulk of the work. In the second half of the Broncos' season thus far, Harvey has 6.5, 7.2, 24.1, 16.6, and 3.8 fantasy points in Full PPR leagues.
Through the first five weeks, he had one touchdown and 41.7 fantasy points. But, in his next five weeks (Weeks 6-10), Harvey had 58.2 points thanks to two rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns.
More: Broncos' JK Dobbins blasts NFL over hip-drop tackles in NSFW social media post
That production was as the backup, and now expected to be the lead back due to Dobbins' injury, Harvey is a great option for fantasy managers.
Based on this report from Tomasson, Dobbins is likely to miss at least the Broncos' Week 11 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. It's not an easy matchup for Harvey, but as the lead back, he's worth a start in most fantasy leagues.
But if he does land on injured reserve, he would have to miss four games, meaning the earliest he could return would be Week 16 during the fantasy football playoffs.
If Harvey is on waivers, he should be fantasy managers' top priority, as he could see a significant role going forward. Even if Dobbins doesn't land on IR, Harvey would be an option in Week 11, and potentially in Week 13, or however long Dobbins is out.
This is a significant injury late in the season for Dobbins. He's likely to miss some time with a foot sprain, opening the door for Harvey to become a fantasy-relevant option. Harvey should be rostered in every league, as he's the clear lead back if Dobbins is out.
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