Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins could be in line to earn the starting running back job ahead of Week 1. Head coach Sean Payton said that the Broncos' starters would not play in their second preseason game. R.J. Harvey and Jaleel McLaughlin both played, while Dobbins suited up but did not see the field. Assuming Payton's declaration about his starters was accurate, Dobbins would be in line to start Week 1. Despite the Broncos drafting Harvey in the second round, we shouldn't be too shocked that the job is Dobbins' to lose. Denver specifically went out and signed him in early June, giving him a $5.25 million contract that was likely reflective of his expected role in the offense. The veteran running back exceeded expectations last year with the Los Angeles Chargers, totaling 1,058 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns through 13 games. He was the overall RB23 in half-PPR leagues despite missing four contests, and he ranked 17th in fantasy points on a per-game basis. With Denver's offense expected to be productive and consistently operate with a positive game script this year, Dobbins should continue to deliver results for fantasy managers. Harvey does pose a threat to steal touches, but the 26-year-old remains a strong fantasy option. He enters the year as a mid-range RB3/FLEX play.
Aug 16, 2025 11:27 PM EST
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton promised that the team will have a "markedly different" running game in 2025 after they disappointed on the ground last year. Payton points to the upgrades with veteran running back J.K. Dobbins and rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey, with the two expecting to see the majority of the backfield touches this season. "We brought in leadership, with J.K., and we drafted Harvey early, and so you're going to see a difference," Payton said. Harvey was heavily involved in the preseason opener last Saturday against the San Francisco 49ers and has more big-play potential in an improving offense under Payton and second-year quarterback Bo Nix. At RotoBaller, Harvey is ranked as the RB25, with Dobbins checking in at RB35. Dobbins has the edge in experience, but he's also been very injury-prone in his NFL career.
Aug 14, 2025 6:42 PM EST
Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins wasn't very involved in the team's preseason opener on the road on Saturday against the San Francisco 49ers in a 30-9 victory at Levi's Stadium. Dobbins didn't see a single carry but caught his only target for a gain of four yards. Meanwhile, rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey carried the ball seven times for 25 yards and caught one of his two targets for four yards. The 26-year-old figures to be heavily involved in Denver's backfield in his first year with the team in 2025, but it was notable that Harvey saw most of the early-down work with the first-team offense in the first quarter on Saturday evening. Given Dobbins' extensive injury history, don't be surprised if Harvey is Denver's 1A back sooner than later, with Dobbins serving in more of a third-down, pass-catching role. Dobbins is an RB3/flex target in fantasy, preferably in PPR formats.
Aug 10, 2025 10:47 AM EST
The Denver Broncos' first unofficial depth chart of the preseason lists J.K. Dobbins as the starting running back, Jaleel McLaughlin as second-string, Audric Estime as third-string, Tyler Badie as fourth-string and Blake Watson and rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey as fifth-string, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It's eye-opening since Harvey has mixed in with Dobbins on the first-team offense during training camp. Head coach Sean Payton typically lists rookies near the bottom of the first depth chart, so fantasy managers probably shouldn't read too much into Harvey's depth-chart positioning just yet. All signs from practice suggest that Harvey will be the RB2 behind Dobbins this year, with McLaughlin and Estime being sprinkled in. Especially in PPR leagues, Harvey is worth targeting as an RB3/flex, and he'd be a weekly starter if Dobbins misses more time with injury.
Aug 6, 2025 3:10 PM EST
Denver Broncos insider Benjamin Allbright says that both running backs J.K. Dobbins and rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey have looked good at training camp. However, Allbright suggests that Dobbins is the "RB1 and stays that way until Harvey gets better at pass protection." The 26-year-old Dobbins has gotten off to a good start heading into his first year in Denver and has made a quick transition into head coach Sean Payton's offense after signing as a free agent in June. He and Harvey should continue to split first-team work, but it sounds as though Dobbins currently has a leg up on the rookie from Central Florida in terms of being the lead back early on in 2025. Dobbins has averaged a healthy 5.2 yards per carry in his four NFL seasons, but Harvey's role could grow as the season wears on, and Dobbins also played in just nine games due to injury from 2021-23 in Baltimore. He's an RB3/flex with upside in fantasy if he can stay healthy.
Aug 4, 2025 6:16 PM EST
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said that running back J.K. Dobbins' transition to the offense has been "swift." It appears that the Broncos' decision to sign Dobbins in early June so that he could enter the offseason break with the playbook was a good move. Dobbins is going to share the backfield with rookie second-rounder RJ Harvey in his first year in Denver, but so far in training camp, the 26-year-old former Raven has seen most of the work with the first-team offense. Harvey could easily take over the early-down role for the Broncos sooner than later in 2025, but if Dobbins can stay healthy, he should be in play in PPR fantasy leagues as an RB3/flex option. Dobbins played in just nine games from 2021-23 due to injuries and also missed four games in 2024 with the Chargers due to an MCL sprain, so the lengthy injury history is certainly concerning.
Jul 28, 2025 5:06 PM EST
According to Broncos beat writer Cody Roark of Mike High Sports, recently acquired running back J.K. Dobbins "will likely be the starter" to open the 2025 campaign. Dobbins came back from a brutal run of injuries, including a torn Achilles, to rush for 905 yards and nine touchdowns for the Los Angeles Chargers last season. The Broncos signed him to a one-year deal following the 2025 NFL Draft. During the draft, the organization selected UCF running back RJ Harvey in the second round, and Roark said he will also have an extensive role. While this only adds more confusion to what could be a complicated backfield, early-offseason beat reports and camp information should be taken with a grain of salt. Both Broncos running backs have upside, but Harvey should be viewed as the high-ceiling pick. After all, Dobbins averaged just 3.8 yards per carry after Weeks 1 and 2 a season ago.
Jul 8, 2025 2:16 PM EST
ESPN's Jeff Legwold writes that the Denver Broncos figure to give new running back J.K. Dobbins a long look in the third-down role ahead of Week 1 of the 2025 regular season. Dobbins has dealt with multiple injuries since being drafted in 2020, mainly knee and Achilles injuries, but he had career-highs in rushing yards (905), catches (32) and receiving yards (153) last year with the Los Angeles Chargers and tied his career best with nine rushing touchdowns. And that was with him missing four games in 2024 with an MCL sprain. Javonte Williams led the Broncos in carries (139) and rushing yards (513) last year, but he's now in Dallas. Second-round rookie RB RJ Harvey is the favorite for lead-back duties in 2025, but Dobbins (if healthy) could be a nice RB3/flex option for fantasy managers in PPR leagues if he captures the full-time third-down role.
Jun 11, 2025 12:52 PM EST
Free-agent running back J.K. Dobbins signed a one-year, $5.25 million deal on Tuesday with the Denver Broncos, sources tell NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Dobbins, who was a Comeback Player of the Year finalist in 2024, is still only 26 years old and had over 1,000 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games with the Los Angeles Chargers last year. He did not play at all in 2021 and was limited to nine total games in 2022 and 2023 with the Baltimore Ravens due to knee and Achilles injuries, which made it all the more impressive that he averaged 4.6 yards per carry on his career-high 195 rushing attempts in 2024 with the Bolts. Dobbins will now pair with rookie second-round RB RJ Harvey in the backfield for the Broncos in an offense that should be plenty productive under quarterback Bo Nix in his second season. At the very least, Dobbins could have RB3/flex appeal in Denver's backfield.
Jun 10, 2025 5:06 PM EST
Former Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is headed to Denver on Wednesday night to have dinner with coaches and to visit the Broncos facility on Thursday, a source tells NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Dobbins, who was originally taken 55th overall in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens out of Ohio State, had a career-best 905 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns on 195 rushing attempts in his lone season with the Chargers in 2024, adding a career-high 32 catches for 153 additional yards in 13 regular-season games (11 starts). If the Broncos were to sign the 26-year-old, it would put a damper on second-round rookie RB RJ Harvey's first-year fantasy value. Dobbins, given his extensive injury history, would almost certainly work alongside Harvey and Jaleel McLaughlin in a committee backfield if he lands in Denver.
Jun 4, 2025 6:01 PM EST
Free-agent running back J.K. Dobbins remains unsigned as we head towards June. It's worth noting that the Los Angeles Chargers placed an unrestricted free agent tender on Dobbins. That means, the Chargers have exclusive negotiating rights if Dobbins remains unsigned in late July. That being said, Dobbins will likely try to sign somewhere before then given the Chargers already have plenty of options in the backfield. The Chicago Bears appear to be a decent landing spot for Dobbins or Nick Chubb. The Bears need to add another complimentary back alongside D'Andre Swift. Between the two, Dobbins appears to be the safer bet given he's coming off a strong 2024 campaign. Dobbins nearly rushed for 1,000 yards while in a committee role with the Chargers. The 26-year-old would give the Bears more depth and another viable option in the backfield.
May 25, 2025 10:51 AM EST
The Los Angeles Chargers placed the unrestricted free-agent tender on running back J.K. Dobbins on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The veteran remains eligible to sign with any team, but the Chargers will retain his exclusive negotiating rights if he does not. If he doesn't sign with a new team, he would be due $3.428 million in 2025. After coming back from a torn Achilles last season, Dobbins rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns. Surely, the former Baltimore Ravens second-round pick would prefer to play somewhere else after the team added Najee Harris via free agency and former North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. This is a situation worth monitoring for fantasy football purposes.
Apr 29, 2025 2:52 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins struggled in the Wild Card Round loss to the Houston Texans, along with almost everyone else in a Chargers uniform. Dobbins ran the ball nine times, gaining 26 yards. He was targeted once in the passing game but was unable to come up with the catch. Dobbins was excellent when healthy in his first year as a Charger, but this was a rough game to end the season on. The Texans were in the backfield on almost every play, pressuring quarterback Justin Herbert or stopping the Los Angeles run game. Dobbins was playing on a one-year contract with the Bolts, but he showed more than enough to earn himself another starting job next season if he doesn't stick with the Chargers.
Jan 11, 2025 11:29 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (ankle) is officially active for Saturday's playoff game against the Houston Texans. Dobbins remained a limited participant throughout the week and will be a full go this afternoon. Dobbins missed time earlier this season due to a knee injury but looked strong in his return, tallying just under 70 rushing yards per game over the final two weeks of the season. During the first 11 games of the season, Dobbins was the workhorse of the backfield as he averaged 14.4 attempts per game while posting a strong 4.8 yards per attempt. Given his role, he carries RB1 upside in this matchup despite facing a tougher Houston Texans rushing defense.
Jan 11, 2025 3:02 PM EST
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (ankle) is expected to play on Saturday in Houston against the Texans on wild-card weekend, barring a setback during pre-game warmups. Dobbins was limited in practice all week and was listed as questionable for Saturday on Thursday's final injury report. It means that Dobbins should be LA's primary backfield option versus Houston after he led the team with 195 carries, 905 rushing yards (4.6 yards per tote) and nine rushing touchdowns in 13 games in 2024 in his first year with the team. Gus Edwards, who missed the last two regular-season games with an ankle injury of his own, will also return and be the primary backup for Dobbins. The Texans D was stingy against RBs this year, allowing the third-fewest half-PPR points per game, making Dobbins a low-end RB1 for playoff fantasy lineups.
Jan 11, 2025 12:05 PM EST
According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (ankle) is listed as questionable for Saturday's wild card game against the Houston Texans. Dobbins sustained this injury during last weekend's victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Dobbins logged three straight limited practice sessions this week but could not avoid a questionable tag on Thursday's final injury report. No.2 running back Gus Edwards (ankle) was limited to open the week but is off the final injury report. Dobbins missed time earlier this season with a knee injury but looked sharp in his return in Week 17 as he tallied 76 yards and a score against the New England Patriots. If Dobbins were to sit out on Saturday afternoon, Edwards would lead the backfield and be viewed as a low-end RB1 in DFS, given his projected volume.
Jan 9, 2025 4:11 PM EST
According to the team, Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (ankle) was a limited participant during Tuesday's practice. Dobbins missed four games earlier this season due to an MCL sprain but now appears to have a minor ankle injury. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout the week. However, seeing him open the week as a limited participant is a positive sign. Since returning in Week 17, Ekeler has averaged 18.5 attempts per game and tallied 69.5 rushing and 9.5 receiving yards per game over this stretch. Before his knee injury, Dobbins averaged a similar 69.6 rushing yards per game and found the back of the end zone eight times over his first 11 games. If he can take on his typical workload, the 26-year-old should be viewed as an elite running back option in all playoff competitions.
Jan 7, 2025 6:13 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins had an average game in a Week 18 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Dobbins went up against a tough Raiders run defense and carried the ball 18 times, gaining 63 yards with a long of 10. He was also targeted three times in the passing game, coming up with three catches for 12 yards. Dobbins couldn't find a ton of room to run, and the Chargers gave backup Hassan Haskins a dozen carries likely to keep Dobbins fresh for next week's playoff opener against the Houston Texans.
Jan 5, 2025 10:49 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is a high-risk but high-upside option in a Week 18 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chargers enter the weekend with some uncertainty around Sunday's game. Depending on the results of Saturday's games, the Bolts could be shooting for the No. 5 seed with a win, or could be locked into the No. 6 seed regardless of their own game's result. If they have the five seed to play for, the Chargers are sure to go all-in with their starters, making Dobbins an easy RB2 with upside. If they end up in a meaningless game however, Dobbins could sit out entirely or play in a limited role to rest for the playoffs. Essentially, Dobbins is an RB2 if the Bengals win on Saturday, and too risky to start (unless coach Jim Harbaugh commits to his starters regardless) if they don't.
Jan 3, 2025 8:05 PM EST
Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins returned from injured reserve and scored a touchdown in a Week 17 win over the New England Patriots. Dobbins missed the past four games with a knee injury, but he was activated earlier this week and ran the ball 19 times for 76 yards, including a two-yard scoring plunge in the fourth quarter. There were some questions about whether the Chargers would ease him in after his absence, but his 19 carries clearly showed that he's immediately back to lead back status.
Dec 28, 2024 6:12 PM EST
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