Who Should I Start? Duke Johnson or J.K. Dobbins

Monday, May 4, 5:49 AM

When Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins re-signed with the team on a two-year deal in the second wave of free agency, it was viewed at worst as a small win for his dynasty value. Sharing the backfield with rookie RJ Harvey in 2025, Dobbins was the vastly more efficient back, out-gaining Harvey by 1.3 yards per carry and by almost a full yard before contact per attempt. Before a foot injury ended his season in Week 10, Dobbins was the RB16 in Half-PPR formats, and the expectation was that a similar performance could be repeatable in his second season with the team. However, with the Broncos spending fourth-round capital to select Jonah Coleman in the 2026 NFL Draft, Dobbins' upside is meaningfully affected. Coleman is a well-rounded runner who could make immediate contributions through the passing game and in short-yardage situations, and with plenty of overlapping skill sets, Denver's three backs are likely to cannibalize one another and create a frustrating situation for fantasy. While he's almost always been useful when healthy, a serious injury history and a suddenly crowded backfield mean the 27-year-old Dobbins is best kept away from at RotoBaller's dynasty RB39.