Who Should I Start? Jaleel McLaughlin or Eli Heidenreich

Tuesday, July 14, 7:54 AM

Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin is set to battle for the RB4 spot in the Broncos' backfield this summer with Tyler Badie, according to The Denver Post's Luca Evans. The Broncos are expected to keep only four RBs on their active 53-man roster, so the loser of the battle will be the odd-man out. McLaughlin was a healthy scratch early on in 2025 but eventually became Denver's most effective per-touch skill player down the stretch after J.K. Dobbins' season-ending foot injury boosted him to RB2 duties behind rookie RJ Harvey. But with rookie Jonah Coleman now in the mix in 2026, McLaughlin's path to a fourth straight season opening the year on the active roster "looks dicey." Badie, meanwhile, is trusted by the coaching staff and quarterback Bo Nix for his pass-protection skills and veteran instincts. The 25-year-old McLaughlin has an impressive 4.8 yards per carry in his career, but Badie's work in passing situations may eventually win out. Even if McLaughlin wins a 53-man roster spot out of training camp and the preseason, it's clear that both his redraft and dynasty fantasy stock has taken a big hit with the addition of Coleman.