The Denver Broncos’ running back depth chart has come into focus after J.K. Dobbins’ latest foot injury, which will require him to go on the injured reserve.
With that in mind, let’s look at some options head coach Sean Payton has in his disposal for the game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
Broncos RB Depth Chart
As per the Broncos’ depth chart, in the absence of J.K. Dobbins, Sean Payton could likely install RJ Harvey as the lead back. Harvey is a second-round pick in 2025. Moreover, RB3 Tyler Badie and RB4 Jaleel McLaughlin could also see some action. With McLaughlin’s receiving skills, Payton gets versatility.
With Dobbins’ gone, Payton might also not put much workload on the rushing game and will task quarterback Bo Nix to lean more on the passing game, third-down backs, or use more short-yardage/backfield passing schemes.
In August, Payton used the term “joker” to refer to a person who can catch out of the backfield. Perhaps in this scenario, that person might be McLaughlin.
“Look, that’s a joker,” Payton said. “Those players become more difficult [to defend] than the blue-chip receiver. … They’re so quarterback-friendly because they’re just closer to the [quarterback in the formation]. The halfback that’s an elite receiver, the tight end, those guys are really a quarterback’s friend.”
What Happened to J.K. Dobbins?
In the Week 10 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, J.K. Dobbins suffered a foot injury after a hip-drop style tackle, which caused his foot to get trapped under his body. The team has placed him on the injured reserve list, which means he will be unavailable for the next four games. According to CBS Sports, Dobbins’ injury might also require season-ending surgery.
Dobbins has battled a lot of injuries in his career, including a torn ACL in 2021, an Achilles tendon tear in 2023, etc.
Before this injury, this year, the running back had rushed for 772 yards and 4 touchdowns in 10 games.
It remains to be seen how the Broncos cover for him in the remainder of the regular season.
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