What do we make now of the Broncos’ backfield? They’ve got a quartet of backs competing for playing time.
Some might say there’s even a fifth back with a chance at playing time. Tyler Badie carried 9 times for 70 yards in a Week 2 win at Tampa Bay last year, looking like he might be a thing. He was injured for most of the season but was activated for their playoff loss at Buffalo. But we’ll operate under the assumption that he won’t be a factor.
So it’s looking like some combination of J.K. Dobbins (pictured), RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime.
Signed to a one-year contract worth $2.7 million, Dobbins is the most experienced. And he’s had some success. Over the past 5 years, 55 running backs have carried the ball at least 400 times, and only one of them (Jahmyr Gibbs) has averaged more yards per carry.
| YARDS PER CARRY, LAST 5 YEARS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | G | Att | Yards | Avg | TD |
| Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | 32 | 432 | 2,357 | 5.46 | 26 |
| J.K. Dobbins, Bal.-LAC | 37 | 429 | 2,252 | 5.25 | 21 |
| Nick Chubb, Cle. | 53 | 850 | 4,353 | 5.12 | 35 |
| James Cook, Buff. | 49 | 533 | 2,638 | 4.95 | 20 |
| Aaron Jones, G.B.-Min. | 74 | 982 | 4,818 | 4.91 | 22 |
| Jonathan Taylor, Ind. | 67 | 1228 | 6,013 | 4.90 | 51 |
| Derrick Henry, Bal.-Ten. | 74 | 1551 | 7,590 | 4.89 | 68 |
| Christian McCaffrey, Car.-S.F. | 47 | 724 | 3,467 | 4.79 | 28 |
| Khalil Herbert, Chi.-Cin. | 56 | 400 | 1,905 | 4.76 | 9 |
| Miles Sanders, Car.-Phi. | 68 | 744 | 3,527 | 4.74 | 20 |
| Bijan Robinson, Atl. | 34 | 518 | 2,432 | 4.69 | 18 |
| Raheem Mostert, Mia.-S.F. | 53 | 581 | 2,722 | 4.69 | 25 |
| Damien Harris, Buff.-N.E. | 42 | 468 | 2,176 | 4.65 | 21 |
| Saquon Barkley, NYG-Phi. | 61 | 1068 | 4,906 | 4.59 | 31 |
| Dalvin Cook, 4tms | 61 | 900 | 4,123 | 4.58 | 30 |
| Jeff Wilson, Mia.-S.F. | 56 | 438 | 1,999 | 4.56 | 14 |
| Breece Hall, NYJ | 40 | 512 | 2,333 | 4.56 | 14 |
| Tony Pollard, Dal.-Ten. | 80 | 936 | 4,245 | 4.54 | 26 |
| Isiah Pacheco, K.C. | 38 | 458 | 2,075 | 4.53 | 13 |
| Kyren Williams, LAR | 38 | 579 | 2,582 | 4.46 | 26 |
| Tyler Allgeier, Atl. | 50 | 533 | 2,362 | 4.43 | 10 |
| Gus Edwards, Bal.-LAC | 53 | 530 | 2,331 | 4.40 | 26 |
| James Conner, Ari.-Pitt. | 70 | 998 | 4,389 | 4.40 | 43 |
| James Robinson, 3tms | 40 | 515 | 2,264 | 4.40 | 18 |
| Devin Singletary, 3tms | 81 | 850 | 3,711 | 4.37 | 22 |
| D'Andre Swift, 3tms | 73 | 846 | 3,688 | 4.36 | 29 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson, N.E. | 56 | 706 | 3,066 | 4.34 | 21 |
| Melvin Gordon, Bal.-Den. | 45 | 534 | 2,303 | 4.31 | 20 |
| Latavius Murray, 4tms | 58 | 515 | 2,217 | 4.30 | 20 |
| Austin Ekeler, LAC-Was. | 69 | 782 | 3,351 | 4.29 | 35 |
| Darrell Henderson, LAR | 41 | 403 | 1,707 | 4.24 | 15 |
| Travis Etienne, Jac. | 49 | 637 | 2,691 | 4.22 | 18 |
| Kenneth Walker III, Sea. | 41 | 600 | 2,528 | 4.21 | 24 |
| Chuba Hubbard, Car. | 64 | 755 | 3,175 | 4.21 | 22 |
| Josh Jacobs, G.B.-L.V. | 77 | 1364 | 5,724 | 4.20 | 54 |
| David Montgomery, Chi.-Det. | 72 | 1077 | 4,510 | 4.19 | 45 |
| Antonio Gibson, N.E.-Was. | 78 | 762 | 3,181 | 4.17 | 23 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire, K.C.-N.O. | 50 | 454 | 1,891 | 4.17 | 12 |
| Zack Moss, 3tms | 61 | 558 | 2,318 | 4.15 | 16 |
| D'Onta Foreman, 4tms | 52 | 538 | 2,232 | 4.15 | 12 |
| Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 70 | 1058 | 4,371 | 4.13 | 33 |
| Kenyan Drake, 4tms | 42 | 413 | 1,691 | 4.09 | 16 |
| Brian Robinson Jr., Was. | 41 | 570 | 2,329 | 4.09 | 15 |
| Dameon Pierce, Hou. | 38 | 405 | 1,648 | 4.07 | 8 |
| AJ Dillon, G.B. | 60 | 597 | 2,428 | 4.07 | 16 |
| Cam Akers, 3tms | 53 | 502 | 2,025 | 4.03 | 13 |
| Joe Mixon, Cin.-Hou. | 67 | 1123 | 4,497 | 4.00 | 43 |
| Javonte Williams, Den. | 54 | 606 | 2,394 | 3.95 | 11 |
| Leonard Fournette, Buf.-T.B. | 45 | 478 | 1,887 | 3.95 | 17 |
| Najee Harris, Pitt. | 68 | 1097 | 4,312 | 3.93 | 28 |
| Kareem Hunt, Cle.-K.C. | 69 | 734 | 2,834 | 3.86 | 30 |
| Ezekiel Elliott, Dal.-N.E. | 79 | 970 | 3,725 | 3.84 | 34 |
| Jamaal Williams, 3tms | 71 | 688 | 2,642 | 3.84 | 24 |
| Rachaad White, T.B. | 50 | 545 | 2,084 | 3.82 | 10 |
| Alexander Mattison, L.V.-Min. | 76 | 616 | 2,328 | 3.78 | 14 |
I’m not suggesting this indicates Dobbins is one of the top 20 running backs in the league. He’s benefitted from playing in Baltimore, which has a runner-friendly offense. And last year in Los Angeles, he was streaky, with runs over 40 yards against soft defenses in the first two weeks but averaging more than 3.5 per attempt in only five of his final 12 games.
Dobbins isn’t a tackle breaker, and he’s been plagued by injuries. But he’s at least shown some ability to play.
McLaughlin should have a limited role. He’s had some success in his first two seasons, averaging 4.8 per attempt, but he’s tiny – 5-foot-7 and only 187 pounds. He’s also been historically bad in the passing game. He averaged 3.2 yards per pass play last year, which is the lowest in NFL history for a player with at least 20 targets.
At 227 pounds, Estime is their biggest back. He wasn’t able to get much traction as a rookie. He had a few successful runs and was looking like he might emerge as their main guy late in the year. He was their main back for most of the game at Arrowhead, when Denver had the Super Bowl champs on the ropes. But Estime couldn’t follow that up in the following weeks and finished the season as a healthy DNP at Buffalo in the playoffs.
Harvey is probably the favorite to finish with the best overall numbers. His work at Central Florida suggests he’ll be their best pass catcher at the position. In three seasons there, he averaged 11.8 yards on 61 catches, with 4 TDs.
Harvey is small; he’s listed at 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds. But he ran for 2,993 yards and 38 touchdowns his final two years at Central Florida, averaging 6.5 yards per attempt. The Broncos liked him enough to select him with a late pick in the second round.
I’m not sure there will be a workhorse-type back here. They don’t really have anyone suited for that kind of a role. And Sean Payton has a history of preferring to mix and match his backs.
But if we’re picking one, Harvey makes the most sense. He’s probably the slight favorite to be their leading rusher, and I’m pretty confident he’ll be much better than those other three backs in the passing game.
—Ian Allan