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J.K. Dobbins suffers foot injury

Rookie RJ Harvey could be headed to starting lineup

Those who picked RJ Harvey thinking he’d become Denver’s main running back might finally see what he looks like in the starting lineup. J.K. Dobbins suffered a foot injury in last night’s game against the Raiders.

Dobbins is undergoing tests, leaving his status up in the air for the team’s next game (at home against Kansas City). He complained on social media that no flag was thrown on the play. “BAN OR AT LEAST CALL THE MUTHER F**KIN HIP DROP TACKLE!”, he wrote.

Dobbins has been starting all year, averaging 77 rushing yards in 10 games, albeit with only 4 TDs. They don’t use him much in the passing game (he’s caught only 11 passes for 37 yards all year).

Some might say a Dobbins injury is long overdue, with him long having problems staying healthy. He’s never played a full season. In his final three years in Baltimore, he played in only 9 of 51 possible games. He missed four games last year with the Chargers.

If Dobbins misses Week 11, they’ll presumably move Harvey into more of a featured role. His biggest contributions so far have been as a pass catcher (he’s caught 25 passes, including 4 TDs).

As a runner, Harvey had a 50-yard run in the opener and a 40-yard touchdown against Dallas but otherwise is averaging only 12 rushing yards.

Expectations were higher coming into the season, as they often are. But preseason hype often falls short of in-season reality.

In the last 15 years, 39 running backs have been selected with second-round picks. Only 14 of those backs (just over a third) finished as the most productive back on their own team. And only finished with top-40 numbers (using PPR scoring).

In this light, not surprising at all that it looks like 2025 rookies will be batting .333 (Quinshon Judkins will be the best running back in Cleveland, but TreVeyon Henderson has been falling short in New England).

In the chart below, players are ordered not chronologically but by draft order (with earlier picks listed first). Players tagged with black dots were the most productive running backs on their own team as rookies.

SECOND-ROUND RUNNING BACKS (last 15 yrs)
YearPlayerPkStRushingReceivingPPRRk
2020• D'Andre Swift, Det.354114-521-846-357-2193.816
2021• Javonte Williams, Den.351203-903-443-316-3206.917
2018• Nick Chubb, Cle.359192-996-820-149-2194.517
2015• T.J. Yeldon, Jac.3612182-740-236-279-1155.928
2022Breece Hall, NYJ36280-463-419-218-1117.142
2010Dexter McCluster, K.C.36718-71-021-209-161.065
2013• Giovani Bernard, Cin.370170-695-556-514-3224.913
2018Ronald Jones, T.B.38023-44-17-33-020.795
2011Ryan Williams, Ari.3800-0-00-0-0.0--
2020• Jonathan Taylor, Ind.4113232-1169-1136-299-1254.86
2022• Kenneth Walker, Sea.4111228-1050-927-165-0202.518
2017Dalvin Cook, Min.41474-354-211-90-067.472
2018• Kerryon Johnson, Det.437118-641-332-213-1141.433
2016Derrick Henry, Ten.452110-490-513-137-0105.745
2024Jonathon Brooks, Car.4619-22-03-23-07.5114
2013• LeVeon Bell, Pitt.4813244-860-845-399-0218.915
2017Joe Mixon, Cin.487178-626-430-287-0145.333
2012Isaiah Pead, St.L.50110-54-03-16-010.0130
2010Toby Gerhart, Min.51181-322-121-167-075.958
2023Zach Charbonnet, Sea.522108-462-133-209-0106.145
2020Cam Akers, LAR525145-625-211-123-1103.845
2019• Miles Sanders, Phil.5311179-818-350-509-3220.715
2014• Bishop Sankey, Ten.549152-569-218-133-0100.244
2015Ameer Abdullah, Det.549143-597-225-183-1121.044
2014• Jeremy Hill, Cin.558222-1124-927-215-0214.910
2020• J.K. Dobbins, Balt.551134-805-918-120-0168.524
2011Shane Vereen, N.E.56015-57-10-0-011.7122
2014Carlos Hyde, S.F.57083-333-412-68-076.161
2011Mikel Leshoure, Det.5700-0-00-0-0.0--
2013Montee Ball, Den.580120-559-420-145-0114.443
2010Ben Tate, Hou.5800-0-00-0-0.0--
2010Montario Hardesty, Cle.5900-0-00-0-0.0--
2018Derrius Guice, Was.5900-0-00-0-0.0--
2013• Eddie Lacy, G.B.6115284-1178-1135-257-0244.58
2012LaMichael James, S.F.61027-125-03-29-018.4116
2011Daniel Thomas, Mia.622165-581-012-72-183.351
2020AJ Dillon, G.B.62046-242-22-21-040.383
2013Christine Michael, Sea.62018-79-00-0-07.9131
2022James Cook, Buff.63089-507-221-180-1107.744

—Ian Allan

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