It was overshadowed by the Bo Nix injury, but I was surprised by the lack of production from RJ Harvey on Saturday. I figured he’d be a key player against Buffalo’s 28th-ranked run defense, but he wasn’t much of a factor.
The Bills have struggled against the run at times, allowing 5.1 yards per carry. Only two defenses allowed more yards per carry during the regular season. Yet, Harvey carried 6 times for only 20 yards.
Harvey scored 12 touchdowns as a rookie, which is an impressive total. He had a 50-yard run in his first game and later popped loose for 40- and 38-yard touchdowns. But he didn’t actually have much success on a down-to-down basis.
The Broncos were getting better play at the tailback position when J.K. Dobbins was healthy. Dobbins averaged 15.3 carries for 77 yards in the first 10 games of the season. Since his injury, Harvey has averaged 12.8 carries for 43 yards in his eight starts.
In the regular season, 49 running backs carried the ball at least 100 times. Only six of those running backs averaged more yards per attempt than Dobbins, while only seven averaged fewer yards per carry than Harvey.
| RUNNING BACKS, YARDS PER CARRY | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | G | Att | Yards | Avg | Lg | TD |
| DeVon Achane, Mia. | 16 | 238 | 1350 | 5.7 | 59 | 8 |
| James Cook, Buff. | 17 | 309 | 1621 | 5.2 | 64 | 12 |
| Derrick Henry, Balt. | 17 | 307 | 1595 | 5.2 | 59 | 16 |
| Bijan Robinson, Atl. | 17 | 287 | 1478 | 5.1 | 93 | 7 |
| Blake Corum, LAR | 17 | 145 | 746 | 5.1 | 48 | 6 |
| TreVeyon Henderson, N.E. | 17 | 180 | 911 | 5.1 | 69 | 9 |
| J.K. Dobbins, Den. | 10 | 153 | 772 | 5.0 | 41 | 4 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | 17 | 243 | 1223 | 5.0 | 78 | 13 |
| Jonathan Taylor, Ind. | 17 | 323 | 1585 | 4.9 | 83 | 18 |
| D'Andre Swift, Chi. | 16 | 223 | 1087 | 4.9 | 25 | 9 |
| Kyren Williams, LAR | 17 | 259 | 1252 | 4.8 | 34 | 10 |
| Jordan Mason, Min. | 16 | 159 | 758 | 4.8 | 24 | 6 |
| Javonte Williams, Dall. | 16 | 252 | 1201 | 4.8 | 66 | 11 |
| Kenneth Gainwell, Pitt. | 17 | 114 | 537 | 4.7 | 55 | 5 |
| Kenneth Walker, Sea. | 17 | 221 | 1027 | 4.6 | 55 | 5 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson, N.E. | 14 | 130 | 603 | 4.6 | 56 | 7 |
| Kyle Monangai, Chi. | 17 | 169 | 783 | 4.6 | 39 | 5 |
| Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Was. | 17 | 175 | 805 | 4.6 | 72 | 8 |
| Rico Dowdle, Car. | 17 | 236 | 1076 | 4.6 | 53 | 6 |
| Jaylen Warren, Pitt. | 16 | 211 | 958 | 4.5 | 45 | 6 |
| David Montgomery, Det. | 17 | 158 | 716 | 4.5 | 72 | 8 |
| Tony Pollard, Ten. | 17 | 242 | 1082 | 4.5 | 65 | 5 |
| Chris Rodriguez, Was. | 13 | 112 | 500 | 4.5 | 48 | 6 |
| Omarion Hampton, LAC | 9 | 124 | 545 | 4.4 | 54 | 4 |
| Chase Brown, Cin. | 17 | 232 | 1019 | 4.4 | 37 | 6 |
| Breece Hall, NYJ | 16 | 243 | 1065 | 4.4 | 59 | 4 |
| Rachaad White, T.B. | 17 | 132 | 572 | 4.3 | 39 | 4 |
| Travis Etienne, Jac. | 17 | 260 | 1107 | 4.3 | 71 | 7 |
| Tyrone Tracy Jr., NYG | 15 | 176 | 740 | 4.2 | 31 | 2 |
| Aaron Jones, Min. | 12 | 132 | 548 | 4.2 | 31 | 2 |
| Kimani Vidal, LAC | 13 | 155 | 643 | 4.1 | 59 | 3 |
| Nick Chubb, Hou. | 15 | 122 | 506 | 4.1 | 30 | 3 |
| Saquon Barkley, Phi. | 16 | 280 | 1140 | 4.1 | 65 | 7 |
| Cam Skattebo, NYG | 8 | 101 | 410 | 4.1 | 24 | 5 |
| Josh Jacobs, G.B. | 15 | 234 | 929 | 4.0 | 40 | 13 |
| Emanuel Wilson, G.B. | 17 | 125 | 496 | 4.0 | 15 | 3 |
| Zach Charbonnet, Sea. | 16 | 184 | 730 | 4.0 | 30 | 12 |
| Isiah Pacheco, K.C. | 13 | 118 | 462 | 3.9 | 16 | 1 |
| Christian McCaffrey, S.F. | 17 | 311 | 1202 | 3.9 | 41 | 10 |
| Chuba Hubbard, Car. | 15 | 134 | 511 | 3.8 | 14 | 1 |
| Kareem Hunt, K.C. | 17 | 163 | 611 | 3.7 | 33 | 8 |
| RJ Harvey, Den. | 17 | 146 | 540 | 3.7 | 50 | 7 |
| Devin Singletary, NYG | 17 | 119 | 437 | 3.7 | 29 | 5 |
| Ashton Jeanty, L.V. | 17 | 266 | 975 | 3.7 | 64 | 5 |
| Quinshon Judkins, Cle. | 14 | 230 | 827 | 3.6 | 46 | 7 |
| Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 11 | 131 | 471 | 3.6 | 18 | 1 |
| Tyler Allgeier, Atl. | 17 | 143 | 514 | 3.6 | 21 | 8 |
| Woody Marks, Hou. | 16 | 196 | 703 | 3.6 | 23 | 2 |
| Bucky Irving, T.B. | 10 | 173 | 588 | 3.4 | 32 | 1 |
In Harvey’s eight starts, he’s averaged more than 3.4 yards per attempt in only two of them. He dipped down to only 6 attempts on Saturday (his fewest as a starter), with backup Jaleel McLaughlin actually running for more yards.
Now, Dobbins has been designated to return from injured reserve. He was a limited participant at practice on Wednesday. If Dobbins checks out OK physically, I expect he’ll be finishing with more carries and rushing yards than Harvey. (On the Harvey side of the ledger, he’s a better pass catcher.)
Harvey may eventually become a good back. He’s generated some big plays, and he’s found the end zone 12 times. Since the move to 32 teams, only 18 running backs have scored more than 10 touchdowns. But Harvey has the fewest rushing yards and total yards of those guys, and with the 2nd-lowest yards-per-carry average.
| ROOKIE RUNNING BACKS WITH 11-PLUS TOUCHDOWNS | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Receiving | T Yd | TTD |
| 2002 | Clinton Portis, Den. | 273 | 1508 | 5.5 | 15 | 33-364-2 | 1872 | 17 |
| 2006 | Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac. | 166 | 941 | 5.7 | 13 | 46-436-2 | 1377 | 16 |
| 2016 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 322 | 1631 | 5.1 | 15 | 32-363-1 | 1994 | 16 |
| 2018 | Saquon Barkley, NYG | 261 | 1307 | 5.0 | 11 | 91-721-4 | 2028 | 15 |
| 2017 | Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 120 | 728 | 6.1 | 8 | 81-826-5 | 1554 | 14 |
| 2007 | Adrian Peterson, Min. | 238 | 1341 | 5.6 | 12 | 19-268-1 | 1609 | 13 |
| 2012 | Alfred Morris, Was. | 335 | 1613 | 4.8 | 13 | 11-77-0 | 1690 | 13 |
| 2015 | David Johnson, Ari. | 125 | 581 | 4.7 | 8 | 36-457-4 | 1038 | 13 |
| 2020 | Jonathan Taylor, Ind. | 232 | 1169 | 5.0 | 11 | 36-299-1 | 1468 | 12 |
| 2012 | Doug Martin, T.B. | 319 | 1454 | 4.6 | 11 | 49-472-1 | 1926 | 12 |
| 2008 | Matt Forte, Chi. | 316 | 1238 | 3.9 | 8 | 63-477-4 | 1715 | 12 |
| 2025 | RJ Harvey, Den. | 146 | 540 | 3.7 | 7 | 47-356-5 | 896 | 12 |
| 2012 | Trent Richardson, Cle. | 267 | 950 | 3.6 | 11 | 51-367-1 | 1317 | 12 |
| 2023 | DeVon Achane, Mia. | 103 | 800 | 7.8 | 8 | 27-197-3 | 997 | 11 |
| 2023 | Jahmyr Gibbs, Det. | 182 | 945 | 5.2 | 10 | 52-316-1 | 1261 | 11 |
| 2017 | Kareem Hunt, K.C. | 272 | 1327 | 4.9 | 8 | 53-455-3 | 1782 | 11 |
| 2020 | Antonio Gibson, Was. | 170 | 795 | 4.7 | 11 | 36-247-0 | 1042 | 11 |
| 2013 | Eddie Lacy, G.B. | 284 | 1178 | 4.2 | 11 | 35-257-0 | 1435 | 11 |
—Ian Allan