The Denver Broncos selected running back RJ Harvey with the 60th pick of the second round.
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Fantasy Football Impact for RJ Harvey of the Denver Broncos
They were going to take someone.
It seemed pre-ordained that the Broncos would leave this draft with a running back, although most thought it would come earlier in the draft and be a bigger name. Instead, Sean Payton waited until near the end of the second round to grab his new piece for the backfield.
Heading into the draft, most people had the same running backs in their top four - Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Quinshon Judkins, and TreVeyon Henderson - even if the last three were sometimes in a different order. Harvey has been among the next set of running backs with very little to differentiate them in terms of fantasy potential. Draft capital is going to be major in helping to separate this cohort of backs, and this capital and landing spot might put Harvey near the top of that second tier of fantasy running backs in your upcoming drafts.
I had Harvey tied with Judkins and Henderson in their pre-draft scores and slightly ahead of backs in his tier, such as Devin Neal, Dylan Sampson, Kaleb Johnson, and Bhayshul Tuten. I thought I was a little too high on him. My biggest question heading into the draft was in what order NFL teams would prefer these running backs and whether that would provide me with some clarity in this tier.
I think Harvey is a clear winner with this pick. We'll see where these other backs land as the draft progresses, but Harvey finds himself in a spot with a coach and a system designed to pull fantasy production out of the backfield. Payton and the Broncos are unlikely to ask Harvey to carry the load. Instead, he seems destined to contribute as part of a committee with Audric Estime. Where Estime checked in last year as a 220-pound bruiser, with Harvey, the Broncos get a counterpart with 4.40 speed, elusiveness, and a nose for the end zone. I'm not sure if we'll see the second coming of Mark Ingram II and Alvin Kamara, but I do know that Payton likes running backs who can fill certain roles. The Broncos might not have anyone in the backfield who can do the things Harvey can.
The Fantasy Football Fallout
I don't know that there is a lot of fallout, per se, to this pick. The Broncos had a hole in their backfield, and they hope that Harvey can fill it. He won't be asked to be the bell cow, and he enters a backfield with some vacated touches from Javonte Williams moving on to Dallas. The ripple effects on the roster are lessened simply because the Broncos had a spot open. Jaleel McLaughlin and Estime are okay parts, but neither offers the combination of size and speed that Harvey brings to the table. All three of them are likely to have a role, which will probably frustrate fantasy managers to no end. Sometimes, I think that's exactly why Payton does it. Remember Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas before you push all your chips in on Harvey - or any other Bronco runner - getting consistent weekly touches. They'll probably be all over the place.
Bo Nix benefits more than anyone else on the Bronco offense. This pick, along with the selection of wide receiver Pat Bryant 14 picks later, tells me that the Broncos are intent on putting some young weapons in place to grow with Nix. Payton has a long and proven record of getting points out of his quarterbacks. Part of that success has come because he has been good at surrounding them with players who, even if they aren't the NFL's marquee players, make plays within the roles the offense asks of them.
So, the frustration we feel when trying to predict his running back usage is often just the other side of the coin to the calm we feel when we plug his quarterbacks into our lineups.
Nothing is free, friends.
Stock Watch
Risers
Fallers
Overview
Harvey lands in a good spot with a coach who should be able to put him in a position to produce fantasy points. However, he also lands with a coach who uses multiple running backs and sometimes isn't very consistent in his approach. So, yay, and also, boo. Harvey should be a nice piece on your dynasty rosters, but Payton's usage patterns will always limit his upside.
For more information on the 2025 NFL Draft, check out the 2025 Footballguys Rookie Guide. An updated Version 3 will be out on Wednesday, April 30.
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