J.K. Dobbins Opens Broncos Camp as RB1 But All Eyes Are on RJ Harvey

On the first day of fans attending training camp, the Denver Broncos had a slight surprise with their top running back. While it's still very early, J.K. Dobbins, not RJ Harvey, was the Broncos' No. 1 running back. 

Is there a reason for concern over this? No, and it shouldn’t be all that surprising. However, if Harvey doesn’t take the starting job about midway through training camp, it will be conspicuous.

Head coach Sean Payton called the Dobbins signing "important" earlier this week and touched on the running back dynamic after Friday's practice, and how he's more of a known quantity at this stage.

“We have a little bit more at this level on J.K. I’m anxious to see the whole group," Payton said. "In other words, you’re looking out and seeing them run with the ones, but I want to see these other guys too the same way. We’ll see how it goes once we get into the preseason.”

Dobbins, being a sixth-year veteran, makes him more reliable, but the bigger point is that the Broncos don’t want to hand Harvey the job right away. Going back to last year, while Bo Nix was the expected starter, the Broncos didn’t hand him the job and pushed him to earn it. 

That's common with Payton, especially with his offense. You get what you earn, and draft pedigree doesn’t guarantee anyone a role or a starting job. Payton makes his players compete, which you want because it breeds excellence.

With Dobbins being a veteran, it makes sense to give him the top job initially, as there is less adjustment he has to make. Dobbins is above Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime on the depth chart, so naturally, the Broncos will use him to push Harvey instead of one of their incumbents. 

The question is, will Harvey step up and take the job? It has been scrutinized at length, but the Broncos need Harvey's explosive ability to improve their run game more than the consistent yet inefficient Dobbins. 

One of the most significant issues last year for the Broncos' rushing attack was the lack of explosive runs, and while Dobbins can produce explosive runs, he's not as consistent. The Broncos need those energizing, explosive runs from Harvey as their second-round draft pick.

Harvey is the future of Denver's running back position, while Dobbins is a mercenary at this point in his career. The Broncos can’t rely on Dobbins due to his injury history and age. Despite him still being relatively young at 26, he is older for a running back. 

With Nix at quarterback, the Broncos want a young backfield partner for him to grow and develop with, much like with the team's young receivers. The necessity for Harvey to step up and be the top back extends beyond what he brings as a player. 

So, for now, it isn’t surprising to see Dobbins as the top back, as the Broncos want to push Harvey to step up and take the lead. That's what the team needs to happen, not only for this year, but also for its future.

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Harvey has the tools to be a great back in Payton’s offense, but can he develop in the NFL to have the impact his potential suggests he can have? We'll find out soon.