Broncos receive positive J.K. Dobbins news before AFC title game

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Broncos receive positive J.K. Dobbins news before AFC Championship Game

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jan 19, 2026 4:24 PM ET

The Denver Broncos should lean on their ground attack even more without starting quarterback Bo Nix, who broke his right ankle in the AFC divisional round against the Buffalo Bills.

Luckily for Denver, its backfield could soon receive a boost heading into the AFC Championship Game against the New England Patriots on Sunday (3 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+).

On Monday, the Broncos opened the practice window for running back J.K. Dobbins, who suffered a left foot injury during a 10-7 Week 10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. That gives the RB a chance to play against New England, which would take pressure off QB2 Jarrett Stidham.

How J.K. Dobbins playing would benefit Broncos

The Broncos signed seventh-year veteran Dobbins to a one-year, $2.065M deal in free agency. The former Ohio State standout immediately became the Broncos' RB1. During the regular season, he rushed for a team-leading 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 carries.

Sources: Broncos are opening the practice window for RB J.K. Dobbins, who suffered what was thought to be a season-ending foot injury in Week 10 against the Raiders. Dobbins has a chance to play in Sunday’s AFC championship game vs. the Patriots. pic.twitter.com/HLhlVWywfD
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 19, 2026

Dobbins has rushed for 100-plus yards twice this season. The Broncos are 2-0 when he does.

Dobbins' injury forced rookie RB RJ Harvey (pick No. 60) into the starting role. The second-round pick out of Central Florida has struggled to produce explosive plays. During the regular season, he tied for 18th in the NFL in rushing TDs (seven) but logged a below-average 3.7 yards per carry (540 yards). (Per Pro Football Reference, the league average is 4.4 yards per carry.)

Harvey wasn't a factor in the ground game during the Broncos 33-30 overtime win over Buffalo, rushing for 20 yards on six carries. However, he caught five passes for 46 yards.

This forced Nix to run more than Denver wanted. He rushed for 356 yards and five TDs on 83 carries during the regular season. Against Buffalo, he tallied 29 rushing yards on 12 carries.

Stidham is mobile, but he's not as effective a scrambler as Nix. Before the Patriots selected the former Auburn Tigers star with pick No. 133 in the 2019 NFL Draft, The Athletic's Dane Brugler noted that the 6-foot-3, 215-pound QB often "holds the ball too long or rushes his process," nullifying his athleticism.

Stidham, 29, already has enough on his mind heading into Sunday's matchup. The Broncos are one game away from their first Super Bowl trip since the 2015 season. If Dobbins plays, the run game would be one less thing the QB must worry about.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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