In two years, head coach Sean Payton turned the Denver Broncos into one of the best defenses in the league. However, as he found out firsthand last year, the team also needs an offensive kick to elevate from a playoff contender to a Super Bowl contender. As a result, the goal of the offseason was to bring in playmakers who could support quarterback Bo Nix both in the pass and the run game.
That focus manifested itself in the form of veteran Evan Engram and rookie RJ Harvey. Taken in the second round with the 60th overall pick, it seemed like the rookie had his work cut out for him after placing fifth on the running back depth chart. However, in their first preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, Payton decided to start him alongside the rest of his starters. How did his first taste of NFL action turn out? Let’s find out.
RJ Harvey Shows Exactly Everything the Denver Broncos Needed
A six-year career at the collegiate level saw Harvey take some time to carve out a niche for himself. It wasn’t until his fourth year that he got consistent reps as a member of the UCF Knights. Once he did, though, there was no turning back.
Recording 3,789 yards over three years, he also had 43 rushing touchdowns, including an absurd 22-TD year in 2024. However, for the Broncos, it was his versatility that made him an even more lucrative pick.
In his final three years, Harvey was a lock for over 200 receiving yards on top of his excellence as a running back. That promise he showed was on full display as he suited up for his first bout of NFL preseason action against San Francisco.
Getting seven total carries, he added 25 yards on the ground while also catching a four-yard reception. It was a relatively small sample size for the youngster, as Denver pulled its starters early.
However, his performance was certainly impressive in its limited time frame, with a particular corner cut during a rushing attempt catching fans’ attention. As things currently stand for the Broncos, it’s difficult to piece together a picture for their plans in 2025.
RJ Harvey turned that corner FAST.
My goodness he’s going to be good in this system pic.twitter.com/EQp1AGdkcx— Jeff Mueller, PT, DPT (@jmthrivept) August 10, 2025
On the unofficial depth chart, Harvey was listed fifth, behind starter JK Dobbins and the trio of Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, and Tyler Badie. However, that might have been out of reverence for their seniority in terms of experience.
As the game plan during the game against the 49ers revealed, Harvey might factor into many of the Broncos’ plans this year. Even if he didn’t before tonight, his performance against the Niners has given Coach Payton a plethora of reasons to trust the young speedster.
