How Broncos Overcome Loss of RB Jonah Coleman in Week 3

The Denver Broncos unveiled their final injury report for their Week 3 clash with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football.

On it, the Broncos listed running back Jonah Coleman as out due to an ankle injury he sustained in last week's victory over the Jaguars. Wide receiver Marvin Mims (foot) is listed as questionable following three straight limited practices.

RBs J.K. Dobbins (hip) and RJ Harvey (hamstring) weren't given designations and are expected to play versus Los Angeles.

For the Rams, star wide receiver Puka Nucua (groin) and safety Kam Kinchens (hamstring) were listed as double and are unlikely to suit up. Tight end Colby Parkinson (knee) is considered questionable.

The final injury report of the week for the Rams and Broncos: pic.twitter.com/Bx2zoDXPmH
— Sarah Barshop (@sarahbarshop) September 25, 2026

Seeing the first action of his career, Coleman looked no worse for wear in Week 2, tying for the team high in carries (10) and leading all rushers in rushing yards (39) while also scoring his first NFL touchdown. He added three receptions for 19 yards amid the 20-13 comeback win.

“He was impressive in the game. I’m uninterested in the reports with injuries," head coach Sean Payton said of Coleman on Wednesday.

The Broncos were without Harvey (inactive) in that game and lost Dobbins to what was initially termed a hamstring issue before being re-classified as leg cramps and, finally, an unexplained hip malady. Both players were full practice participants on Thursday and Friday, after being limited Wednesday.

How Broncos Manage Coleman's Absence

The sprained ankle is obviously not ideal for either the Broncos or Coleman, who appears poised to eventually take on the RB1 mantle. His three-down ability is a boon to the offense, providing versatility as a runner and pass-catcher.

Without him, Denver will lean heavily on Dobbins and Harvey, provided they're healthy enough for the workload, while potentially giving a few additional snaps to reserve RB Tyler Badie.

It's also possible the Broncos take to the air at a more frequent rate in order to offset Coleman's absence. This would put added responsibility on quarterback Bo Nix, who has the freedom to change things at the line as he sees fit.

“I think every week’s a little different with what the defense presents to him and the offense. If it’s advantageous, we definitely want to take advantage of that," offensive coordinator Bo Nix said Thursday. "[QB] Bo [Nix] is a smart guy. He works hard. Some weeks, we do a little bit more of that than others. We just don’t want him to think too much. We still want to keep the player reacting at a good speed, and I think he’s managed to do that, especially last week in the second half.”

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