Jonah Coleman Is Earning All-Rookie Buzz Ahead of His NFL Debut

Despite being a fourth-round pick, Denver Broncos rookie running back Jonah Coleman has no shortage of admirers in the national media. He's also been the Broncos' rookie that fans have been most excited to see in action, and for understandable reasons.

Coleman may have fallen to Round 4, but he was one of the few complete running backs in the 2026 draft class — a true three-down player — and he only fell that far because of a lack of straight-line speed.

Make no mistake, though: Coleman is fast enough, and he's as explosive as it gets. Fans will get their first look at him on Friday when the team opens the first training camp practice to Broncos Country.

Starting from the bottom of the running back depth chart, though, what does the 2026 season hold for the rookie? NFL Media's Gennaro Filice included Coleman alongside Arizona's Jeremiyah Love (No. 3 overall pick) as his early running back selections for the 2026 NFL All-Rookie Team.

"Checking in at 5-foot-8 and 220 pounds, Coleman is a bowling ball with three-down ability, having eclipsed 1,100 scrimmage yards in each of his final three college campaigns. It's a crowded running back room in Denver, but J.K. Dobbins has never stayed healthy for a full season while RJ Harvey performed best in a specialized role as a rookie," Filice wrote.

"Sean Payton likes taking a committee approach at the position, and Coleman seems like the kind of experienced, well-rounded back who can hit the ground running [in] the NFL, carving out a significant role in Year 1. He lacks game-breaking speed, but I envision him routinely moving the chains behind Denver's stout offensive line."

Coleman's Rookie Outlook

Jonah Coleman. — Denver Broncos rookie running back Jonah Coleman runs during an OTA practice. | Ben Swanson/Denver Broncos

As is the way of a Sean Payton team, Coleman will start at the bottom of the depth chart this summer, but when the dust settles, he'll open the season as the No. 3 running back, and perhaps even the No. 2 behind Dobbins. The Broncos love Harvey, and how could they not after he scored 12 total touchdowns as a rookie? But Coleman is a different player, and the Broncos love him, too.

That said, I'd be surprised if Coleman were to leapfrog Harvey in the pecking order, but the rookie certainly is talented. What Coleman brings to the table as a between-the-tackles rusher is an element that was sorely absent from the Broncos' offense last season after Dobbins was lost to a Week 10 foot injury.

The Broncos tried to rely on Harvey to be that guy, but he lacked down-to-down consistency. This is an area of expertise for Coleman, and even with a hale and healthy Dobbins in the lineup, I would expect the Broncos to make use of it.

RB Touch Share

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins (27) during mini camp at Broncos Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Before the injury bug struck last season, Dobbins averaged 15 carries per game to Harvey's five. Call it 20 planned rushes per game from the Broncos' running backs.

This season, that number could increase in total, simply because the Broncos have the horses in the backfield to be more committed to the ground game. Even if it doesn't, the team is incentivized to cut down somewhat on Dobbins's touch share, simply because it may help preserve him from injury.

It wouldn't be a shock to see Dobbins average closer to 10-12 carries per game, with Harvey and Coleman splitting the additional eight or so. Not only would that ostensibly help keep Dobbins on the field, but it would also be enough carries to keep Harvey and Coleman in the flow of the game.

When it comes to short-yardage situations, the Broncos may also look to make use of the power that Coleman brings to the table. His thick lower body and vision allow him to find those narrow creases, and power forward to move the chains.

The Broncos could maybe even use Coleman in goal-line situations, though Harvey's nose for the end zone is already proven at the NFL level. Again, though, Coleman brings the power element above and beyond Dobbins and Harvey, so expect the Broncos to make use of it on the goal line.

The red zone will likely still be, generally speaking, Harvey's domain, but Coleman is an excellent receiver out of the backfield and a willing and capable pass protector, so Denver will have options. Coleman has a nose for the end zone, too, as evidenced by his 25 rushing touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons at Washington.

The Takeaway

I like where Filice's head is at, but the only thing that makes me doubt Coleman's All-Rookie Team outlook is his role in the offense. The Broncos are really banking on Dobbins staying healthy this season, and if he does, he'll get the lion's share of the carries.

However, if the best predictor of future outcomes is past outcomes, we shouldn't be surprised if Dobbins suffers an injury that forces him to miss multiple games. If that happens, all bets are off, because Coleman would suddenly be vaulted into the No. 1 running back slot.

From there, I could really see Coleman rack up some stats behind the Broncos' top-tier offensive line, a unit led by two first-team All-Pros. Fans should hope that Dobbins stays healthy, though, because a fully available running back depth chart will help keep the Broncos' ground game fresh and explosive.

Coleman's presence in the backfield should relieve everyone's anxiety over Dobbins's health outlook. The Broncos love Dobbins and brought him back with a 4x raise, but they hedged this time by purchasing some premium insurance in the form of Coleman.

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