Broncos’ RB J.K. Dobbins Off to Hot Start

Through the first three games, the Denver Broncos have not achieved the resounding success with their rushing game that they were hoping for in the offseason. There have been multiple issues, with rookie running back RJ Harvey struggling and inconsistent blocking from the offensive line.

Fortunately, Broncos veteran running back J.K. Dobbins has been good so far.

I received some complaints from a recent article that discussed Sean Payton's use of Dobbins in a specific way, which was interpreted as me implying that Dobbins has been a problem for the offense. Two things are true here: Dobbins has been the Broncos' best running back, but a particular set of rushing concepts doesn’t work with him as the ball-carrier.

What Doesn't Work for Dobbins: Wide Zone

Those concepts are outside zone runs, or to put it even more succinctly, wide zone concepts that see Dobbins taking runs far outside the tackles. Dobbins has 41 carries this season for 222 yards and three touchdowns. 21 of his runs have gone outside the tackles, but not all of them have been wide zone.

Dobbins is on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing, if he can stay healthy and the Broncos utilize him more wisely. The last Broncos running back to rush for 1,000 yards was Phillip Lindsay back in 2019.

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There are still outside concepts that can be called, like the off-tackle gap run the Broncos called early in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers that went for 41 yards. The main difference between the outside/wide zone concepts and that play is that one goes east-west instead of north-south.

When you call a wide zone, your back is stretching the defense out laterally (east-west), looking for the cut upfield, whereas the off-tackle runs get the running back going north-south to the C-gap on the outside of the offensive tackles.

What adds to this is that Dobbins has seven rushes of 10-plus yards, but I'm only going to focus on six of them, as the seventh was his 19-yard touchdown against the Chargers that was meant to be a pass, but the ball went backwards, making it a run instead of a reception. So, of those six other runs of 10-plus yards, only one was outside of the tackles, and that was the aforementioned off-tackle run.

JK wasn't kidding around with this play 😅

DENvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/q0M3F0MvtD
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025

Dobbins Works Best North-South

Dobbins is a north-south runner who lacks the speed to work laterally and stretch out defenses, where speed is necessary. Again, that's where Payton needs to watch his usage of Dobbins, while also needing Harvey to step up so he can be the threat with the wide zone runs the Broncos added this offseason. Harvey does have the speed to go east-west.

Now, the reason for the clarification between outside zone and wide zone is that the Broncos had wide zone concepts last year that leaked out of their inside zone packages. Dobbins has had a few such runs that have been solid for the team, including a couple of four-yard gains, a five-yard gain, and a seven-yard gain.

These runs limit the amount of stretching for the offense, and work to open the B, C, and TE/Slot gaps for the cut-back lane. They're closer to the off-tackle gap concepts for the running back, with the differences mainly being in the blocking execution up front.

If it isn’t clear, you want Dobbins to get north-south as quickly as possible and avoid working east-west too much, as he lacks the speed and burst for it. Those wide zone concepts aren’t effective when the defense can stay in phase with the concept as the back is drawing it out. Teams rely on the speed variance to create an opening.

So, when I say that Payton needs to adjust his usage of Dobbins, this is what I'm talking about, specifically. I'm not advocating for the Broncos to sit down the guy who's been their best running back thus far.

Instead, run Dobbins from the A-gap to the C-gap. Outside of that, the Broncos are asking for trouble. That's where Harvey comes into play.

Bottom Line

Dobbins has been a highly effective back through three games for the Broncos, and the issues with the run game are not on him whatsoever. Payton's usage of the running backs has been the problem, which is highlighted by Harvey struggling to come along as a rookie.

Until Harvey is ready, Payton should consider Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin for those outside zone concepts.