Top Broncos of 2026 | No. 13: J.K. Dobbins

If you ask Sean Payton, he'll tell you that J.K. Dobbins was a big reason for the Denver Broncos' stunning success last season. The 14 wins, the clutch-time resilience, the AFC West crown, and No. 1 playoff seed in the conference were all achievements that had Dobbins's fingerprints on them.

That is Payton's assertion, despite the Broncos losing Dobbins to a Week 10 foot injury. Getting Dobbins re-signed in the offseason was "a priority above all others," per Payton.

The Broncos got it done, and Dobbins returns as the No. 1 running back on a new two-year deal. With Broncos training camp just days away, we're continuing to break down the club's top 25 players of 2026.

Dobbins checks in at No. 13, so let's examine his background and outlook to understand why we have him ranked so high among the Broncos' best players.

Background

Dobbins entered the league as a prolific Ohio State running back, drafted at No. 55 overall by the Baltimore Ravens in 2020. His first year in the league, he stayed healthy, though he did miss one game due to COVID-19.

The next summer, the injury bug began to sink its teeth into Dobbins. He suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the preseason, missing his entire second year.

Dobbins suffered another knee injury upon his return in 2022, missing multiple games. The next major injury came in Year 4, though, when he tore his Achilles tendon in the season opener.

The Ravens let Dobbins hit the bricks in free agency, as he was still rehabbing from his Achilles. The Los Angeles Chargers signed him, though, and he went on to be their No. 1 running back, posting a career-high 905 yards and another nine touchdowns, despite missing four games with a knee injury (MCL sprain).

Dobbins was a free agent once again, and the Chargers, along with the rest of the NFL, dragged their feet on re-signing him. Fast forward to June of 2025, and he was still languishing on the free-agent market when the Broncos called him.

Denver signed Dobbins to a one-year deal worth $2 million just as mandatory minicamp came to a close. He once again stepped into a new situation, only to earn the starting job handily.

As is his way, while Dobbins was healthy in 2025, he was one of the NFL's most productive running backs. The Broncos' ground game was still somewhat inconsistent, but it was among the league's top 10 units.

When he suffered his season-ending Lisfranc injury in Week 10 (although he did finish the game), Dobbins had totaled 772 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.0 yards per carry.

Had the Broncos advanced to the Super Bowl, Dobbins would have been activated off injured reserve, but without Bo Nix in the lineup, they fell to the visiting New England Patriots. Before free agency officially opened in March, the Broncos re-signed Dobbins to a two-year, $16 million deal with $8 million guaranteed.

If Dobbins stays healthy, he'll have the chance to reach performance escalators in his contract that would turn his $8 million annual number to $10 million. He's got plenty of incentive this time around to stay on the field.

Snake-Bitten

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

There's no getting around it: Dobbins has been absolutely snake-bitten as a pro. He's suffered some major injuries, including an ACL tear and an Achilles tear.

However, since he was drafted in 2020, Dobbins has one of the NFL's best yards-per-carry averages among running backs. Beyond his actual play, his leadership and fiery, outspoken attitude are intangible traits that have endeared him to Payton and the Broncos' coaching staff.

Dobbins has vowed that 2026 will be different, and that he'll avoid all the "unfortunate stuff." The Broncos seem inclined to agree, giving him a 4x raise with some guaranteed money.

“What I’m going to show is that last year wasn’t a fluke," Dobbins told The Denver Post back in June. "Like, instead of being No. 3 in the NFL, I’ll be No. 1 this year. And there won’t be any injuries.”

The truth is, nobody has a crystal ball. But for the Broncos to reach their potential in 2026, they'll need Dobbins to stay on the field.

The first step toward achieving a goal, though, is speaking it into existence — and then hoping the universe bends around that vocal manifestation based on one's actions flowing toward it in a singular way.

Outlook

Dobbins is only 27 years old. He's still in his prime window, despite his surprisingly long injury record.

Broncos fans saw that youth on display last season as Dobbins's explosiveness, vision, and power helped move the chains. He's still got the RB1 juice, but until he proves to avoid the injury bug for a full season, he's always going to have that asterisk by his name.

Sayings like, "When healthy, Dobbins is...." We hear it all the time, and in fact, I say it all the time on the Mile High Huddle Podcast.

The problem is that football is a violent and physical sport, and no position bears the brunt of it more than the running back. In that regard, Dobbins's health outlook is beyond his control, but that's not going to stop him or the Broncos from trying to will a full season into existence.

If Dobbins stays healthy, he's set-and-forget 1,000-yard rusher. But that's a big if.

This time around, the Broncos picked up a Dobbins insurance policy in the draft in the form of Jonah Coleman. RJ Harvey is a fine running back and a multi-faceted weapon, but after Dobbins went down, he proved that he wasn't ready to take on the RB1 mantle.

Coleman well could. He's a powerful runner between the tackles, brings plenty of explosion to the table, and is a well-rounded third-down back. He was one of the few complete backs in the 2026 draft class.

For now, though, Coleman will be Denver's No. 3 running back, With Dobbins as the No. 1, and Harvey as the No. 2. That's an impressive backfield, and it will redound to the Broncos' lasting benefit if Dobbins can manage to stay available throughout the 2026 campaign.

The Takeaway

Dobbins makes an sizable impact as a player and as a leader. He brought a swagger to the Broncos' offense that was frankly lacking last year, Nix's burgeoning confidence notwithstanding.

All the Broncos need is a little luck by way of the injury bug, and Dobbins will get the chance to prove that he's been a Pro Bowl-caliber running back all along. If he stays healthy, Dobbins will have the chance to become the Broncos' first Pro Bowl running back since Phillip Lindsay in 2018.

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