Avoid Rookie RB RJ Harvey Like The Bubonic Plague In 2025 Fantasy Football Leagues

Rookie RJ Harvey brings explosive speed to Denver’s backfield, but questionable receiving skills and a crowded RB room may cap his fantasy football upside in 2025.

Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (37) during rookie minicamp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos surprised many by selecting RJ Harvey in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft instead of targeting a back earlier. While Harvey boasts elite speed and back-to-back 1,400-yard college seasons, concerns about his pass-catching ability and a shared workload with J.K. Dobbins could make him a risky fantasy football pick.

Is it JK Dobbins RB1 season in Denver? 🤔

“JK Dobbins will likely be the starter here. RJ Harvey is going to see an extensive amount of touches… and then Jaleel McLaughlin is Sean Payton’s most trusted guy.”

- @CodyRoarkNFL /@32BeatWriters pic.twitter.com/gL757UkmIT

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 8, 2025

RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos

Many football touts had the Broncos adding a running back in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Instead, they targeted Harvey in round 2. Over the past two seasons, he shined in the run game (226/1,416/16 and 232/1,577/22) while chipping with a combined 19 catches for 505 yards and five scores. 

At the NFL Combine, Harvey ran a 4.4 40-yard dash, showcasing his explosiveness. His career with Denver starts at age 24, which is a red flag to me in the Broncos’ team build at running back. He missed 2021 with a torn ACL in his left knee. Despite being undersized (5’8” and 205 lbs.), Harvey relies more on power than elusiveness to earn his early yards. 

He trails in pass protection skills with a questionable ceiling catching the ball. His movements with the ball have a tempo feel as Harvey looks for a seam to take advantage of his acceleration and speed. He brings patience with value on stretch plays, where daylight can lead to some long runs.

RJ Harvey Fantasy Football Outlook

Before Denver signed J.K. Dobbins, Harvey looked poised to have a higher role in this offense. Now, he falls into the competitive hot hand category while expecting some chances in catches. 

In early July, Harvey ranked 19th at running back, requiring him to score about 210.00 fantasy points in PPR formats. With 25 catches and six scores, he would need over 1,500 combined yards. I’ll bet the under and wait to see his corrected ADP before adjusting my new outlook on him.