Can Fantasy Football Managers Trust Jonah Coleman In Week 9 And Beyond With Jonathan Taylor Looming?

Can you trust Jonah Coleman in an unpredictable Denver Broncos backfield?

Denver Broncos running back Jonah Coleman (20) on the field prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We had another exciting fantasy football Sunday in Week 8, and it was especially exciting for Jonah Coleman owners. The rookie had his breakout game, but we've seen running backs do this in Denver in the past, then fizzle out. That leads us to one obvious question: can you trust Denver Broncos rookie running back moving forward?

Jonah Coleman vs JK Dobbins

In Week 8, Coleman dominated the Broncos' backfield, playing on 66% of the offensive snaps, with JK Dobbins playing on just 21%. Coleman carried the ball 11 times for 41 yards and a touchdown, and caught four of his five targets for another 63 yards. Dobbins took just seven carries for 13 yards and wasn't targeted in the passing attack.

It does not seem like a fading Dobbins is going to be a significant issue. That doesn't mean he won't play more than he did this week, but we are confident that Coleman will be the lead back.

However, RJ Harvey could return after three more games. If Dobbins continues to see around seven carries, and Harvey cuts into Coleman's passing-down work, it could cap his upside. Nevertheless, that won't be anytime in the immediate future, with Harvey being placed on injured reserve last week.

Jonathan Taylor To Denver

There is also another looming threat that could be a major issue for Coleman. The Broncos are one of the teams that have been linked to a potential trade for Jonathan Taylor.

The hope is that Coleman played well enough to convince the Broncos they don't need Taylor. Nevertheless, if they do end up trading for JT, he is going to be the bell-cow back in Denver. Still, there have been a handful of teams linked to Taylor, and this is far from a lock.

Can You Trust Jonah Coleman?

There are some potential pitfalls, but we are going to roll with the rookie. We projected him to take over the starting job in Denver around midseason, and that's exactly what's happening. It would be crazy to back off of what we've said along as we see it happening in real time.

As long as they don't make a move for Taylor, which we aren't expecting, you can trust Coleman moving forward. We don't view either Dobbins or Harvey as serious threats. Although they could cut into his workload a bit at times, it will not be enough to seriously damage his fantasy viability.

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