Broncos running back RJ Harvey isn’t expected to play in Denver’s Week 2 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Some believe that could open the door for Broncos fourth-round selection Jonah Coleman to cement his status as the premier change-of-pace option in Denver’s backfield.
ESPN’s Eric Moody planted his flag in that territory this morning. He believes the University of Washington product could provide major dividends for fantasy football managers looking for a spark.
“If Jonah Coleman is still available in your fantasy football league now is a good time to stash him before lineups lock for Week 2,” Moody wrote on X.
The Jaguars did a good job slowing down the Browns‘ rushing attack last week, holding Cleveland to 87 yards on 22 attempts (running back Quinshon Judkins also had 33 yards off 12 attempts).
However, they also got out to a 31-0 lead through their first drive of the second half. Nothing was going right for the Browns, and they were forced to abandon the run relatively early. There’s reason to believe Denver could find more success on the ground today.
Jonah Coleman Is A Strong Breakout Candidate Against The Jaguars
Few players received as much training camp hype as Coleman. The Denver Post‘s Sean Keeler had already crowned him as the biggest steal in the 2026 NFL Draft in mid-August.
“Fourth round? $885,000 base salary? $1.19 millon cap hit? For the guy who’s been arguably the Broncos’ best runner in camp since they put pads on? Bargain of the draft,” Keeler wrote. “It wasn’t just smart to draft Coleman out of the University of Washington. It was borderline genius.”
Coleman has even received some surprising Rookie of the Year buzz. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a chance to build on his impressive training camp performance in the team’s Week 1 blowout loss to Kansas City.
He saw only three snaps on offense and didn’t have a single touch in the 31-10 defeat. Despite having some success on the ground (JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey combined for 11 attempts for 54 yards), the game script saw them abandon the run relatively early. We could see an overcorrection in that regard today.
To Coleman’s credit, however, make a great block in pass protection on one of those snaps. That type of effort could see him getting more third-down reps today, which could also allow him to make a dent in the passing game.
RJ Harvey Didn’t Make The Most Of His Opportunities Last Season
This isn’t just a situation where Coleman could provide fantasy football dividends for one game and then disappear when Harvey returns to the lineup. Sure, Harvey was drafted in the second round last year, but he didn’t exactly run away with the job like some expected him to late last season.
Dobbins missed nine games last season (including Denver’s two playoff matchups), and Harvey failed to exceed 4 yards-per-carry in seven of those games. He was held under 4 YPC in four of them. That is abysmal production, and it becomes even more stark when you consider the fact that Dobbins was previously averaging 5 yards a pop before his injury.
It feels safe to assume Denver will try to play more ball control offense this week after the Monday night debacle in Kansas City. Coleman could be a huge benefactor in that regard. He might make a name for himself behind Denver’s vaunted offensive line.
If he makes the most of his opportunity today, then he might not be going away anytime soon. Harvey would effectively get Wally Pipp’ed in the process.
Broncos’ Jonah Coleman Expected To Explode With An Expanded Role Against Jaguars