Fantasy Football breakout alert: RJ Harvey already seeing ‘ample work’ in Broncos pass game during OTAs

RJ Harvey had a lot of analysts convinced of his upside during the pre-draft process due to his ability to create yards before and after contact via forced missed tackles. Harvey’s explosive play rate at UCF caught the attention of Fantasy Football Today’s Jacob Gibbs early in the process. Here’s a snippet of what Gibbs had to say about Harvey during the pre-draft process:

Harvey had more runs of 15+ yards than Ashton Jeanty in 2024! He accounted for 34% of UCF’s scrimmage yardage, only Jeanty, Kaleb Johnson, Omarion Hampton, and Cam Skattebo posted a better single-season rate (full list). He accounted for 53% of the offensive touchdowns! Johnson was the only RB with a higher rate.

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Harvey was expected to be a Day 3 NFL draft pick in large part due to his age, but he ultimately ended up selected in the second round. If that wasn’t clear enough evidence that Broncos head coach Sean Payton has a clear and major role in mind for Harvey then just look to his usage thus far in OTAs. Earlier this spring, Payton suggested to reporters he sees no reason Harvey can’t contribute on passing downs as a rookie. Thus far in OTAs, Harvey has “has been given ample work in the passing game as he prepares for the kind of multifaceted responsibilities required of running backs in [Sean] Payton’s offense,” according to The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. “The early returns have been promising, with the obvious caveat that he hasn’t yet put on pads and been asked to stonewall a blitzing linebacker.”

According to Kosmider, Harvey has also caught the attention of second-year quarterback Bo Nix due to his natural ability as a pass catcher out of the backfield. “You know he can run the ball,” Nix said, “but I think it’s the other things that he’s (already) showing. Just the routes, (his) suddenness and quickness in his hands.”

This is a key to Harvey’s profile. Throughout Payton’s tenure coaching in the NFL and calling plays, running backs have served as a massive part of his team’s passing attacks. Last season, Broncos running backs combined for a 22% target share — fifth-most in the NFL — and that was with Javonte Williams as lead back. Williams totaled nearly 100 receptions over his last two seasons as the Broncos lead back. If Harvey earns 40-50 receptions as a rookie, it will be almost impossible for him not to return value on his ADP and finish as the No. 2 (or No. 1) scoring.