There were a lot of positive developments for the Denver Broncos in their 27-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the first game of the preseason. The defense forced some turnovers, Jarrett Stidham played well starting at quarterback, and Offensive Coordinator Davis Webb dialed up a lot of creative plays.
However, one of the best aspects was how well their rushing attack performed. The Broncos rushed for 162 yards against the Falcons in their preseason opener. As a group, they averaged a respectable 4.2 yards per carry and moved the chains with nine first downs on the ground. By doing so, they controlled the pace of the game and the clock, earning themselves a decisive victory in the process.
Head Coach Sean Payton was pleased with the stable of back’s efforts. Last season, the Broncos struggled in the latter portion of the season when J.K. Dobbins went down with injury. In order to keep their ground game strong for the upcoming season, Denver drafted Washington standout Jonah Coleman with one of their fourth-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In his NFL debut, Coleman had just four carries. He racked up 24 yards on the ground, including an impressive 13-yard scamper that showcased his vision, contact balance, and ability to break tackles and create extra yards after contact. All key reasons why the Broncos believe highly in his future with the franchise. When asked why Coleman’s carry total and playing time in the preseason opener was limited, Payton had a short and sweet answer.
“I didn’t need to see additional evidence of what I’ve been seeing for three weeks,” Payton stated.
With Coleman’s limited snap share, the Broncos turned to other players to help shoulder the load on their 39 carries. Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Adam Prentice, and Cody Schrader took a majority of the carries. Prentice is poised to be the team’s fullback, but the other three are fighting for likely just one final spot on the roster if the Broncos opt to keep four running backs.
In order to have a stronger rushing attack in 2026, the Broncos are expecting a big jump from second year running back RJ Harvey. On five carries against the Falcons, the team’s 2025 second-round pick had 16 yards—sporting only a 3.2 yard per carry average.
During his rookie season, Harvey led all skill position players with 12 touchdowns. His penchant for big plays as a receiver out of the backfield and adding some extra speed and juice as a runner were a nice addition for the offense. However, his inconsistency as a runner left a lot of yards on the field.
This season, Harvey feels more comfortable at the position. After practice, he mentioned last year things were a bit difficult because of the verbiage and complexity of the offensive system. Entering year two, things have started to slow down for the former UCF standout. In turn, he is hoping that will make him more productive when he totes the rock this year.
All things considered, Harvey likes where the Broncos’ running back room is at. Each back is unique and has their strong suits, but the second-year pro believes they complement each other extremely well. Alongside Coleman and veteran J.K. Dobbins and the rest vying for a spot on the roster, he believes the group has a chance to be a dynamic in ‘26.
“I feel like every running back in the room brings something to the table. We go out there and compete each and every day and make each other better. I love the room that we have, and each day we’re just going to continue to grow and continue to make each other better,” stated Coleman.