The Denver Broncos selected running back Jonah Coleman out of Washington in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL draft, and he is slated to be the team's RB3, behind J.K. Dobbins (foot), whom they just re-signed to a two-year contract, and behind RJ Harvey, whom they spent second-round draft capital on in 2025. Coleman profiles as more of a bowling-ball-type running back, standing at 5'8 ", 220 lbs. Over his past two collegiate seasons at Washington, he accumulated 27 touchdowns, 54 receptions, 531 receiving yards, and 1,811 rushing yards. He profiles as a true bell-cow back with receiving upside and has received comparisons to guys like David Montgomery of the Houston Texans. For the 2026 season, he will be buried on the depth chart and likely won't be relevant in the first half of the season barring injury; however, the Broncos are not committed to Dobbins long-term and Harvey did not capitalize on his from an efficiency standpoint in 2025, so Coleman is a top target in dynasty formats, specifically for teams who are rebuilding or just need to get younger at the running back position
This article ranks the top 10 running back duos in the NFL for the 2026 season, considering individual stardom, balanced backfields, and recent production against projections. It also includes honorable mentions and discusses specific player pairings and their potential impact
J.K. Dobbins, despite an injury history and competition in the Denver backfield, still holds value for contending dynasty teams due to his proven production. He averaged 5.0 yards per carry last season and was ranked RB42 in dynasty rankings
Although Ashton Jeanty of the Raiders was the only running back selection in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft , nine rookies logged at least 100 carries last season. CBS Sports' fantasy football experts project just three to cross that threshold this time around. From 2016-21, the NFL averaged 10 rushers with 1,000-plus rushing yards each season, which perhaps supported an overarching notion that the position was being devalued. Carries were being distributed more evenly among teams. Over the past four years, the league has averaged 15 rushers of at least 1,000 yards. As part of the 2026 NFL Draft, there were only three running backs taken in the top-100 overall. Which rookie running backs will be the most productive in 2026? Here are five candidates: There were some others who had been considered for the final spot, including Nick Singleton ( Titans ) and Adam Randall ( Ravens ). There is a path for Coleman to receive a large share of Denver's carries. J.K. Dobbins has battled injuries throughout his career and R.J. Harvey may not possess the ideal size to be a feature back. Coleman was the fourth-highest drafted running back in his class at No. 108 overall. He was proficient in the pass game while at Washington, which makes him a three-down back. CBS Sports' fantasy football experts project Coleman to rush for 134 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries, equivalent to 25.4 fantasy points. Washington was a favorite throughout the pre-draft process. He has size, burst and the capability to impact the game on all three downs. Last year's No. 6 overall selection, Ashton Jeanty, will be the bell cow for the AFC franchise, but Washington can be the thunder to Jeanty's lightning. Jeanty had all but 41 of Las Vegas' running back carries last season, so one would think the new coaching staff will want to transfer some of the burden elsewhere. The Seahawks had two running backs with 180-plus carries last season. CBS Sports' fantasy football experts project Washington to carry 97 times for 340 yards and two touchdowns, equivalent to 89 fantasy points. There is a clear gap between the top two running backs and the rest of this list. Opportunity will dictate how the second tier shakes out. The 49ers faced backlash over the selections of Ole Miss wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling and Black, prompting surly responses from Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch during press conferences. San Francisco may be inclined to funnel touches to Black in an effort to justify the selection, but past tendencies suggest it is an exercise in overthinking. San Francisco has used Day 2 selections on running backs Ty Davis-Price and Trey Sermon in the past. Those two players combined for 81 total carries during their brief careers in the Bay Area. The franchise churns through running backs over the course of a regular season. Jordan James , Isaac Guerendo and Black are backups to Christian McCaffrey , who, aside from an injury-riddled 2024 season, has missed one total game in three of his last four seasons. CBS Sports' fantasy football experts project Black as the third-highest scoring rookie running back with 592 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on 152 carries, equivalent to 114.9 fantasy points. Seattle employed a platoon system at the running back position with Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III . Walker signed with the Chiefs in free agency, and Charbonnet suffered a significant late-season injury. Emanuel Wilson and George Holani are capable of giving Price a breather until Charbonnet returns, but the rookie may get a larger volume of touches in September as a result. Outwardly, it felt as though the Seahawks were willing to wait and take the Notre Dame product No. 32 overall despite better value existing elsewhere. There have been 13 running backs drafted in the first round over the past 10 years. Of those, 12 played at least 13 games -- Omarion Hampton was the exception -- and averaged 1,181.2 yards and 8.2 touch
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Broncos running back RJ Harvey is focusing on studying film of other successful RBs like Christian McCaffrey, Kenneth Walker III, and Jahmyr Gibbs as he enters his second year. While he showed flashes after J.K. Dobbins' injury, consistency issues and a crowded backfield with Jonah Coleman and Dobbins suggest a committee approach. Harvey's fantasy value has decreased, positioning him as a potential RB3/flex option in PPR leagues
Dobbins is jostling for position in a Broncos backfield that also includes RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman, Luca Evans of the Denver Post reports. Dobbins led the Broncos with 772 rushing yards across 10 regular-season games during the 2025 campaign, and he's likely to maintain a prominent role in the team's 2026 backfield mix, even with Denver having spent a second-round pick in 2025 on Harvey and a fourth-rounder this year on Coleman. Harvey is likely to get most of the pass-catching opportunities but averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in the 2025 regular season compared to Dobbins' 5.0, while the 5-foot-8, 220-pound Coleman may be the bigger threat to Dobbins' opportunities on early downs. The Broncos may opt to keep four running backs on the 53-man roster, with Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie battling for the final spot
The most interesting group to watch through training camp for me is going to be the running back room. The running game for the Broncos last season was largely ineffective once J.K. Dobbins was injured. This Broncos offense with an actual functioning running game would have won a Super Bowl last season. So most of us in Broncos Country are licking our chops. While the Broncos didn’t take huge steps to shake up the roster, I really like what they did this offseason for two reasons. Dobbins is probably the poster boy for the term “injury-prone.” I absolutely can not argue at all with the Broncos bringing him back. He’s nothing if not productive on the field of play. He averaged 5 yards per carry for the team last year and made the offense look great when he was out there. If any team is going to be able to get an injury-prone player right, it is the Denver Broncos. Beau Lowery runs an excellent ship for the health and conditioning staff of the Broncos. Dobbins has the right mindset, and the Broncos have a great staff that will help him stay as healthy as possible in 2026. My favorite move of the offseason was drafting Jonah Coleman. He’s got the goods to turn into a #1 RB in the NFL. He’s also a multi-faceted back like Dobbins who can run inside, outside, pass protect, and catch out of the backfield. Plan #1 for the Broncos may be for Dobbins to get right and stay right. If that doesn’t work out, they have plan #2 ready to go in Jonah Coleman. We know Dobbins, Coleman, and R.J. Harvey are locks on this roster. But that means the fighting is going to be heavy for Jaleel McLaughlin , Tyler Badie , and Cody Schrader . I also wouldn’t put it past the Broncos to be scouting the waiver wire as training camp moves along. I think of these three guys, Tyler Badie is a lock. McLaughlin has yet to show he’s anything other than a good change-of-pace running option lacking pass blocking and catching consistency. Cody Schrader looks like a long shot in my eyes to make the squad in the first place (though he’s likely a shoe-in for the practice squad). Broncos Camp Preview: Denver’s O-line enters training camp with All-Pros, continuity and depth WR Courtland Sutton voted No. 68 on 2026 NFL Top 100 list Don’t forget about Jaleel McLaughlin in Broncos’ RB mix Ranking the 10 Best NFL Offensive Linemen for 2026: Two Broncos Make the List NFC North training camp 2026 preview: Top storylines for Bears, Lions, Packers, Viking Tony Romo: My only regret is not winning Cowboys a Super Bowl Giants’ John Harbaugh not worried about Jaxson Dart protecting himself Bills RB James Cook wants to do ‘something special’ for Buffalo: ‘It’s on us’ to get over Super Bowl hump Rising coach on 49ers’ staff? Former Seahawk K.J. Wright Investigation into alleged battery by Jets’ Smith no longer active Rams’ Jackson won’t face felony; case assigned for diversion Stefon Diggs says there is no WR2 in NFL ‘better than me’ Will the Seahawks’ New Owner Look to Shake Things Up? The Terrion Arnold Situation Is Unprecedented Super Bowl LXI Road Map: It’s Time for Bryce Young to Prove He’s Not a Bust
RJ Harvey, despite his rookie success and praised receiving skills, faces a complicated backfield situation with the return of J.K. Dobbins and the addition of Jonah Coleman. His offseason shoulder surgery adds further uncertainty, making him an upside bench pick or dynasty hold rather than a lead back
The running back room was on course to look mostly just like it did last season for the Denver Broncos. That is until the 2026 NFL Draft rolled around and on Day 3 Denver drafted Jonah Coleman. His addition adds great insurance behind JK Dobbins. Dobbins was having a fantastic season before injury and the […]
After recording 1,112 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns on 187 touches across 12 games for the University of Washington in 2025, running back Jonah Coleman was selected in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. Entering training camp, Coleman likely profiles as the RB3 in Denver behind veteran J.K. Dobbins and 2025 second-rounder RJ Harvey. If Dobbins and Harvey stay healthy, Coleman's usage in 2026 may be limited. However, Dobbins has a long track record of injury issues, as he's cracked 200 touches in just one season since entering the NFL in 2020. Harvey averaged just 3.7 yards per carry as a rookie last season and was much more effective as a receiver out of the backfield, which could be the role the Broncos envision him playing long-term. With a steady rookie season, Coleman could emerge as Denver's lead rusher heading into 2027, and an injury to Dobbins could open a path to playing time even sooner. In dynasty formats, Coleman profiles as a priority stash candidate entering 2026
Tyler Badie is competing for a running back spot on the Denver Broncos' final 53-man roster. Despite the additions of RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman, and J.K. Dobbins, Badie's proficiency in pass protection, which saw him play significant special teams snaps last season, could earn him a place on the team. However, with limited roster spots and competition from Jaleel McLaughlin, his role remains uncertain
The belief in Broncos camp is Jonah Coleman could earn an immediate role. Coleman would most likely hold a short-yardage and/or goal line role if he is to play right away. This could end up being a three-man committee with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey
According to The Denver Post’s Luca Evans, veteran running back J.K. Dobbins nearly signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars during free agency before re-signing with the Denver Broncos. Evans notes that Dobbins returning to the Broncos was far from a sure thing. The team was looking at other backs, and Dobbins had an agreement with the […]
Running back J.K. Dobbins wanted to stay in Denver for a second season. He is. He almost wasn't. Luca Evans of the Denver Post reports that, before Dobbins worked out a new two-year contract with the Broncos , he had a deal that was essentially “done” with the Jaguars . Dobbins, who had 772 yards through 10 games before suffering a season-ending foot injury, hopes to build on what he did in 2025. “What I’m going to show is that last year wasn’t a fluke," Dobbins said. "Like, instead of being No. 3 in the NFL, I’ll be No. 1 this year. And there won’t be any injuries.” No running back can credibly make that vow. It's even harder for Dobbins to do it, given the number of injuries he has suffered during an NFL career that has gone very well, when he's able to play. He has a career average of 5.2 yards per carry. Still only 27, Dobbins has plenty of gas in the tank. And, if he can stay healthy all year, he should finish with his first 1,000-yard season
Running back J.K. Dobbins wanted to stay in Denver for a second season. He is. He almost wasn’t. Luca Evans of the Denver Post reports that, before Dobbins worked out a new two-year contract with the Broncos, he had a deal that was essentially “done” with the Jaguars . Dobbins, who had 772 yards through 10 games before suffering a season-ending foot injury, hopes to build on what he did in 2025. “What I’m going to show is that last year wasn’t a fluke,” Dobbins said. “Like, instead of being No. 3 in the NFL, I’ll be No. 1 this year. And there won’t be any injuries.” No running back can credibly make that vow. It’s even harder for Dobbins to do it, given the number of injuries he has suffered during an NFL career that has gone very well, when he’s able to play. He has a career average of 5.2 yards per carry. Still only 27, Dobbins has plenty of gas in the tank. And, if he can stay healthy all year, he should finish with his first 1,000-yard season
Broncos running back RJ Harvey underwent offseason shoulder surgery after tearing his labrum, Luca Evans of The Denver Post reports. Harvey injured his shoulder in the AFC Championship Game. Harvey did practice during organized team activities, but he did not do much team work as he works his way back, per Evans. As a rookie, the 2025 second-round pick totaled 193 touches for 896 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns. He will play behind J.K. Dobbins and will compete with rookie Jonah Coleman for the backup job
RJ Harvey is expected to increase his role in the Broncos' offense in his second year. As a rookie, he was a dual-threat player, recording 896 scrimmage yards and 12 total touchdowns, leading all rookies. While he showed explosiveness and receiving ability, his down-to-down consistency as a runner needs improvement. Harvey feels more comfortable with the playbook entering his second season
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