Week 7 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: J.K. Dobbins vs. RJ Harvey

The Denver Broncos find themselves at an interesting crossroads. They possess a 4-2 record, which would be first in four different divisions in the National Football League, but questions about their offense—or lack thereof—are running rampant. 

Can Bo Nix get back on track? Who should lead the run game charge? Is Denver’s play-calling a problem?

The answers could have significant fantasy ramifications that may begin to reveal themselves in Week 7, when the Broncos take on the Arizona Cardinals.

Heading in, though, who should you expect to produce more from a fantasy standpoint between J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, the team’s two main (at least for now) running backs? Let’s dig into it.  

RB J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos

In six games this season, Dobbins has been able to stay on the field, a big uncertainty coming into 2026, but he’s noticeably lost some explosiveness.

Perhaps the hamstring sprain he sustained in Week 2 is to blame. Or maybe it’s the Lisfranc injury he suffered in 2025 that required season-ending surgery, coupled with the major achilles and knee procedures he’s had over the course of his career. 

Of course, it could also be the Broncos’ highly touted offensive line not creating enough gaps for Dobbins to exploit. 

Regardless, his productivity has taken a hit. He’s averaging 3.3 yards per carry, down from 5.0 last season, and a 38.3% success rate, down from 53.6% last season. Both represent career lows.

Still, Dobbins’ volume remains high, as he leads the team in carries (81, roughly four times more than Harvey) and rushing yards (270). He’s also scored a touchdown in each of his last two games and has 12 red zone opportunities compared to Harvey’s five.

It is entirely plausible that head coach Sean Payton continues to ride his RB1, and if that’s the case, his fantasy value would remain slightly higher than Harvey’s.

RB RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos

Harvey’s rushing stats in 2026 are nothing to write home about—21 carries, 81 yards, and 1 TD—but his proficiency as a pass-catcher makes him intriguing.

The 25-year-old belongs to an elite club of tailbacks, including just him and Christian McCaffrey, who leads their team in receptions. Harvey has reeled in 23 catches on 26 targets for 163 yards and is a supreme YAC eater at 228 yards, also a team high.

Harvey has found the end zone only once, but those receiving yards boost his fantasy value significantly, especially in PPR formats. Meanwhile, if Dobbins doesn’t score, it's difficult for him to generate fantasy points.

The Arizona Cardinals struggle mightily to stop the pass, allowing the seventh most fantasy points per week to wide receivers. Conversely, they are middle-of-the-pack when it comes to stopping the run.

For that reason, Harvey’s skillset may be better suited than Dobbins’ to attack the Cardinals’ defense.

Final Verdict

The Denver Broncos’ offense ranks second-to-last in yards (252.2), 26th in scoring (19.0), and 26th in rushing yards per game (84.2). When asked if he would consider benching a struggling Bo Nix, Sean Payton shut down the idea.

"He's going to become the by-product of all of the finer things that get improved,” Payton said. “The improved play of our offensive line, the more efficient we are relative to balance running the football…”

If we accept Payton’s comments at face value, the running game is likely to look different in Week 7 than it has previously. More Dobbins wouldn’t really make sense due to his lack of efficiency. 

Handing the rock to Harvey at a higher clip could spice things up given his 3.9 yards per carry average. 

Throwing another variable into the equation, it appears that Broncos’ rookie Jonah Coleman—who showed signs of effectiveness early on before sustaining a high ankle sprain—is on the verge of returning and could assume a bunch of Dobbins’ workload.

There’s also the matter of Nix. The quarterback hasn’t looked comfortable throwing the ball this season, however, he clearly likes targeting Harvey. It would be logical for Payton to try to put Nix in situations where he can find success to boost his confidence, and those shorter passes to Harvey might be a solution.

Due to Payton’s expressed desire to make improvements to the offense, the potential return of Coleman, and Nix’s comfort throwing the ball to Harvey—who can pick up fantasy points both through the air and on the ground—we’re starting Harvey and sitting Dobbins.