The Denver Broncos' running back room has failed to perform through six weeks of the 2026 season.
The Broncos are 4-2, but they've gotten little help from their run game. There have been flashes, like Jonah Coleman's rookie debut in Week 2 and the first half of Week 6's win over the Seattle Seahawks, but as a consistent foundation, the Broncos don't have much to build on.
Meanwhile, Bo Nix has been mired in a slump, especially over the past three games. He's won 28 games as a pro, but you could easily count on one hand the number of times he's had a 100-yard rusher.
As Sean Payton has said, quarterback is the hardest position to play in the NFL sans a run game. With the NFL trade deadline approaching on November 10, the Broncos' biggest need is staring them in the face.
Broncos Need a Difference-Making RB
Now, there's a chance the worm could turn for this running back ahead of November 10. The Broncos have three games between now and then, and aside from the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8, the defensive competition on the docket pales in comparison to what this offense has faced in the first six weeks.
That's worth remembering: the caliber of defenses the Broncos have gone against to start this season. Not as an excuse, but it's a fact that Denver played the second-toughest schedule through six games based on opposing defenses. It was one slugfest after another.
This is one reason the buzz among the players and coaches at Dove Valley centers on Nix and the offense being poised to finally break out and maybe even go on a run. It's possible, but if the Broncos don't get the answers they're looking for within the next three games, they've got to look hard at possible trades.
Without a viable rushing attack, the Broncos may be able to survive the regular season and make the playoffs, but if they don't win the No. 1 seed and they have to play on the road, the lack of a ground game will catch up with them.
J.K. Dobbins is on pace for a career-low season, averaging 3.3 yards per carry. RJ Harvey has burst and is tough to tackle, but the Broncos seem reluctant to lean on him as a down-to-down rusher.
Coleman is set to return from injured reserve this week, and he's the Broncos' best hope at their run game finally breaking out — beyond a sudden Dobbins resurgence. The rookie runs with good vision and has a blend of power, burst, and contact balance that makes him effective. But Coleman is young and inexperienced.
Dobbins has pointed to the Broncos' schedule as the biggest explanation for the run game's failure to launch, and there's some truth to that. But he doesn't look like the same runner we saw for 10 games last season; he's indecisive and lacking burst.
With only three games between now and the trade deadline, the Broncos need to find out quickly how much Coleman's return can actually help them. Dobbins has been trending toward 20 carries per game of late, but the Broncos would be wise to split a good chunk of those off for Coleman.
Trade Options
There are some potentially great options out there for the Broncos. The Indianapolis Colts are open to parting with Jonathan Taylor, and it's possible the Philadelphia Eagles could listen to offers for Saquon Barkley, given the buzz that they could be poised to kick off a roster reboot.
I'm not sure a back like Tennessee's Tony Pollard would offer a true upgrade over Dobbins worth trading for. And while it would be awesome to see Kyren Williams in the Orange and Blue, the Los Angeles Rams aren't likely to be sellers ahead of the deadline, unless they're unable to snap their two-game losing streak and things only get worse before November 10.
Tampa Bay's Bucky Irving could be interesting, too, as the Bucs seem destined for a losing season and a new coaching regime. The Broncos have options and future draft capital to play with.
The Takeaway
Some people would argue that offensive line is a bigger weakness, and I don't disagree that the unit has been disappointing thus far, but if the Broncos went out and acquired left guard Quenton Nelson, as great as he is, he's not going to suddenly spark the offense in the same way that true top-tier running back would.
So, if the Broncos are of a buyer's mindset ahead of the deadline, it's all about the running back market. However, and this is a big caveat, the Broncos have three games left to see whether guys like Dobbins and Harvey can be more productive and how Coleman can help elevate things with his return from IR.
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