It is almost fantasy football time for NFL fans across the world, and as selections begin to be planned and made, one rookie running back catches the eye more than most. No it's not Tre’Veyon Henderson, and no it isn't Ashton Jeanty, but the Denver Broncos second round pick RJ Harvey.
After selecting UCF running back RJ Harvey with the 60th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft earlier this year, Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos have finally found an ultra productive back, and their run game is about to leap to the next level. Harvey, who is one of the older prospects who joined the NFL this year at 24 years old, currently sits behind J.K Dobbins as the second string running back for the Broncos, but as time progresses, Harvey will have more than enough time to break out and blossom.
As far as fantasy football picks go, Harvey isn't a first, second, or even third round pick for most people, but as a backup running back, and with how he is poised to improve over the season, the value and stock is more than reasonable. Harvey has often been described as an extremely instinctive runner, and thrives off of his athleticism and burst of speed.
Harvey demonstrated that his ability to break tackles, move underneath players, and laterally move quickly resulted in 1,577 rushing yards last season, picking up 22 rushing touchdowns across those yards too. In fantasy terms, Harvey would have accumulated around 355 points last season with his UCF performance, and is showing signs of being a big point gainer as a solid third down, and goal line back. When people pick up back up running backs in the later rounds of the draft, they expect it to be a throw away pick in some cases, but Harvey has already shown he isn't just a solid point producer, but he has the game and characteristics to be a first team point producer.
Although Harvey won't start with the majority of reps, his stats show why he could reach the heights, and why he is a valuable late round pick. The way he plays, and the situations he thrives in are things every fantasy general manager should be looking for, and when a solid red zone back like him is available, it will be hard not to consider him.
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