From UCF standout to Denver's primary ball carrier, RJ Harvey's unexpected dominance puts the NFL on notice with electrifying performances.
RJ Harvey has shouldered the responsibilities of a starting running back for the Denver Broncos since J.K. Dobbins' injury and put the NFL on notice in his rise.
The UCF alum earned his fifth Rookie of the Week nomination for his stellar performance against the Las Vegas Raiders in a 24-17 victory. Harvey amassed 75 yards on the ground in 17 carries with one touchdown and caught six passes for 25 yards.
His ascension has earned praise from the Broncos' organization, including quarterback Bo Nix and coach Sean Payton.
"He can do so many different things and do them well," Nix said. "So, I thought he ran the ball very hard today, was hard to tackle. He had a few plays where he stayed on his feet after contact. And then he always does a good job, out of the backfield. I always say that's one of his greatest traits. But, he's really starting to get it. He just understands things. He's really not having a whole lot of mental errors. He's just playing and just doing his job and doing it at a high level."
Harvey showed flashes of his potential in Week 8 against the Dallas Cowboys with his first multi-touchdown game. He rushed for two touchdowns and added one receiving touchdown.
The Broncos' 60th pick became the lead running back three weeks later after Dobbins suffered a ligament tear in his foot that required surgery and placed him on the injured reserve.
Harvey accumulated 140 yards on 41 carries with three touchdowns, and caught 12 passes for 72 yards since his teammate went down. He became the sixth rookie since 1990 to have five rushing touchdowns and four receiving touchdowns.
His versatility has surprised Payton, who is pleased with how Harvey has grown despite being thrust into the lead running back role.
"We drafted the runner," Payton said. "I mean, what we saw from him as a runner, and then we saw enough his senior year as a receiver, that we felt, but it was like the opposite with Chimera. When we drafted Chimera, we drafted the receiving threat, and then it was like, wow, we saw something different when we handed it to him as well. And with RJ, we drafted the runner first. When you see him, you guys have spent time with him. He's quiet, but he's put together. He's short, but he's put together well. And so, he's grown up quick because of the injury to J.K."
There are four more weeks left in the season for the Broncos, who face quarterback Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers this Sunday. Although there is a possibility that Dobbins returns, Harvey has shown he can carry the mantle of lead running back in the NFL.
The former Knight could potentially add himself to the list of UCF alums who became Pro Bowlers this season, as voting has already started.