R.J. Harvey Should Get Plenty of Opportunity in Year 1, But Could He Be the Next Jamaal Charles?

Kevin Szafraniec
May 6, 2025

Leading up to the NFL Draft, R.J. Harvey was receiving plenty of buzz despite being stuck in the middle of a deep running back class. Being selected on the second day of the draft was always a possibility, but Harvey fell into one of the best situations possible when he landed in Denver at the end of the second round. Things for Harvey got even more promising as the Broncos chose not to add any additional RBs during the draft, making Harvey the clear favorite to lead the team’s backfield in 2025.

Harvey’s college production and draft capital combine to pull in some very promising NFL comps for him. However, there are also some red flags in his profile that warrant careful consideration. As we weigh Harvey’s pros and cons, exactly how bullish should we be when looking to acquire him in dynasty and 2025 season-long leagues?

R.J. Harvey’s NFL Comps

Harvey had an impressive three-year run at UCF from 2022 through 2024, with his numbers from the past three years rivaling elite prospects like Ashton Jeanty and Omarion Hampton. However, the major difference is that Harvey graduated high school in 2019, while the other two RBs graduated in 2022.

Harvey’s age is certainly a red flag, but his testing numbers at the combine and college production were enough to counterbalance the concerns.

Harvey’s smaller stature brought down his speed score and freak score, but his 92nd-percentile explosion score aligns with his impressive 17.7% rushing boom percentage (ruBOOM%) from 2023 and his follow-up 16.4% ruBOOM% from 2024. However, Harvey’s game isn’t entirely predicated on speed, as he posted broken tackle percentages (BT%) of 13.3% in 2023 and 12.5% in 2024, numbers that come in at similar levels to larger backs like Kaytron Allen (13.4% BT% in 2023), Braelon Allen (13.3% BT% in 2023), Hampton (13.0% BT% in 2023), and Quinshon Judkins (13.0% BT% in 2024).

While Harvey’s overall receiving numbers won’t necessarily wow anyone, his average of slightly more than 20 receptions per season over the past three years should make us believe he can be an asset in the passing game. Digging deeper helps solidify Harvey’s claim as a capable receiver, with his 142.0 receiver rating (reRTG) from 2023 being one of the best marks among NFL-caliber college RBs over the past two years and his 118.0 reRTG from 2024 lining up closely with Jahmyr Gibbs’ 2022 season. Meanwhile, Harvey’s 0.082 receiving points earned per route in 2024 measured up nicely with the elite numbers put up by more heralded receivers Cam Skattebo and Jaydon Blue.

Sean Payton and the Broncos took a glass-half-full approach when evaluating Harvey, looking past his age and selecting him with the 60th pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Once draft capital is taken into account, Harvey had the fifth-highest RB prospect score in the class. The Box Score Scout also doesn’t seem to hold Harvey’s age against him, as some intriguing names populate his top-end comps.

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here

Please subscribe For Full Access to all RotoViz content and tools!

What’s included in your subscription??

Exclusive Access to RotoViz Study Hall
- A treasure trove of our most insightful articles that will teach you the metrics that matter, time-tested winning strategies, the approaches that will give you an edge, and teach you how to be an effective fantasy manager.
Revolutionary Tools
- Including the NFL Stat Explorer, Weekly GLSP Projections, NCAA Prospect Box Score Scout, Combine Explorer, Range of Outcomes App, DFS Lineup Optimizer, Best Ball Suite,and many, many, more.
Groundbreaking Articles
- RotoViz is home of the original Zero-RB article and continues to push fantasy gamers forward as the go-to destination for evidence-based analysis and strategic advantages.
Weekly Projections
- Built using RotoViz’s unique GLSP approach.
Expert Rankings
And a whole lot more…

Kevin Szafraniec

Full-time Cat Dad, Sneakerhead, Record Collector, LOTR Fanboy, and Jeopardy Enthusiast. Fantasy football writer and beatmaker in my free time. Follow me on X and Bluesky @thecatdadff

A Young Stud Rises to Become 2026’s TE1 in Our 3-Round Superflex Rookie Mock Draft

Kevin Szafraniec May 5, 2025

After covering the potential 2026 rookie classes at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, it is time to finish things off with an overview of the tight end position. Once we get through the TEs, I will use all of the data that has been discussed over the four articles in this series to put together a way-too-early 2026 superflex rookie mock draft. Like WR,…...

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here

Lack of Elite Production and Plenty of Uncertainty Has 2026’s Rookie WR1 Spot Open For the Taking

Kevin Szafraniec May 2, 2025

There is no easy way to say it; the 2026 rookie wide receiver class is looking pretty rough. That is not to say that it is lacking talent, but there is not a single player in the class who does not currently come with legitimate question marks. Whether it be a lack of consistent high-end production or concerns about their NFL fit and overall ceiling,…...

Membership Required

You must be a member to access this content.

View Membership Levels

Already a member? Log in here

Another Potential Superstar RB Could Be Going Off the Board at the 1.01 in 2026 Rookie Drafts

Kevin Szafraniec April 30, 2025

Check out all of RotoViz’s coverage of the 2025 NFL Draft! Dynasty Rookie Rankings Updates – Shawn Siegele WR Prospect Lab Post-Draft Updates – Blair Andrews RB Prospect Lab Post-Draft Updates – Blair Andrews Landing Spot Instant Reactions – Kevin Szafraniec After we were spoiled with a deep rookie running back class in 2025, it will be difficult for any class in the next few…...