The Denver Broncos prepare for their crucial Week 11 showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs with significant uncertainty surrounding their lead running back. JK Dobbins suffered a foot injury in last Thursday night’s win over the Raiders. Should fantasy football managers expect to see Dobbins again this season?
JK Dobbins Injury Update
Dobbins was injured in the third quarter of Thursday’s game when Raiders defensive lineman Tyree Wilson brought him down after a 2-yard gain. The play occurred with approximately four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Dobbins expressed frustration over the uncalled hip-drop tackle the next day. “BAN OR AT LEAST CALL THE MUTHER F***IN HIP DROP TACKLE!,” Dobbins posted on social media Friday. Although Dobbins was able to return to the game after speaking briefly with the Broncos’ medical staff, subsequent reports painted an ominous picture.
Reports surfaced Friday that Dobbins is dealing with a foot injury and was seeking a second opinion for the best course of action moving forward. On Tuesday, Chris Tomasson reported that “placing him on injured reserve is being considered”.
It sure sounds as if Dobbins’ season is likely over. At the very least, he won’t be contributing anything for fantasy managers. It goes without saying he won’t be playing this week against Kansas City.
If IR is a consideration, that means the Broncos believe the injury is somewhere in the 3-6 week range, at best. With the Broncos in good position to make the playoffs at 8-2, it stands to reason they will exercise caution. If Dobbins can return, it likely won’t be until the NFL playoffs.
The Broncos had their first practice of the week on Wednesday. Dobbins was unsurprisingly not present. It’s safe to say he won’t practice at all this week and won’t play on Sunday.
If there is good news to glean, it’s that Dobbins hasn’t been placed on IR. Of course, the team is certainly still considering it. But the longer we go without Dobbins going on IR, the less likely it is that he will end up there. That suggests the team believes there’s a chance he can return within four weeks.
Even so, fantasy managers in leagues with short benches or who need the roster spot can probably drop him. The uncertainty surrounding his return combined with Denver’s playoff positioning suggests the team won’t rush him back for regular season action.
Dobbins’ Fantasy Outlook
Dobbins was having an excellent season before the injury, compiling 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 carries through 10 games. His 5.0 yards per carry average ranked among the best in the league for running backs with significant volume.
RJ Harvey will take over as the lead back. The rookie has shown flashes of ability, particularly as a receiver out of the backfield. Harvey is good for one big run about every 10 carries but hasn’t found consistency yet.
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Jaleel McLaughlin will now be active on game days. He obviously has no business playing significant snaps, but given Sean Payton’s penchant for trying to prove how smart he is, the diminutive satellite back will probably play more than he should.
Tyler Badie will mix in on passing downs. Harvey should be the lead back with Badie handling third-down work, but don’t be surprised if this ends up being more of a three-man timeshare than it should be.
Harvey projects as a strong RB2 going forward, though. The Broncos face Kansas City this week before their bye in Week 12, which provides 23 days between games. This extended break gives Denver time to evaluate their backfield options and determine the best course of action moving forward. It’s possible they add a veteran, which would shake things up. But for now, they appear to be sticking with the players they have.