Jonah Coleman rookie fantasy outlook and impact on RB teammates

The Broncos selected Jonah Coleman in the fourth round of the NFL draft. What is his realistic 2026 fantasy outlook, and how might his presence impact R.J. Harvey, J.K. Dobbins, and Jaleel McLaughlin?

It’s rare for a draft pick to produce a lose-lose-lose-lose fantasy backfield situation. But for the Super Bowl-aspiring Broncos, Coleman fits the bill. He’s a bell cow-caliber option on a team with three other guys who’ve earned massive workloads in the pros and/or in college. He’s a capable receiver on a team with three strong pass-catching running backs -- two of whom have demonstrated exceptional skills in that area.

His fantasy outlook hinges primarily on Harvey’s and Dobbins’ health. The former is a below-average injury risk; the latter is, of course, above average, though a pull-back in usage might keep Dobbins from another IR stint.

Still, Coleman’s presence throws at least a small wrench in Dobbins’ ceiling. Despite opening last season as the starter, he was predestined to lose ground to the rookie Harvey. Now Dobbins is a very “old” 27-year-old whose abilities might have made him a perennial top-14 fantasy RB, if not for a litany of injuries that have limited him to 32 games in the past five years.

McLaughlin’s potential as a third-down option (if Dobbins got hurt) is probably out the window. At best, he’ll compete with Coleman for #3 RB duties to start the season. Scratch that: at best, he’ll be trade bait to an RB-needy team, perhaps landing in a city where he can rack up 40+ catches and top-50 production.

The only concern with Harvey is that he was a 24-year-old draftee last year. He’ll turn 26 before the next Super Bowl. He could be post-prime in the next two or three years. For now, he should be fine as a 200+ touchback with 275-touch upside. But clearly, this increasingly crowded backfield won’t improve his output.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Jonah Coleman rookie fantasy outlook and impact on RB teammates