Denver's Backfield Is Down to a Receiver Turned Runner, and Week 3 Is Here

Tyler Badie is active for Week 3. He is also, at this point, the entire running back operation. Dobbins is out, Harvey is out, and the depth chart behind Badie lists Cody Schrader — a name that has not seen meaningful snaps this season. The Broncos' ground game, which leaned on Dobbins for 772 rushing yards last year before his injury limited him to ten games, is now in the hands of a player whose 2025 production was almost entirely as a pass-catcher: 20 receptions, 148 yards, no touchdowns, and no carries of note.

That last part matters. Badie has functioned as a check-down valve and third-down option, not a between-the-tackles back. Asking him to absorb a full backfield workload is a different assignment, and there is no one behind him to limit the exposure if it goes wrong. I flagged this hole before the season started — the roster carried no viable depth behind Dobbins — and the first three weeks have confirmed it in the most direct way possible.

Bo Nix is active, which keeps the offense functional. Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin are both available. Denver can still move the ball through the air. But a one-dimensional offense in Week 3, with defenses already scheming to take away the pass, is a different problem than the one this team thought it was solving when it extended Dobbins in June.