Jaleel McLaughlin Appears Limited to a Complementary Role in Denver

After topping 570 scrimmage yards in each of his first two NFL seasons, Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin's production took a step back in 2025. Across eight games, the 25-year-old recorded 214 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown on 41 touches. McLaughlin was a healthy scratch on game day for much of the first half of the season, as he was stuck behind J.K. Dobbins (foot), RJ Harvey, and Tyler Badie on the Broncos' running back depth chart. McLaughlin got more opportunities to play down the stretch after Dobbins went down in Week 11 with a foot injury. Dobbins is now set to hit free agency, which could open up a path to playing time for McLaughlin in Denver. However, Harvey emerged as the team's lead back in 2025 after Dobbins went down and looks like the Broncos' clear RB1 of the future. For his career, McLaughlin is averaging fewer than seven touches per game and looks more like a complementary, change-of-pace back than a fantasy-relevant workhorse.

Source: RotoBaller