How many different ways are there to describe the mighty AFC West? Let’s see..
The division of legendary head coaches. The division that saw three-of-four teams make the postseason in 2024. That one division where three-of-four clubs claimed their premier running back in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
That last one will do just fine. And, with reliable veterans Isiah Pacheco and Najee Harris calling the AFC West home, it can simply be referred to as “The division of running backs”.
That’s especially true as the Denver Broncos aim to keep J.K. Dobbins in the division.
Dobbins, a 905-yard, 9-touchdown runner from one season ago, is set to meet with the Broncos’ brass tonight to discuss a future in Denver. Tomorrow, the 26-year-old will visit the team’s facility to better assess if Denver is where he wants to be in 2025.
The mighty AFC West, the division of running backs, may add another to their arsenal heading into the new year.
For Dobbins, the first two weeks of his ’24 campaign couldn’t have been much more special. His 266 yards on the ground was 19 more than any individual player had in this timespan, averaging a simply sensational 9.9 yards per carry on 27 rushes. That’s how it started.
The ending, however, was a completely different story.
From Week 3 onward, Dobbins totaled 639 yards on the ground with a yards per carry mark of 3.8. This was the third-lowest average among all running backs who accumulated the top-30 rushing yards in this timespan.
With R.J. Harvey in Denver’s backfield, the hope is Dobbins can thrive in a more-limited role than the one he had in Los Angeles as the bell-cow back. Should Dobbins suit up for the Broncos this upcoming season, that’s certainly a reasonable expectation.
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*Top Photo: Getty Images
AFC West: Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders Each Counting On Rookie WR