CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With each Broncos game, Jonah Coleman is taking a bigger role and J.K. Dobbins a lesser one.
In Sunday’s 26-21 win over Carolina at Bank of America Stadium, Coleman, a rookie running back, got his first NFL start while Dobbins came in off the bench.
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Coleman carried 17 times for 57 yards and caught four passes for 31 yards. Dobbins, struggling in his seventh NFL season, had four carries for 18 yards, with just one attempt coming in the second half, and caught one pass for 4 yards.
“Coach (Sean Payton) said, ‘Go in’ and just kind of went in, but that’s the least of my worries,” Coleman said when asked when he learned he would start. “I just get in and do my job, and it’s most important we got the win.”
Dobbins, who rushed for 772 yards last season before suffering a season-ending Lisfranc foot fracture in Week 10, hasn’t looked anything near the same this season. He now has 98 carries for 324 yards for a meager average of 3.3 yards.
Coleman returned Oct. 25 at Arizona after missing four games due to an ankle injury. In that game, Coleman had nine carries for 54 yards to six for 23 yards for Dobbins. Then on Nov. 1 against Kansas City, Coleman had 11 carries for 41 yards and Dobbins seven for 13.
“Those runners are going to be important,” Payton said. “I’m not going to answer running back depth questions, and certainly our running backs are not going to sit in front of a 15-minute interview about their playing time.”
Payton said, “Jonah did good,” but later said he “didn’t feel like we ran it particularly well with either of them.” He also mentioned that running back RJ Harvey “will be back here shortly.”
Harvey was placed on injured reserve Oct. 31 with a knee injury and must miss at least two more games. With the Broncos heading into a bye week, the soonest he can return is Dec. 6 against Miami.
Coleman did potentially save the day when he pounced on a Bo Nix fumble late in the game. With the Broncos up 26-21 and facing second-and-8 at their 26 with 2:53 remaining, the quarterback misfired on a pitch to Coleman, but the running back was able to jump on the ball at the Denver 8 for an 18-yard loss.
“I just knew that I had to get on the ball regardless of what happened,” Coleman said.
Payton said it was a “bad call by me.” Nix was quite thankful for Coleman’s recovery.
“I got to do a better job pitching him the football. Can’t let the ball get on the ground,” Nix said. “When it was loose, I was not thinking good things about what if they got it and all of a sudden, that’s the change of the game. I thought Jonah did a great job of just getting back there, hustling and getting on the football.”
More injuries for Broncos
After being listed as questionable, Broncos star safety Talanoa Hufanga missed his fourth straight game due to a sprained ankle. But outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman, who was questionable while dealing with a groin strain, was able to play.
In the first quarter, the Broncos lost wide receiver Jaylen Waddle for the game with a concussion after he took a hard hit from Zakee Wheatley. In the second quarter, cornerback Riley Moss was lost for the game with a concussion after making a tackle. However, with the bye week coming up, Payton said he doesn’t consider the injuries to Waddle and Moss serious.
The Broncos had ruled safety Brandon Jones out Friday for Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury. Without their two regular starting safeties, Denver started Devon Key and JL Skinner at the two spots. It was the first start in Skinner’s four-year career.
“I gave up a weak touchdown,” Skinner said of a 15-yard second-quarter scoring pass from Bryce Young to Darren Waller. “Besides that, (the start) was smooth.”
With starting lineman Eyioma Uwazurike having been placed on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury, second-year man Sai’vion Jones got his first career start. Payton expects Uwazurike, who must miss at least the next three games, to return at some point this season.
“I think we’ll get him back,” Payton said.
With Uwazurike out, Broncos defensive lineman Jordan Jackson, an Air Force graduate, played in just his third game this season and rookie defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim made his NFL debut. Onyedim saw action on special teams.
In addition to Hufanga and Jones, inactive for the Broncos were cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, ruled out Friday with an ankle injury, wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, guard Kage Casey, tight end Dallen Bentley and emergency quarterback Sam Ehlinger.
Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller catches a touchdown pass ahead of Denver Broncos safety JL Skinner during the first half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
McMillian’s homecoming
Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian, a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., had six tackles, including a sack and two overall tackles for loss, in the first NFL game in his home state.
“It feels good to get the win back home,” he said. “Made a few plays. … I’m just glad to come back and play in front of friends and family and get the win.”
McMillian said he had about 30 friends and family members at the game.
Trade deadline looms
With the NFL trade deadline Tuesday, Payton didn’t want to speculate on whether the Broncos could end up doing anything.
“That’s impossible to predict,” he said. “We’ll discuss what’s out there, and I think we’ll see what happens, but I like this team. There’s room for us to get better, but I like this team a lot.”
The Broncos (7-2) remained a half-game ahead of Kansas City (6-2) in the AFC West, with the Chiefs having defeated the New York Jets 35-12 at home Sunday.
Briefly
Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant returned after missing four games with an ankle injury and had four catches for 56 yards. Payton said Bryant displayed “strong hands in traffic,” a good “football IQ” and an ability to “run after the catch.” … Linebacker Alex Singleton, who entered Sunday leading the NFL with 101 tackles for an average of 12.7 per game, had a season-low six tackles. … Broncos defensive back Sean Fresch Jr., promoted Saturday from the practice squad to the 53-man roster, had two kickoff returns for 62 yards, including a 41-yarder.