ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- It turned out Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins' hope he could help to revive the team's offense was not to be, as the sixth-year running back will be placed on injured reserve, likely ending his season if the Broncos don't make it to the Super Bowl, sources tell ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Dobbins suffered the injury in the third quarter of last week's 10-7 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders and has already undergone surgery. Dobbins said he believes the injury occurred on a hip-drop tackle, which are not allowed by league rules, but added after the game he believed he was "OK'' and hoped for good news from the team's medical staff.
But Dobbins, who is playing on a one-year deal, had not practiced since the injury as he and the team gathered information even as coach Sean Payton continued to say a move to injured reserve was one of the possible outcomes.
It means the Broncos (8-2) will be without their leading rusher Sunday when they face the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High, and beyond. Sources told ESPN's Schefter Saturday if the Broncos were able to advance to the Super Bowl on Feb. 8, Dobbins could be available to return.
After the win over the Raiders, Dobbins, who has 772 yards rushing on a 5.05 yards-per-carry average this season, said he wanted to be part of the solution for the team's offensive struggles. Dobbins is currently one of nine running backs with enough carries to qualify who have averaged at least 5 yards per carry this season.
"This is probably the best team I've been on, and we owe it to the fan base, we owe it to ourselves to stop playing how we're playing," Dobbins said of the team's offense after the win. "We got to do better; we just have to do better. Eventually it's going to bite us in the butt. And that's not what I want, that's not what my teammates want and we're going to get it fixed."
Dobbins' 21 runs of at least 10 yards this season are fifth most in the league.
It all puts a spotlight on rookie RJ Harvey, a second-round pick by the Broncos this past April. Harvey has 50 carries for 214 yards to go with 25 receptions and has the team's longest run this season -- a 50-yarder against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1.
"Definitely excited to showcase my running ability ... [but] whatever Coach [Payton] wants me to do, I'm willing to do," Harvey said after practice Friday. "... It's going to fun on Sunday."
Beyond his work as a runner this season, Dobbins was considered by the Broncos coaches as the most reliable running back in pass protection and was usually the choice in those situations, especially in tight games.
The Broncos will also likely have Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie in the rotation as well. Badie has played in some of the personnel groupings when the Broncos are in an up-tempo look as well as in some long-yardage situations.
McLaughlin, who topped 400 yards rushing in each of the two previous seasons after he made the roster as an undrafted rookie in 2023, has had one carry this season -- against the New York Jets in Week 6.
[McLaughlin] is ready,'' Payton said. "It would be difficult to play for two seasons and then be inactive. He's one of those guys. He's the first in the building ... He'll walk through the [practice] script, and then work out and then be eating breakfast when people are just arriving.''
Dobbins is one of three Broncos starters who will miss Sunday's game. Linebacker Alex Singleton, the team's leading tackler, and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II were also ruled out on Friday.
Singleton had surgery Monday to remove a cancerous tumor from a testicle, and Surtain will miss his third game with a pectoral injury. Overall, the Broncos' injury report is more extensive for the matchup with the Chiefs than it has been for most of the season. Outside linebacker Jonah Elliss (hamstring), who is a rotational pass rusher for the defense, and tight end Nate Adkins (knee) have also been ruled out.
The Broncos' good bit of injury news is that wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr., a two-time Pro Bowl pick as a returner, has practiced all week and is set to play against Kansas City after missing two games with a concussion.