ENGLEWOOD — Doubt RJ Harvey at your own risk.

The Broncos’ rookie running back is listed at 5-foot-8 and 205 pounds. But how do you measure heart? Because the critics are all too predictable.

“I know I’m short. I’m not the biggest guy,” Harvey told The Denver Gazette from his locker room stall at Broncos Park. “I feel like I’ve got to go harder just because of that.”

The Broncos (11-2) host the Packers (9-3-1) on Sunday at Empower Field after Harvey made a big statement. He set personal bests last week in offensive touches (23) and yards from scrimmage (100) against the Raiders. Harvey enters Week 15 leading all rookies with nine touchdowns.

It’s further validation of why the Broncos selected Harvey — grinning beneath a bouncy afro with a quiet confidence — at No. 60 overall in the NFL draft.

“He’s short,” coach Sean Payton said. “But he’s put together well.”

“His actions speak very loudly”

Harvey started from the bottom.

In 2016, as a sophomore at Edgewater (Fla.) High School, he played quarterback for a winless (0-10) football team. Harvey told The Denver Gazette that it was “a terrible year” and “we got killed every game” as Edgewater cycled through multiple head coaches.

Duke Cameron was the head coach of nearby Lake Highland Prep. He attended one Edgewater game in the stands that season when the team lost 78-0 to Apopka High School. Cameron was still impressed by Harvey.

“They got beat pretty bad. But I watched a young man compete his tail off and run around without a whole lot of help,” Cameron told The Denver Gazette. “I saw a very athletic and tough young man. I just knew that. I didn’t know anything about him.”

Cameron quickly found out later that year when he landed the Edgewater head coaching job.

“He’s a great athlete. I’ve watched him stand underneath a hoop in slides — and dunk a basketball. Just straight up,” said Cameron, now the head football coach at Marietta (Ga.) High School. “He was one of the hardest-working young men that I’ve ever been around, right from the get-go. A quieter guy, but his actions speak very loudly. … Here’s a young man who is sitting over a 3.5 GPA. I watched him work in the weight room. He likes to be pushed, and he likes to be challenged.

“He’s literally a coach’s dream.”

Harvey won the starting quarterback job as a junior that spring, and Edgewater improved from zero to nine wins. His senior year was the stuff of legends. Harvey accounted for 48 total touchdowns — 25 rushing and 23 passing — with more than 2,000 combined yards as a true dual threat. Edgewater finished 12-2 and reached the state playoff semifinals.

“Coach Duke came in and turned the whole program around,” Harvey said. “You’ve just got to remain humble through the ups and the downs.”

“I’ve always been overlooked”

Harvey established himself among the top high school quarterback prospects in Florida as a three-star recruit. He earned major scholarship offers from schools like Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Central Florida. But few programs envisioned Harvey playing quarterback.

The majority projected him at running back.

“I feel like I was the best quarterback in my area,” Harvey said. “I went to a Nike camp and graded out as the best quarterback. They didn’t invite me to the Elite 11 (camp). I’ve always been overlooked for being short. I’ve heard that my whole entire life.

“So, that’s nothing new to me.”

Harvey followed his QB dreams at the University of Virginia. It didn’t work out. Harvey was buried on the depth chart, and the team added a graduate transfer. He decided to enter the portal and play running back at UCF. He faced more adversity.

Harvey suffered a torn ACL before his sophomore season. He recovered and wore a knee brace the following year. Harvey still logged 118 carries for 796 yards and five touchdowns.

“But I still wasn’t really comfortable,” Harvey told The Denver Gazette. “I’m going to say 2023 is when I really felt comfortable playing the position. … That’s when I went off.”

Harvey closed his UCF career with a program record for touchdowns scored (48). He rushed for 2,993 yards combined over his last two seasons. Ex-UCF coach Gus Malzahn, when asked about Harvey in April, told The Denver Gazette: “He’s strong and he’s explosive.”

But there were four running backs taken before Harvey in the NFL draft — Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson — when the Broncos landed him in the second round.

“My first impression was seeing (Harvey) as like a quiet guy,” rookie defensive end Sai’vion Jones said. “He definitely opened up a lot more throughout the past couple of weeks. Just seeing him from rookie minicamp, especially to now, he’s just progressing.”

“I can finally play free”

Harvey proved his doubters wrong. He can play quarterback.

Just ask coach Sean Payton.

In Week 11, on a first-quarter red zone drive against the Chiefs, Payton drew up a trick play. Harvey lined up behind quarterback Bo Nix in the gun formation. Nix pitched the football right and rolled out left. Harvey handled the toss — stopped suddenly — and threw the football back to Nix.

Harvey’s pass floated toward Nix with Kansas City defenders closing in fast. Nix broke up the pass to prevent a possible interception.

“We practiced that so many times, and then we get to the game, and for it not to work … I was mad about that pass,” Harvey said. “Because I threw it too high instead of just line-driving it to Bo.”

The intent overshadowed the result. The Broncos already trust Harvey to execute trick plays. It is a reflection of a work ethic beyond his years.

“He’s really dedicated to learning and he’s always trying to get better,” Prentice said. “Watching a lot of tape. Studying different backs, how they read holes and the different run schemes. He’s done a great job and he’s going to keep improving. … It’s evident that as he’s starting to get more carries, and starting to feel things out, he’s starting to break more of these runs.”

Wide receiver Marvin Mims added: “He’s a great player. A great human. He’s been doing his thing and working really hard.”

Harvey credits his college coaches for developing NFL-ready study habits.

“In college, I watched a lot of film, too. My running back coaches, Kam Martin and Tim Harris … just learning how to watch film from those two guys, that really helped me,” Harvey said. “Of course, there’s a lot more to learn in the NFL. But I like being in the film room. Whatever gets me a step ahead of the opponent.”

Harvey no longer cares for the opinions of his skeptics.

“These past few weeks, I’ve definitely felt way more comfortable than earlier in the year,” Harvey said. “I just feel like I play free and understand the offense more. I’m used to the speed now. I can finally play free.”