ENGLEWOOD — J.K. Dobbins is making bold predictions and promises.

Dobbins, acquired before the 2025 season, missed the final seven Broncos games and the playoffs due to a foot injury. The veteran NFL running back is now at full health in training camp at Broncos Park. On Friday, Dobbins spoke with reporters about his lofty goals in 2026.

“I keep saying it, and people think I’m crazy, but I’m going to be No. 1 (in rushing), and I’m going to keep it there for the whole year,” Dobbins said. “Seventeen games.”

It’s not a stretch to consider Dobbins one of the league’s top rushers when healthy. His 772 yards over the first 10 games last season ranked fifth most in the NFL at that time. He’s also rushed for 5.2 yards per carry over his career. Of course, the asterisk with Dobbins is availability.

Dobbins joked that someone has a voodoo doll with his left leg targeted. The same location of his torn ACL (2021), Achilles tear (2023) and Lisfranc injury (2025) that all ended otherwise promising seasons.

“It’s over. Whoever has my doll on the left side, they’re done,” Dobbins said.

He added: “That (last) one was pretty fluky, right? This year, there won’t be any. There won’t be anything for anyone to say about my injuries, because I’m going to play 17 games. … I’ll pinky promise all of you right now.”

Dobbins pointed to flexibility as a source of his confidence. The Ohio State product said he could do the splits while playing college football, but eventually, he stiffened up. Dobbins is betting that his recent increased stretch radius will help prevent future injuries — like a hip-drop tackle from Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson that ended his season in 2025.

“I’m going to be like Elasti-Boy or Elasti-Girl. I’ll be over there bouncing back up from it,” Dobbins said. “If I get hip-drop tackled … I could touch my head to the back of my foot and get back up.”

Dobbins credited his faith in helping persevere with three significant injuries.

“Whatever life throws at you, you can’t give up, right?” Dobbins said. “It’s a thing that I learned for the long haul, not just football. You get knocked down. Just keep getting back up until I go home to my Lord. … I’m going to come back, and I’m going to be better this year.”

Broncos teammates, like inside linebacker Alex Singleton, are confident that Dobbins will bounce back from injury. Like in 2024, when he rushed for 905 yards with the Chargers just one season removed from tearing his Achilles tendon.

“J.K. is special,” Singleton said. “Everywhere he’s been, he’s a dynamic running back. … I know people always want to knock him for injuries. I would say it’s almost the opposite. His ability to recover is also crazy. Because every time he comes back, he’s better than he was the version before. I know he’s expecting (that to happen), and I know that’s what we’re expecting of him. It’s exciting to see.”

The Broncos rewarded their faith in Dobbins with a two-year contract in March with $8 million guaranteed. He could reach $20 million with incentives. Coach Sean Payton explained why the team stuck with Dobbins after his third major NFL injury.

“There’s a lot to him. When you’re evaluating the type of injury that he had. How it happened. What he brings to the team. We had strong opinions, (general manager) George (Paton) and I, and the rest of the group about re-signing him,” Payton said on Friday at Broncos Park. “He was a big part of why we won 14 games last year. Sometimes that can get lost. The narrative is certainly that he’s been injured, and yet what we were able to do when he was healthy had a lot to do with where we ended up. It was unfortunate, but I believe in the player a lot.”

Dobbins called Payton “his favorite head coach” that he’s played for in the NFL. Dobbins is motivated to prove the Broncos were smart to stick by his side. An NFL rushing title and 17 games played would certainly do the trick.

“You won’t regret bringing me back,” Dobbins said.