After Bo Nix, who is the second-most important Bronco this season?

Top-five lists are supposed to generate conversation. They are supposed to produce disagreements, spark debates and occasionally surface a take so unexpected that it stops the room cold.

Mission accomplished.

On a recent edition of “Dover and Cecil” on 104.3 The Fan, both hosts were working through their lists of the five most-important players on the Denver Broncos roster heading into the 2026 season.

The No. 1 pick was unanimous. Bo Nix.

No debate required. Nix is the franchise cornerstone, the leader of back-to-back playoff teams, the statistical pacesetter of his entire draft class. That selection was as obvious as it gets.

Then, Dover dropped his No. 2 pick and the conversation detonated.

“I actually am gonna throw J.K. Dobbins,” Dover said.

Cecil Lammey’s reaction was immediate and visceral.

“No! God no!” Lammey said.

The objection wasn’t subtle. And Lammey backed it up with a replacement he believes the Broncos already have waiting in the wings.

“You take him out, Jonah Coleman does as good, if not better,” Lammey said.

He then escalated to a full restart request.

“This is wrong, you gotta start over. Give me another. J.K. Dobbins cannot be two,” Lammey said.

Dover, however, wasn’t budging. His argument was rooted in what he has already seen, specifically what happened to the offense last season when Dobbins went down.

“You have to see it with Jonah Coleman. I have to see it. I saw the offense take a crap down their legs last year when J.K. left. So right now, without seeing Jonah Coleman on an NFL field, he is still a prospect,” Dover said.

Lammey fired back with the broader logic that applies to every player on the roster.

“That’s weak sauce though because we have to project everybody. We have to project everybody. I don’t know how Jaylen Waddle’s gonna look with the Broncos,” Lammey said.

Dover tried to draw a distinction.

“I’ve seen Jaylen Waddle in the NFL,” Dover said.

Lammey wasn’t letting it go.

“We have, but we haven’t seen him catch passes from Bo Nix,” Lammey said.

It’s a fair rebuttal. If the standard for importance requires proven NFL production in this specific offense, then every new addition carries the same uncertainty that Dover is applying to Coleman. The logic can’t work one way for the rookie running back and a different way for the veteran receiver.

Lammey closed the argument with a final plea that left no ambiguity about where he stands.

“I get what you’re saying, but J.K. can’t be two. Give me PS2. Give me anybody. There’s no way in heck that J.K. Dobbins is the No. 2 Bronco,” Lammey said.

The case for Dobbins isn’t baseless. When healthy, he is one of the most explosive running backs in football, a game-changer whose presence transforms the entire offensive operation. But that qualifier, when healthy, is the reason Lammey can’t accept the ranking.

A player who has never completed a full NFL season without an injury interruption can’t be the second-most important player on a Super Bowl contender. Not when Pat Surtain II is on the roster. Not when Nik Bonitto is rushing the passer. Not when the margin between importance and availability is as thin as it has always been with Dobbins.

Dover saw the offense collapse without him. Lammey sees a roster deep enough to survive it. The debate isn’t over, but Lammey made sure everyone knows where the line is drawn.

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