After missing four games with a high ankle sprain, the Denver Broncos have designated former Washington Huskies star running back Jonah Coleman to return from injured reserve.

This means the opening of a 21-day window for him to return to the active roster, and that the former fourth-round pick could return to action as soon as Sunday, October 25, when the Broncos take on the Arizona Cardinals.

The injury was a massive blow to Coleman's stock, who took 10 carries for 39 yards and a game-winning touchdown, while adding 3 catches for 19 yards in a Week Two 20-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars and was expected to assume the lead role in Denver's backfield moving forward after impressing head coach Sean Payton in the process.

“He played well," Payton said of Coleman after Denver's win over the Jaguars. "We work on four-minute (situations), but that certainly didn’t feel like a rookie series, if you will. He came up big, and we needed it. You carry three (running backs) on game day like everyone else. We were down to two, and the fullback. Those guys did a good job, and then we found a couple schemes that we liked and stayed with it. His play right at the end, staying in bounds, that was something you cover, but maybe he doesn’t get those same reps in practice. He did a good job.”

Now, as Coleman looks to continue to work in a time share with J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey, his contact balance and ability to break tackles could help him establish a solid foothold in the room.

"We think it's a deep room, a talented room," Payton told the media on Wednesday of Coleman's return. "So all those things are a positive."