The Pittsburgh Steelers are deep in the middle of a playoff push. The team, who under Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, got brought back down to Earth in Week 13 when they were beaten by the Arizona Cardinals. They now sit tied for second place in the highly competitive AFC North and cannot afford to fall behind.
Steelers RB Najee Harris did his best to help his team come alive on Sunday in a great matchup against the Cardinals, and it just was not enough; he finished as the RB23 on the week with 77 scrimmage yards. Harris has been on a solid run lately; he has finished as the RB23 or better in four out of the past five weeks. Harris is now the RB28 on the season.
Now, though, it seems like he is dealing with a knee injury. What is the latest news on Harris’ injury status?
Latest Injury Update on Najee Harris
The Steelers might have to do without Harris this week, as he popped up on the injury report Tuesday as he’s dealing with a knee issue. As a result, he missed practice. Pittsburgh plays on a short week, taking on New England on Thursday, so Tuesday’s practice was just a walk-through. It will be important to see if Harris gets back on the practice field on Wednesday.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
The injury status is somewhat of a surprise, and it is unclear where or when Harris sustained the injury. As Harris took part in the press conference with reporters on Tuesday, he had a wrap around his right leg. He didn’t look to be in pain.
Will Harris Play This Week?
It is up in the air whether or not Harris will play this week. Logging a practice session on Wednesday will bode well for his availability to play on Thursday, so fantasy managers need to monitor the reports.
With the switch at QB this week as Kenny Pickett recovers from an ankle ailment, Pittsburgh no doubt would love to have their full lineup of stars, especially the RBs, ready and available to take some of the pressure off of the passing game.
What Does This Mean for Harris’ Fantasy Ranking?
Harris is RB26 in PFN’s Consensus Rankings this week, and he will no doubt slide down the rankings if he goes into Thursday with an injury designation. Jaylen Warren has proven to be an incredible part of this one-two punch in Pittsburgh and would no doubt take the lead if Harris is unable to play this week.
Warren is currently the RB26 and was RB29 in Week 13 against Arizona. He has finished as high as RB2 and has shown that he is fully capable of taking on the workhorse role. Fantasy managers who have Harris would no doubt be disappointed if he didn’t play, but the Steelers should be able to handle themselves with Warren. They also have Anthony McFarland Jr. and Godwin Igwebuike to round out the backfield.
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