Perhaps the most important part of dynasty fantasy football is trading. After all, once your startup draft is complete, trades are the only way to acquire veteran players. Pittsburgh Steelers players Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and George Pickens are all somewhat volatile fantasy assets. How should fantasy managers treat these players going forward?
Should You Trade Najee Harris in Dynasty?
As much as I may be one of the leaders of the Jaylen Warren > Najee Harris fan club, it’s not because Harris is bad. Warren is just really good. He’s better than Harris at football. But Harris is still a quality running back.
Heading into the 2023 season, Harris was being a bit unfairly maligned. The guy has never missed a game of football. He is capable of handling high volume. And most importantly, he’s the goal-line back.
The problem, of course, is the trend concerning Harris’ production. His 17.7 fantasy points per game as a rookie was the product of massive receiving volume. That was the sole reason Harris was able to finish as a top-six running back. As a rookie, Harris saw a 14.5% target share.
Since then, Harris’ production and role have decreased each season. His target share dropped to 9.7% in 2022, resulting in 13.2 fantasy points per game and an RB19 finish.
In 2023, Harris’ target share declined even further to 7.9%. Despite rushing for over 1,000 yards and scoring eight touchdowns, Harris averaged a career-low 11.5 fantasy points per game, finishing as the RB30.
Harris and Warren could both thrive in the right environment. Unfortunately, the Steelers are not that environment. Harris is now 26 years old. Yet, he’s still on his rookie deal, and the Steelers have a fifth-year option they could choose to exercise (I don’t think they will).
Even if Harris spends just one more year in Pittsburgh, we’re still looking at a relatively inefficient running back who relies on volume and touchdowns. There’s just no ceiling unless this offense gets better.
With the Steelers a playoff team this past season, it’s difficult to see them suddenly finding their Ben Roethlisberger replacement (Kenny Pickett is not it). Thus, we’re likely in for another year of below-average offensive production. Harris is going to be the same guy, which isn’t very useful for fantasy.
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We would love to see Harris playing the David Montgomery role for an offense like the Detroit Lions. A perfect spot for Harris would be in the Ezekiel Elliott role paired with Tony Pollard in Dallas. Basically, the role he has now, except on a team where he could score more than eight touchdowns.
Unfortunately, that’s not happening until at least 2025, at which point Harris will already be 27 years old. After what will likely be another year of RB3 productivity, even a move to a more favorable environment in 2025 would likely not skyrocket Harris’ dynasty value. If you move him now, you can probably get him back for cheaper next year if you want to.
Final Verdict: Sell
Should You Trade Jaylen Warren in Dynasty?
Fantasy managers should never, ever assume a UDFA running back is here to stay. That goes for Day 3 running backs as well.
Jaylen Warren is a UDFA who earned the Steelers’ RB2 role the hard way. In just his second year in the league, on a sub-50% snap share, Warren was able to average 11.6 fantasy points per game, good for an RB29 finish. Yes, Warren finished exactly one spot ahead of Harris.
Warren is in a very tricky spot from a dynasty perspective. He’s now entering his third season but is already 25 years old. Because he’s a UDFA, though, this is the final year of his rookie deal. But also, because he’s a UDFA, he will be a restricted free agent after the 2024 season.
There are a lot of moving parts. If Harris leaves, Warren’s value would stand to increase as the lead back. Of course, that also makes some assumptions. The Steelers would undoubtedly bring in another back, either via free agency or the draft. Would Warren be the goal line back? Would he see increased volume? Would that increase in volume sap his efficiency?
Then, there’s the possibility Harris doesn’t leave. That means likely two more years, minimum, of Warren in the same role. Then, in 2026, what happens? Does Warren eventually overtake Harris on merit? Does he sign with another team? What would his role look like there?
Dynasty managers have to make a decision on how to approach every player each year. It’s a constant analysis. With Warren, there’s really no way of knowing what the right move is. So, let’s just bet on talent. Warren is good at football. I like good football players on my fantasy teams.
Final Verdict: Buy
Should You Trade George Pickens in Dynasty?
After posting 800 yards as a rookie, George Pickens followed that up with 1,140 yards as a sophomore. He is getting better, which is exactly what we want to see from young players.
Pickens averaged 12.3 fantasy points per game, finishing as the WR36. While that might suggest more improvement is on the way, Pickens was the epitome of all or nothing this season. He had four games with 20+ fantasy points and 10 games in the single digits.
There’s an elite wide receiver in Pickens. From a pure talent perspective, he’s definitely the type of guy you’d want to make a bet on for cheap.
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Right now, situation is a problem. The Steelers do not have anyone resembling a competent NFL starting quarterback. And since they are never a terrible team, they’re never in a position to draft one. It’s unclear when the situation might improve.
With that said, Pickens is 23 years old. It would be foolish to assume Pickens is going to be saddled with dismal quarterback play for the next 7-9 years. As a result, I am more apt to buy Pickens if he is being priced based on what he’s done and not what he’s capable of if his situation improves.
Final Verdict: Buy