Pittsburgh Steelers Najee Harris is entering his third season and has been a reliable source of fine production for fantasy football managers through two years. There is optimism swirling in Pittsburgh that Year 2 of the Kenny Pickett experience could lead to big things for all involved, something that could make Harris a steal this summer if it comes to fruition.
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Najee Harris’ Fantasy Outlook for the 2023 NFL Season
The NFL’s touch leader since entering the league enters his third season after a season that saw him underachieve to a degree but still rack up 1,263 yards and 10 scores. Harris’ durability (yet to miss a game) is valuable, and his role in an upward-trending offense is encouraging.
Joining him in this backfield is 24-year-old Jaylen Warren, who averaged over 5.6 yards per touch as a rookie. He has impressed at points this summer, and there is a belief that his role will be expanded this season due to his explosiveness.
“Their roles are pretty clearly defined. (Najee) Harris is the lead back, with (Jaylen) Warren playing a third-down role and getting sprinkled in occasionally on first and second downs, as well.” https://t.co/dzOtUEZBgh
— 32BeatWriters (@32BeatWriters) August 21, 2023
Any growth from this offense is going to happen courtesy of the passing game. Diontae Johnson and George Pickens are both looking to improve upon their 2022 campaigns, and both are more than capable of doing so.
Pittsburgh brought in Allen Robinson this summer in an effort to resurrect his career. Add in a viable pass catcher in Pat Freiermuth at the tight end position, and there’s a lot of skill to support Kenny Pickett.
Is Harris a Good Fantasy Pick?
Without a massive ceiling, I’d be skeptical about making Harris my RB1, but if you went with a star RB1 in Round 1, and Harris is staring at you in Round 3, he’s not a bad pick. In this general range, I’m landing on Chris Olave and Joe Mixon, but if the talent pool dries up, Harris is a viable option.
The concern for me is his role as a pass catcher. He caught 74 passes as a rookie but saw just 53 targets last season.
We can pencil him in for over 1,000 rushing yards and 6-8 touchdowns on the ground, but if he is going to return profits on your investment, the passing numbers need to trend closer to those of 2021.
- PFN Consensus Rank: 27th overall
- Current ADP: 30th overall