Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris is a confounding case for fantasy football managers. On one hand, we always preach role and availability in running back analysis – two boxes that Harris has checked in all three of his NFL seasons (yet to miss a game and 978 touches).
On the other hand, throughout many games, it becomes obvious that the Steelers have a more explosive back on the roster, and while Jaylen Warren’s stock has yet to truly take off, he has gradually assumed more of the work with time.
Is this the year to fully fade Harris, or should we be embracing a fringe RB2 price tag for a back who has been nothing but consistent during his time as a professional?
Najee Harris’ 2024 Fantasy Outlook
- PPR Fantasy Points: 225 (180 non-PPR)
- Rushing Yards: 1,012
- Rushing TDs: 7
- Receptions: 45
- Receiving Yards: 268
- Receiving TDs: 2
These are PFN’s consensus projections, correct as of August 16. The most up-to-date projections can be found in our Who Should I Draft Tool.
Should You Draft Harris This Year?
Harris is a good example of the growth of the fantasy industry. If we took Harris’ hard-nosed profile back 15 years, he’d be exactly the type of running back we’d overextend on. Back then, volume and role were prioritized even more, driving essentially our every decision.
We wouldn’t have struggled to overlook Harris’ significant dip in involvement in the passing game (74 catches as a rookie, 41 in 2022, and just 29 a season ago). The fact that his target count has failed to meet his catch total from the previous season in consecutive years wouldn’t have crossed our minds.
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Digging deeper into stats that weren’t as available back then – Harris is averaging roughly 2.0 yards per carry before and after contact through three seasons. Those are viable rates, but nothing special — that is how Harris is now viewed. His volume has been viewed as his saving grace and with it fading, we might be nearing the time for a complete fade.
Harris is being drafted in the RB20 range, a neighborhood that Aaron Jones and Rhamondre Stevenson both live in. To be honest, I’m targeting the onesie positions around Round 6 (Evan Engram, Joe Burrow, or Kyler Murray) instead of forcing it with the running back position.
That said, if the way the draft plays out puts my back against the wall and a running back is something I need (never be too proud – draft strategies can go sideways in a hurry and your ability to adjust mid-draft is critical), it’s Jones in this tier. The newest member of the Minnesota Vikings has seen his scoring rates dip of late, but his role as the lead man in an offense that is going to need to run the ball effectively is unquestioned.
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Jaylen Warren is, at worst, Robin to Harris’ Batman, and those roles could easily flip with time. Even if Jones struggles, I’d be very surprised if Ty Chandler makes this anything close to a committee, let alone taking over the featured role.
Harris has played in all 51 regular season games available to him during his three seasons and versatility holds value, but less than it did in the past. Missed games are a pain, but with so many offenses using multiple RBs, the number of replacement options today dwarfs what was available even five years ago.