For this reason, Najee Harris should see either more rushing yards or a lighter workload. The Pittsburgh Steelers GM was at the podium at the NFL Scouting Combine, and he had plenty to say. But perhaps more yardage isnt the desired outcome. 4for4 Fantasy Football. Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress. Steelers workhorse Najee Harris: 'You can train at carrying the load' Published: Dec. 18, 2021, 1:06 p.m. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris carries the football during an NFL. Those yards-after-contact numbers are crucial . Gets head turned around to look downfield and react quickly to oncoming defenders. 2021: Rd 1, Pk 24 (PIT) Status. Harris rushing totals have also grown every week since Week 2. Najee Harris' fantasy outlook for 2021 For a franchise that has always prided themselves on establishing the run, 2020 was abysmal. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Even adding an additional half yard still would put him the lowest on the list of the top five rushers in 2021 at 2.2 YBC/A. And, of course, Bell's usage was massive when he was the guy: He averaged 24.9 touches per game over a five-year stretch with the Steelers, peaking with 28.0 touches per game in 2016. Harris has been used to accolades and high expectations his whole football-playing life. He's rushed for one touchdown and is averaging a below-average 3.2 yards per carry. After being drafted No. Has zero issues running in and through tight spaces. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Matt specializes in NFL, College Football, College Basketball, XFL and MMA. Excelled in both zone and power blocking schemes. As shown below, athleticism remains the driving point for the average backs against the most successful backs on this list. Global Edition. Seems like a bright, thoughtful, mature football player. When you factor in the leagues veterans, Harris slips back down to a respectable 18th place. Had 460 carries and 70 catches across 26 games in 2019-20. Find out more. As important as Najee Harris was to the Steelers offense, the question often asked of players as they head into their second season is how much they will grow and improve after having one season, and a full NFL offseason, under their belt. But, the Steelers seem to view Harris as their next Bell, and it's not unreasonable to view him in a similar mold from a Fantasy perspective. He added one catch for 10 yards. Also fell forward for a couple of extra yards at the end of his runs consistently. Excellent at following his blocks. Earlier this week, Megan Rapinoe told Alabama running back Najee Harris to hurdle over someone. Harris topped 20 rushing attempts for . After simulating Steelers vs. Browns 10,000 times, the model predicts that Steelers running back Najee Harris goes under 70.5 rushing yards at -115 odds. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 1 overall prospect in the country by Rivals, Scout and PrepStar, Unanimous five-star recruit by every major recruiting outlet, Consensus top-rated player in the state of California, Third-best prospect overall and No. That's really the biggest issue because he's otherwise a very polished, NFL-ready feature back who should be in line for a minimum of 15 touches from Week 1 on. - Chris Towers. Harris generated 821 rushing yards after contact last season, second-most in college football. He had 27 receptions for 304 yards and seen scores as a receiver. 2021 NFL Draft Resources: NFL Mock Draft | Top 150 Big Board | Team Needs & Draft Capital, More Rookie Profiles: Kyle Pitts | Elijah Moore | DeVonta Smith | Travis Etienne. The bruiser checked in at 6-foot-1, 232 pounds at Alabamas Pro Day, but he declined athletic testing. While Harris was obviously last in this category among the top five rushers in the NFL, yards after contact put him in the middle of the pack. A 3-step stat progression to give Najee Harris a great 2022 season, Mock Draft 2.0: 3 teams trade up, Steelers address defense early. Warren rushed 77 times for 379 yards (4.9 YPC) and one rushing . Not known for speed or athleticism on tape, this remains a major concern. Needs to learn to hop out of bounds to preserve his body. Until the Steelers get their new-look offensive line sorted out, Harris could be fighting for his life to gain yards. Rotowire Jan 8, 2023. In 2018, the budding star rushed 117 times for 783 yards and four scores. Another wild fact about about Harris statistical success is that it is almost a 50/50 split between rushing and receiving yards. Like many who enter the Alabama system, Harris waited multiple seasons for his feature-back role. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Willie Parker, Barry Foster and Dick Hoak to name a few more. Productive in a small sample, injuries derailed Conner early in his career. Harris is in consideration for the 1.01 selection in every rookie-only draft and won't be there by 1.06. The only other games where Harris had at least 2.0 yards before contact per attempt were Week 2 against Las Vegas (2.1), Week 10 against the Chargers (2.5), Week 11 against Cincinnati (2.5), and Week 17 against the Browns (2.2). Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Everything else aside, the pressure is high for Harris to produce right out of the gate in Pittsburgh. College Dominator refers to the total percentage of yardage and touchdown production a player accounted for in their final season. https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2021/09/21/steelers-titans-nfl-derrick-henry-najee-harris/, 4 alternative picks for the Steelers from Mel Kiper Jr.'s new mock draft. Harris carried the ball 23 times for 84 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Browns. The Steelers were 28th in attempts (373), 32nd in yards (1,351), 30th in RB fantasy points per game via the run (12.94), and 30th in fantasy points per rush (0.56). Le'Veon Bell, Jeremy Hill and James Conner highlight the list, with Matt Jones, T.J. Yeldon, Todd Gurley and Joe Mixon appearing as more distant comparisons. Join our linker program. Franco Harris, Jerome Bettis, Le'Veon Bell and John Henry Johnson. All rights reserved. There are universal sportsbook promo codes that are able to be redeemed in sports betting states. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: fantasynews | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Playing one of the most replaceable positions in the NFL, teams continue to de-value running backs in the draft. The Bills invested in Devin Singletary and Zack Moss in back-to-back years in the mid-rounds, but neither possesses a three-down skill set. Additionally, it could even be a factor of getting the same results with less attempts, and presumptive wear and tear on the body, that he had as a rookie. Harris averaged 5.9 yards per carry for 1,224 yards with 13 touchdowns. Harris is a little bit older than you'd like from a running back you are likely going to need to invest a top-three pick in rookie drafts for, but it's not like 23 is old. He dodged trouble like he did defenders. Nick Chubb5. Hitting 6.7 yards per carry (YPC), Harris showed more efficiency than both Damien Harris (5.8 YPC) and Jacobs (5.3 YPC) in the same offense. If Najee Harris can get more yards before contact in 2022 while keeping the yards after contact the same, it will add more yards per attempt. He also had 60 receptions for 805 yards and eight scores. Team-focused player who regularly praised his offensive line for helping him deliver numbers. A natural at bringing in receptions. Najee Harris leads all rookies in yardage after the first four games of the 2021 season, Mock Draft 2.0: 3 teams trade up, Steelers address defense early. Because of this, teams drafting towards the end of the first or top of the second round make the most sense for Harris. A first-round draft choice from Alabama on April 29, Harris entered Sunday's game with 185 yards and one touchdown on 55 rushing attempts in his first four NFL games. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. In 2021, incoming NFL rookie Najee Harris has the pedigree to become the next vaunted Bama back and looks poised to be an immediate impact player for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Odds & lines subject to change. A legitimate engine for the NCAA's most potent offense. James Cook got more snaps and carries than Devin Singletary even with the Bills playing their starters for the entire game Sunday. He played college football at LSU, where he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award and the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship as a sophomore. All the resources would go to the offensive line and running back would just be a disposable position. And the Steelers did not surprise anyone, as they took Harris at No. If the offense could improve enough to add an additional yard, then Harris would be at the top of the group at 2.7 YBC/A based on 2021 statistics. He may not be able to consistently create yards behind a bad offensive line. Who are the pundits picking for the Steelers at the No. 3:49 pm ET. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. This breakdown will examine Harriss collegiate production, how that translates to the NFL game and the potential fantasy implications. The Alabama offensive line played extremely well in 2020, ranking 14th in . ANALYSIS Harris topped 20 rushing attempts for the third time in his last four games, and he topped 80 rushing yards in six of Pittsburgh's final nine games to close the season. In 2020, he finished with the third-most yards after contact (962) and the second-most forced missed tackles (69). You'll now receive the top Steelers Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Warren showed a ton of promise as the breather back to Najee Harris in his rookie season, so he could see his role expand in 2023. In his four years in school he played in three championship games, winning two (2017, 2020). 2021 NFL Advanced Rushing | Pro-Football-Reference.com via Sports Logos.net About logos 2021 NFL Advanced Rushing Previous Season Next Season Super Bowl Champion: Los Angeles Rams AP MVP: Aaron Rodgers AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ja'Marr Chase More league info An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. The Pittsburgh Steelers GM was at the podium at the NFL Scouting Combine, and he had plenty to say. Najee Harris stats Through three drives Harris has 7 carries for 22 yards and one reception on one target for three yards. But this is in no way discounting Harris and his potential. The Steelers made a significant investment to improve their offense's ground attack by making Najee Harris the first running back taken in the 2021 draft.Pittsburgh finished the 2020 season last . Get breaking player news and analysis directly in your inbox. March 9,1998 Harris is on pace for 95 receptions and 673 receiving yards on 132 targets over 17 games. at . Ultimately, the statistics of rushing yards for the season is what will stand out the most for a running back. This highlights a weakness in top-end speed, which will be exacerbated at the NFL level. Do you have a sports website? Sasha Yodashkin analyzes Yahoo's Sunday Baller contest as George Kittle has a great matchup against the Cardinals. . Najee Harris' best fits in the 2021 NFL Draft Najee Harris is an interesting NFL draft evaluation because he brings a skill-set unlike really any we've seen recently. Apr 29, 2021. Harris (hip) is listed as a limited participant on Tuesday's estimated practice report. This backfield included Damien Harris, Bo Scarbrough and Josh Jacobs, with dual-threat quarterback Jalen Hurts at the helm. 17: 3.9: 1,200: 307: 70.6: 7: 467: 74: 94: 6.3: 27.5: 3: StatMuse has season-level data for rushing yards per attempt going back to the 1932 season. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Dalvin Cook 3. If he played in an offense with a better line, and more consistency I would bet you his stats would be off the charts and perhaps leading the entire NFL at this point in the season. How do Najee Harris' measurables compare to other running backs? We all know about running backs short shelf lives so getting this kid some better help is a huge priority moving forward. Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Najee Harris. Occasionally got the sense he benefitted from his offensive line clearing space for him. Najee Harris had 3.9 rushing yards per attempt in his rookie season in 2021. . Harris originally committed to Alabama as a sophomore in high school and his recruitment never wavered, despite late pushes from Michigan and USC. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Harris might not be exactly as fast as Gurley, but otherwise, there are some legitimate similarities. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Do you have a blog? When it comes to Najee Harris and his statistics from 2021, it would be nice to see a second year leap. Should We Use Dynasty ADP to Inform Redraft Decisions? And now, it's all daylight. He added one catch for 10 yards. 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