Najee Harris Fantasy Preview
All you have to do is say standout Alabama running back to get the attention of NFL scouts and fantasy football enthusiasts. The Crimson Tide have been a factory for producing top-notch NFL rushers, including current NFL backs Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs, Kenyan Drake, and reigning rushing king Derrick Henry.
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. The 2020 Doak Walker Award winner, Harris has an excellent pro frame (6-1, 232), proven three-down ability, and should have the opportunity to produce right away.
For an NFL team to commit a valuable first-round pick on the running back position today means they see a special talent that overruled the generally accepted principle that running backs are replaceable. Now, it’s up for Harris to prove that the Steelers were correct to take that chance and for fantasy football managers to get ready to do the same.
Such an incredibly savvy play from Najee Harris. After he gets wrapped up and sees guys coming all around him, you can see he peeks at the first down marker and reaches out to get the ball past it.
Really great situational awareness pic.twitter.com/CuIa9hVAy8
— Zach (@HowardMuddStan) Gartin (@All22_Addict) June 12, 2021
Skill Set
There are no glaring weaknesses in Harris’s game. While he does lack elite speed, Harris was an ultra-productive player at Alabama who shined not only as a power runner but as a pass protector and receiver. In his final year of college, Harris rushed for 1,466 yards, scored 30 touchdowns, and caught 43 passes.
Harris runs with a lot of power and churns out extra yards after contact. He also displayed excellent footwork at Alabama and can be an impact one-cut runner due to his vision and demeanor. As a bigger back, Harris showed superb hands, dropping just three balls on 57 targets in 2020. He also committed just one fumble on 719 career touches at Alabama- a phenomenal rate.
As an NFL talent, Harris has drawn favorable comparisons to other sizable workhorse backs like Steven Jackson, Joe Mixon, and even Le’Veon Bell.
With elite size, durability, toughness, superb hands, and a three-down skill set, Harris should rarely leave the field and should be an immediate 250-plus touch contributor that landed in an ideal spot for a Steeler’s squad that finished last in the league in rushing a year ago.
Landing Spot
Opportunity can mean everything in fantasy football, and Najee Harris’s landing spot was the best-case scenario not only for the Steelers but for fantasy footballers. Pittsburgh finished dead last in rushing yards and rushing yards per attempt last season. Additionally, former starting running back James Conner was allowed to leave as a free agent, paving the way for Harris to ascend to No. 1 status immediately.
While Pittsburgh’s haggard offensive line didn’t do Conner too many favors last season, Conner still performed quite well in some of FantasyData’s advanced running back efficiency metrics. Harris profiles to be superior to Conner in all measurables, which bodes well for his ability to be a solid contributor right away.
For the Steelers to remain contenders, fixing that sagging rushing attack was the top priority for Mike Tomlin and company. With QB Ben Roethlisberger‘s career winding down, Tomlin will undoubtedly get Harris involved early and often, not only to save wear and tear on his aging signal-caller but to restore balance to a Pittsburgh offense that traditionally has employed a strong ground game.
Pittsburgh’s line is still a major concern, but Harris is a willing and able blocker himself who can help out on passing downs. Also, with a decisive, one-cut runner of Harris’s caliber, we often see immediate and massive improvements in run-blocking as the running game gains experience and cohesion. Harris is that kind of back and his presence is going to make a potent Steelers offense even better.
Fantasy Impact
After two amazing seasons at Alabama that showcased his three-down skill set, Harris already has massive fantasy football appeal. But by being nabbed in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft and landing in the perfect situation to be an immediate impact player, Harris’s fantasy stock soared.
While Harris checks all the boxes to be an excellent fantasy football option from Day One, his ADP is already high. He’s already topping fantasy football rankings as an elite RB1/2 and has yet to play a down. With that kind of price tag, there is certainly some inherent risk to pull the trigger on Harris in the first or second round of redraft leagues.
Still, Harris looks like a solid bet to play a ton of snaps and contend for 20-plus touches on a week-to-week basis. Pittsburgh has little depth behind Harris and none of the players currently on the roster can make anywhere near the kind of impact Harris can make, as a runner or receiver.
Harris offers top-5 overall upside and can certainly be a league-winner for fantasy managers willing to pull the trigger with a top-20 pick in both redraft and dynasty formats.
Dynasty Value
Just 23 and seemingly poised to deliver RB1 numbers for the foreseeable future, Harris is going to also command a premium price in dynasty formats.
Durability is one major plus that Harris has going for him and helps justify that costly investment. Many of the other veteran backs being selected around the same range in dynasty drafts, like Ezekiel Elliott, Austin Ekeler, and Joe Mixon, come with injury or over-usage concerns.
Landing an up-and-coming talent like Najee Harris is likely to cost a second or third-round pick in dynasty start-up drafts but that is a cost that seems worth the risk when you weigh Harris’s upside, skills, and landing spot.
In established dynasty leagues, Harris should be considered the top overall pick, even ahead of brilliant Cincinnati rookie wideout Ja’Marr Chase.
Whatever the elevated cost is, Harris looks like he has the potential to start delivering elite production right away. Considering the current scarcity of young running backs that have a similar bell-cow ability, that makes Harris one of the most desirable fantasy assets this season and one of the most exciting to watch develop.
