Where Does Steelers' Former First Round Pick Najee Harris Rank Among AFC North Running Backs Heading In To 2023?

The Pittsburgh Steelers play in perhaps the best division in the NFL in terms of talent at starting running back. Every team in the AFC North has a workhorse type of player who has the capability to take over the momentum of a game at a moment's notice. J.K. Dobbins from the Baltimore Ravens, Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals, Nick Chubb from the Cleveland Browns, and of course Najee Harris from the Steelers. All are uniquely talented ball carriers. Heading in to next season, it will be interesting to see who wears the crown of the best running back in the AFC North. Below you will find a ranking of each player heading in to 2023. 

#4: J.K. Dobbins - Baltimore Ravens 

The ranking of Dobbins at four is not intended to predict that he will have a disappointing 2023 season. Dobbins is an immensely gifted runner of the football who fits the RPO offensive scheme of the Ravens incredibly well. A devastating knee injury in the 2021 preseason not only knocked him out for that entire year, but also limited him to eight games in 2022. While Dobbins did not have his normal breakaway speed for the Ravens in 2022, he did respond rather nicely, ending up with 520 rushing yards, averaging 5.7 yards per rush. Not too bad for a guy coming off of an ACL, LCL, meniscus, and hamstring tear. 

The main reasoning as to why Dobbins is ranked fourth on this list is fellow Ravens running back, Gus Edwards. Over the course of the John Harbaugh era in Baltimore, the team has always adopted a "running back by committee" approach, where multiple running backs receive significant snaps. The most recent example of this in action has both Dobbins and Edwards vying for playing time. Edwards is no slouch, either. He was able to rush for 433 yards in nine games for the Ravens in 2022. His physical, downhill type of play style complements the skill sets of Dobbins incredibly well. 

#3: Joe Mixon - Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Mixon has quietly had a tremendous start to his career. Rushing for over 1,000 yards in three of his first six seasons, Mixon has been a major component of the Bengals' offensive resurgence over the past few seasons. 2022 was not his most productive year, ending up with 814 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in addition to 441 yards and two receiving touchdowns. However, with Samaje Perine heading to the Denver Broncos this offseason, Mixon may see an even bigger increase in his playing time in 2023. 

The main question regarding Mixon next season may be his durability. The 2023 season will be Mixon's seventh in the NFL, and he will be 27 years old by the time the season starts. Often times, this is the point in a running back's career where their productivity falls off dramatically. Will this be the case with Mixon? Certainly possible. The Bengals have also reportedly shown interest in free-agent running backs, such as Ezekiel Elliot this offseason and have also shown interest in multiple running back prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft. All things considered, this is why Mixon falls third on this list. It may only be a matter of time before he is not the main guy in Cincinnati. 

#2: Najee Harris - Pittsburgh Steelers 

Najee Harris is perhaps the most complete all-around running back in the AFC North. His ability to run the ball with power in between the tackles in addition to his freakish athleticism make him one of the most unique talents in the NFL right now. After a slow this past season, Harris played significantly better during the second half of the 2022 campaign. Entering his third year in the NFL, 2023 may be the perfect opportunity to prove that he was worthy of the first-round pick the Steelers spent on him in 2021. With ascending quarterback, Kenny Pickett, poised to improve the passing game for the black and gold next season, Harris may see fewer eight-man boxes and have his best season as a pro in 2023. 

One of the biggest surprises of this past season was the emergence of fellow Steelers' running back, Jaylen Warren. An undrafted rookie out of Oklahoma State in 2022, Warren proved to be a perfect complement to Najee Harris. With Warren having a full offseason as the clear #2 running back, the run game of the Steelers may be vastly improved heading in to next year. While Warren seeing an increase in playing time will do wonders for the longevity of Harris' career, it is also the biggest contributing factor as to why he cracks this list at #2. 

#1: Nick Chubb - Cleveland Browns

As painful as it is to put a Cleveland Browns' player at #1, Nick Chubb is more than deserving. He was arguably the best running back in the entire NFL this past season, racking up over 1,500 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns to go along with 239 receiving yards and one touchdown. Over the course of his NFL career, Chubb has been the definition of a workhorse, compiling over 1,200 rushing attempts and only missing seven games in his five seasons in Cleveland. He is tough, powerful, and perhaps most impressively, a team-first type of player. 

With fellow Browns' running back, Kareem Hunt, currently being a free agent, Chubb will have even more of an opportunity to prove himself as the best running back in the NFL in 2023. While he is somewhat limited in his ability as a pass catcher, he makes up for it with a physical play style that wears defenses down over the course of a game. He will undoubtedly be the focal part of the Browns' offense next season. He truly is one of the most underrated players in the entire NFL.