Two seasons into his career, things haven't been easy for Pittsburgh Steelers running back, Najee Harris. With several other needs throughout the roster, the front office opted to select a game-changing playmaker with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Harris was just that coming out of Alabama, including some ridiculous testing numbers at the Combine.
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The Steelers expect big things from their star running back, Najee Harris in his third season in the league.
In 34 career regular season games, he hasn't exactly taken the league by storm like many thought he would. He's dealt with an inconsistent offensive line, as well as a nagging foot injury throughout his sophomore campaign. Still, it'd be a lie to say Harris hasn't been slightly disappointing in the black and gold. When you take a running back in the first round nowadays, you expect production right away and at that, elite production.
Harris has 579 carries under his belt in the NFL already, and he's averaged just 3.9 yards per carry. At times, he's been more effective through the air, as he has 115 catches for 696 receiving yards and six touchdowns in that area. Heading into a Year 3 fully healthy with a revamped offensive line, people expect big things from Harris in 2023. Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus ranked the top-32 running backs, and he's not too high on the Steelers tailback.
"Harris has been solid throughout his NFL career. He’s rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons, but did so with a sub-4.0 yards-per-carry average. So far, he’s been a product of his volume more than efficiency. We’ll see if he can take that next step in 2023," Sikkema said about Harris.
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Steelers running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren have quickly formed one of the best 1-2 punches in the NFL.
Again, there's no arguing that Harris has been less-than-inspiring at times. Last season, many advocated for the rookie undrafted free agent, Jaylen Warren, to take over his job. It was obvious that Harris' foot injury was nagging him throughout the first part of the season. As that got healthier throughout the season though, he found a rhythm in the final month or so.
Should Steelers RB Harris be ranked higher?
With all of that being said, 19th seems a bit low for the former Alabama star. That holds especially true when you look at who was ranked ahead of him. Look no further than the guys in the two spots ahead of him, J.K. Dobbins of the Baltimore Ravens and Tyler Allgeier of the Atlanta Falcons. Let's start with Dobbins, who has played just nine total games over the last two years.
When healthy, Dobbins is a force. In 2022, he appeared in eight regular season contests and ran for 520 yards. The problem is, as shown, he doesn't stay healthy. He has become a problem for the Steelers defense, as he ran for 213 yards in two games against them in 2022. Now, onto Allgeier, he was so good in his rookie season that the Falcons drafted a running back eighth overall last month in Bijan Robinson.
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Cleveland Browns running back, Nick Chubb has terrorized the Steelers and the AFC North for years now.
Yes, a little bit of sarcasm, but come on. He was solid in spells in 2022, racking up 1,035 yards on just 210 carries, a much better rate than Harris. On the flip side though, Allgeier poses far less of a threat through the air than Harris. Unsurprisingly, AFC North star Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns was ranked atop the list, followed by Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey to round out the top-three.
What are your thoughts on Harris being ranked the 19th-best RB? Is there a justifiable argument for Dobbins and Allgeier being ranked above him? What are your expectations for a fully healthy Harris in 2023? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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