We're officially counting down the days until Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, as it's now just a week away. The Madden 23 ratings continue to come out, as the running back position was released on Wednesday. Sophomore RB Najee Harris was rated an 85, tied-for-15th at his position with Cordarrelle Patterson of the Atlanta Falcons. Harris' rating was third-best in the AFC North, behind Nick Chubb and Joe Mixon. Chubb's 96 rating is tied-for-second amongst RBs, while Mixon's 93 is sixth.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - NOVEMBER 28: Joe Mixon #28 of the Cincinnati Bengals is tackled by T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium on November 28, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The Alabama product racked up 1,200 rushing yards in his rookie season, fourth-best in the NFL. His usage was mostly inefficient though, as his 307 carries were second-most in the league by a mile, just behind Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts. While the complaints on the disrespectful ratings of guys like TJ Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick have been warranted, I'm not so sure Harris deserves a rating higher than 85. After one NFL season, that is still a pretty good number.
As aforementioned, he was mostly inefficient in Year 1, which went far beyond his own control, but you get the point. The offensive line failed to open holes for him on numerous occasions throughout the season, which significantly hindered his production. The off-season signings of James Daniels and Mason Cole should hopefully lead to better results for Harris and the Steelers running game as a whole in 2022.
Whoever starts at quarterback, whether it be Mitch Trubisky or Kenny Pickett, will also provide an additional running threat. That's not to say they'll put up 500 rushing yards, but it'll be an improvement from the aging Ben Roethlisberger over the last few years.
As far as the rest of the Steelers running back goes and their ratings, here they are:
- Benny Snell: 73
- Anthony McFarland: 67
- Trey Edmunds: 64
CINCINNATI, OHIO - NOVEMBER 24: Benny Snell Jr #24 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Surprisingly, Madden is pretty spot-on with the Steelers ratings when it comes to the running back position. With a leap in his sophomore season, Harris has the potential to ascend into the top-10. Until then, he's too unproven to be with that prestigious group, and that's not to say he doesn't have the talent to do so.
Benny Snell Jr. hasn't had the career that many expected him to, but a 73 rating isn't awful for a backup RB. That is, if he makes the Steelers 53-man roster. ESPN's Brooke Pryor listed Snell as the Steelers' "surprise cut candidate." The former fourth-rounder is coming off his worst career season in 2021, as he failed to even accumulate 100 rushing yards on 36 carries (2.7 yards per carry).
McFarland seemed to be the perfect complementary running back when they drafted him in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Like Snell, things haven't gone according to plan, as McFarland has just 36 career carries in two seasons. Injuries have plagued his availability, but 2022 could be a make-or-break season for the Maryland product.
What do you guys think of the ratings for the Steelers running backs? Should Harris be any higher, or is 85 acceptable? Let us know your thoughts on the latest ratings from Madden 23 in the comment section below!
#SteelerNation
