While speaking with Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh Steelers’ second-year RB Najee Harris said “I’m taking time off. I will not be on the field for certain plays.” Harris continued to say “It’s all about being smart. So I understand where (Steelers’ offensive coaches) are coming from.” (NFL.com)
Fantasy Impact
Harris made the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2021 after producing 1,200 rushing yards on 307 carries to go along with 74 receptions and 467 receiving yards. Those numbers were good enough to make Harris the RB3 in PPR formats last season, however, his fantasy success can be largely attributed to high volume in both the rushing and passing game rather than efficiency. Harris averaged a pedestrian 3.9 yards per carry last season behind a subpar Steelers offensive line that struggled to provide rushing lanes for the young back. Harris is currently ranked as the RB4 in PPR formats according to FantasyPros expert consensus rankings (ECR). It’s yet to be seen how significant of a role reduction Harris may have, but unless he becomes more efficient, it’s unlikely that he will repeat as a top-three fantasy RB.