As an early pick in the NFL and most fantasy drafts across the board, Najee Harris carries the hopes of many football fans on his shoulders.
Though Najee Harris did not blow anybody out of the water during NFL Week 1, he showed signs of being a competent running back, who the Steelers will likely look to give the ball to 20+ times every week.
Harris posted 5.9 fantasy points via 45 yards across 16 attempts on the ground, and just one single reception for four yards.
Najee Harris, Likely a Touchdown Dependant Fantasy Running Back
It is no secret that there are plenty of mouths to feed on this Pittsburgh offense. A newly rejuvenated Big Ben certainly means good things for their talented trio of WRs, but what should you expect from Najee Harris on a week to week basis as the season rolls on?
As previously mentioned, the workload is going to be there for Harris as the featured back. His potential fantasy struggles will not come from lack of touches, but instead from lack of touchdowns.
It took until the 4th quarter for the Steelers to capitalize on one of their red zone drives, with the TD coming off a five yard pass to Dionte Johnson. Given the fact the Steelers have three incredible options on the outside, it is not a guarantee Harris will get as my red zone/goal line looks as some other RBs.
Instead, he may often be used as a distraction, while his pass catching team mates poach his chance at six points. Harris was the low man on the offensive totem pole on Sunday, scoring 5.9 fantasy points, opposed to the 9.2, 10, and 14.6 posted by Juju, Claypool, and Johnson respectively.
As a Najee Harris owner, all you can do is continue to view him as a plug and play RB2 level guy. You’ll also need to be hoping and praying the Steelers average more than one TD per week moving forward. A few more receptions here and there might be nice, too.
