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RB Damien Harris, BUF (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Fariq
- Start date
grateful zed
Footballguy
is he a start this week?
Stat Correction
Footballguy
If RS is OUT, he'll be in my lineup in 2 leagues.
skinsrule05
Footballguy
Really looking like RS is out (DNP today). Hopefully Harris can play. It's a great matchup if he does. I would start him as well if he is a go.
grateful zed
Footballguy
By: Mike Krueger | Dec 15 2022, 5:00 pm |  |
| Thursday practice report from inside Arizona Stadium: RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) remains out, no full-pads work this week, and WR Kendrick Bourne (84), as always, brings a little extra juice. (Mike Reiss on Twitter) FFToday's Take: WR DeVante Parker also missed practice with a concussion while WR Jakobi Meyers (concussion) was limited. Damien Harris (thigh) got in a second straight practice of limited work. For now it seems like Harris, Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr. will be the top running backs for New England against the Raiders. We'll have a better idea of this situation after practice on Friday. |
grateful zed
Footballguy
Harris has missed the last two weeks with a thigh injury but did practice Wednesday and Thursday this week on a limited basis giving him a chance to jump back in the saddle as the Patriots lead running back. With Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) likely out and this being the first week back for Harris, we’ll be playing the guessing game on how much he will be limited, if at all. Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr. will also be available but it’s not out of the question for Damien to see 20 touches in this game. The game script should be positive against a Raiders defense that’s given up the fifth most fantasy points to running backs.
skinsrule05
Footballguy
Why do you say this, given he was back at practice? I know it might be the case but it seems an odd time to assume that.
He seems to be perpetually a day or so behind.
Willie Neslon
Footballguy
Ruled OUT per Rapoport.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
This had MESS written all over it. At this time of year, I doubt folks are loaded with RB depth, so Stevenson owners are likely going to have to roll with him and hope he is active, holds up, and gets a steady workload. NONE of those are guaranteed at this point. With 3 games today and 6 early games tomorrow, RS owners won't have many options if he is ruled out as a GTD or if BB is cute and has him active but doesn't use him much. That probably gets KHarris and Strong back into consideration for some work. Those two would have most likely been on the bench if RS and DH were active.
Ministry of Pain
Footballguy
RS investor but with Harris OUT, grabbed the rookie Pierre Strong just in case
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
Harris has been ruled out.
Man, I hope Stevenson can go. I’ve got Palmer in for now at flex, but if Stevenson plays, I’ll make the switch.
Man, I hope Stevenson can go. I’ve got Palmer in for now at flex, but if Stevenson plays, I’ll make the switch.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
I’ve got Strong too - if Stevenson is out I’ll flip a coin between Strong & Palmer.
@Chaka - which would be your preference in that circumstance?
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
I have a Palmer contingency plan.
This is the nightmare. I don’t think BB does that though - sure, it’s possible but I don’t recall that level of shenanigans from him.
My big fear is He starts and aggravates the ankle in the 1st quarter.
grateful zed
Footballguy
(RotoWire) Harris (thigh) was listed as limited at practice Wednesday.
Analysis: Harris, who last suited up in Week 12, appears to be trending toward being listed as limited for Saturday's game against the Bengals. The same applies to Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle, limited Wednesday), but he was able to tough things out in Week 15 en route to carrying 19 times for 172 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots' loss to the Raiders. If both backs end up active versus Cincinnati, Harris would profile as a hit-or-miss fantasy option while working alongside Stevenson.
Analysis: Harris, who last suited up in Week 12, appears to be trending toward being listed as limited for Saturday's game against the Bengals. The same applies to Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle, limited Wednesday), but he was able to tough things out in Week 15 en route to carrying 19 times for 172 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots' loss to the Raiders. If both backs end up active versus Cincinnati, Harris would profile as a hit-or-miss fantasy option while working alongside Stevenson.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
What a landing spot.
fruity pebbles
Footballguy
Pretty jackpot location
grateful zed
Footballguy
lots of tds, on a powerful offense.
rockaction
Footballguy
I agree with a caveat. On the surface, it doesn't seem like the ideal spot for a running back because Allen pilfers carries and rarely checks down. But the caveat is that you could also argue that Allen will stop carrying the football so much on designed runs (especially inside the five) now that they have a competent running back in the mix. Perhaps they'll even beef up the line and start handing the ball off. I think McDermott has lamented their finesse nature the past few years. Maybe they'll get to some power running.
This is a good signing for the Bills. Harris is an underrated back, in my opinion.
I think Harris is a big upgrade on Singletary, a nice pairing with Cook/HInes, and agree it's a good signing by the Bills for their team but I don't see Allen changing the way he plays anytime soon.
I don't think where were many homerun spots for Harris so in the grand scheme of things this is a solid landing spot I'd be happy about it if I owned him. But if I owned him I'd also be sitting around sending out trade offers right now because I don't think being a RB on the Bills is as cracked up for fantasy as most assume.
Harris was the best RB in FA in my opinion, he's so underrated, and such an excellent fit. Gigantic upgrade from Singletary, and honestly one of my favorite moves of all in FA so far.
I think James Cook owners should be more than little concerned. Harris likely leads the team in carries, and gets redzone work, and I agree with the premise its possible he used a lot more than Singletary and co. were in shirt yardage, just because he's good at it.
Boston
Footballguy
Excellent real football signing for Buffalo...Harris is a hard-nosed runner who upgrades Buffalo in that area...this is one of the sneakier good signings in FA...I also think this is good news for Cook...anyone who was realistic knew Buffalo was bringing in another RB to pair with Cook and things could have been much worse...Harris is not a big factor in the passing game and there are definite durability concerns as he is no stranger to being dinged up...Cook was always going to be in an RBBC but I would be much more concerned if it was with a Bijan, a Gibbs or a RB who had some skills that overlapped with his...gotta get thru the draft now.
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I wanted it to be Cook's time. I didn't like this news. Also, I don't like Buffalo's rushing offense with Allen. It's always so forced and often inefficient. They almost need to have some unrealistic goal like Josh will throw only five passes one game because they ran so well. If they had that typical rush offense, rush/pass balance, they'd probably be in the Supe. Allen is always asked to do more than any other QB.
Boston
Footballguy
Agreed…they need to start looking at the long game and keep some miles off his body during the regular season.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I saw TheDraftNetwork posted on Twitter Harris' contract is for 1 year for $3.75M, but I don't know where that came from and how that breaks down. By comparison, it was reported James Robinson signed with NE for 2 years and $8M. But it's really a 2-year deal worth $4M and no guaranteed money. I don't believe there would be any money conveyed to Robinson unless he makes the opening day roster.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
Harris has played very well when healthy . . . but that's the thing. He's missed almost a season's worth of games over the past three years (after a mostly redshirt rookie season). When he was able to suit up last year, he was pretty limited. He just wasn't right the whole year. He does a good job hitting the hole and will run people over when he gets through the line. But he's not the type of back that will break tackles in the backfield or juke people to miss tackles. He's as good as his blocking provides for him. He can turn a 3-yard run into 7 or 8 by pushing people backwards . . . but if a play is stacked up at the LOS, he won't wiggle out of it. He scored a lot of TD in 2021 in NE . . . but part of me thinks that's because they didn't have many other ways to get in the end zone. It will be interesting to see how BUF uses him.
greenmountaingoat
Footballguy
Solid for Buf and for DH. Cooks isn't really a between the tackles grinder and was never tabbed for that role anyway. If you're a DH manager this is likely a sideways move from what his role was when healthy last year. My $0.02. I think he's likely to be a borderline RB2/RB3 that is someone you can throw in your lineup but not a guy you're going to have confidence in. If Cooks is hurt he's like RB 18 or so. Assuming they don't draft anyone.
8-14 carries for 30-60 yards- maybe 1-3 catches- plus about half a TD. Like a guy with a 9.8-10.5 ish weekly PPR projection. He'll have a 2TD game on your bench and make you question your choice of hobbies.
8-14 carries for 30-60 yards- maybe 1-3 catches- plus about half a TD. Like a guy with a 9.8-10.5 ish weekly PPR projection. He'll have a 2TD game on your bench and make you question your choice of hobbies.
Looks like we got a lot of bad initial reporting on both of these deals:
Harris: $1.12m salary of which $400K is fully guaranteed along with $600K bonus bringing his total guarantees to $1M and total pay to $1.77m.
He did get a slightly better deal then Robinson.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I still see where Robinson got no guaranteed money. I'm surprised Harris didn't get a better deal in both years, dollars, and guaranteed money. I guess teams are just not into paying RBs much these days. The Pats could still be kicking the tires on retread backs (and eying someone in the draft, mostly because that's what they always do).
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
Seems like this has been the new normal for awhile now, to the point that I’m surprised you are surprised.
No I don't think Robinson did, has to make the team, I don't think I said otherwise? Count me as surprised Harris got so little as well. Would have thought at minimum someone like McDaniels would have put a higher value on him.
What is kind of surprising in this RB degrees of separation game is Singletary comparatively speaking blew them both away. He basically got the $3.75m that was reported to due to Harris, most of it guaranteed. He basically doubled up what Harris got in all facets. I would consider Singletary to have got the 5th best UFA RB contract.
JohnnyU
Footballguy
I wonder if that should be graded before committing to marriage?
Anarchy99
Footballguy
I am not surprised that teams are paying RBs less than they used to. But I am surprised that each season they continue to go even lower than the season before. I thought the original number of $3.75M for Harris was a little high . . . then we find the actual number is less than half of that. That makes him the 38th highest paid RB in the league. By comparison, Nyheim Hines, also on the Bills, has a 3-year, $18.6M contract.
If anyone was interested in terms of how money is distributed throughout the league, here are the number of players with an AAV of $5M by position (as of today):
QB - 29
RB - 16
FB - 1
WR - 46
TE - 25
LT - 21
RT - 14
G - 24
C - 15
DE - 36
DT - 29
OLB - 24
ILB - 18
CB - 40
FS - 12
SS - 4
PK - 4
P - 0
LS - 0
That's 358 players out of 1,696 rostered players (plus another 480 on practices squads and a smattering of others on IR / suspension / NFI lists). A few more will sign at that $5M AAV range, but that's a little more than 20% of rostered players.
massraider
Footballguy
Going to the Bills doesn't make this guy a better running back.
Anarchy99
Footballguy
This implies that he wasn't a good RB on NE. PFF graded him at 75.8, 87.8, and 90.3 the three seasons he played for the Pats. That's not just good, that's very, very good. He needed the ball more and better health in his time with NE. He may not get more touches and may not be fully healthy for long stretches in BUF, but his on-field performance has been solid.
JohnnyU
Footballguy
Moss looks better on a bad Indy team than he did in Buffalo.
Streetduck
Footballguy
He doesn’t need to be better, he just needs to be healthy.
Moss needed a kick in the butt in my opinion. The talent was always there, but he seemed like he was coasting in Buffalo, and when he went to Indy, it sort of felt like he knew he was on his last chance. Motivated Moss is a slightly better David Montgomery in my opinion.
I will question Buffalo's usage of Nyhiem Hines, which was basically nonexistent outside of returns. He should have been a far bigger contributor, especially in the passing game. I don't think that same problem will exist with Harris, especially as he isn't being acquired midseason, but its possible. Its also possible James Cook takes a big forward leap in year 2.
I love the Harris signing, and like Harris himself a ton, but I will agree that this may not be an upgrade for Harris fantasy wise. It probably is in the sense that James Cook probably isn't as good as Rhamondre Stevenson (a top-10 NFL RB in my eyes) and in theory, Buffalo should be a more productive offense than NE. But there is certainly some uncertainty, and its not out of the question that Buffalo also adds a RB in the draft, though that would be foolish anywhere before day 3 in my opinion. Still, they've done it 3 of the last 4 years, and seemingly haven't found "the guy" yet.
