RB Najee Harris, LAC (3 Viewers)

[King of the Jungle]

Should be some stacked fronts unless they start getting Herbert some targets to throw to, but Najee should see a good amount of touches regardless.

 

[BobbyLayne]

Najee is the only NFL tailback to play all 68 regular season games the last 4 years

(there's one FB who also did this)

there, I found something nice to say about him

 

[crushedspirit]

Steelers utilized too much zone with Najee, so with Roman and a more gap heavy scheme, look for an increase in production.

This was probably his best fit.

 

[menobrown]

Najee is the only NFL tailback to play all 68 regular season games the last 4 years

(there's one FB who also did this)

there, I found something nice to say about him

Also I believe the only RB to rush for 1K or more yards each of the last 4 seasons.

5th in rushing in the league since he entered it.

Of course the durability is a big assist for the production.

 

[MAC_32]

What I would ask anyone who does not like the landing spot for Najee to please list the other places you'd have preferred to see him go.

I got one and I never thought it possible as I don't think they are in the market to pay a veteran RB.

Chargers would have been my second best option if I could have picked any team for him to land. ETA-and it's a superclose second.

Whatever happens after this with Chargers or any other team with RB additions we don't know. Just saying based on what we know right now I'd be curious exactly where other people would have preferred.

Totally depends on what else they do between now and the end of April.

All RB's are volume plays, but even moreso for him since he's incapable of creating explosive plays. He was a good player in our game when he net ~22 touches per game and 94 targets as a rook. Thereafter when he tailed to ~17 per and 40some targets give or take, not so much. Regardless, an additional variable needing considered are those targets - are the Bolts are going to use him more in the passing game than JK's 38 targets?

So, what alternative destinations would've been better? We'll see what else the team does at the position. If it's him / Vidal / Haskins / day 3 rook, probably none - that tells me they see him like they saw Frank Gore when they were in SF. But if they commit meaningful capital to anyone else he quickly becomes an undesirable starter / worthwhile depth.

 

[JohnnyU]

I will be heavily investing in Najee in redraft if his value is right.

They’re gonna run him into the ground.

Interesting, so much so it had me thinking how durable Harris ha been thus far. Why do I have this bad feeling about him just when everyone is so excited about this signing?

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I will be heavily investing in Najee in redraft if his value is right.

They’re gonna run him into the ground.

Interesting, so much so it had me thinking how durable Harris ha been thus far. Why do I have this bad feeling about him just when everyone is so excited about this signing?

IMO he’s everything Harbaugh tried to make Gus Edward’s into, but couldn’t.

Najee is durable, boring, and will get 300 touches in what should be an improved LAC offense after Harbaugh drafts OL early & often.

Put me down for 1200+ RuYd & 10 RuTD, with ~30 receptions sprinkled in for good measure. Rock solid RB2 for FF.

I see nothing but upside if he’s a 4th round pick or later in redraft.

 

[sm8680]

NFL analyst shares crazy stat about Steelers run game​

Cheat Sheet on 2023 offense

Najee was a Steeler for 4 years. Took a lot of heat because of how inept the offense is. At times he was running against a stacked box. The opposing defense at times either knew the play or that it was a run due to Matt Canada simple minded game plans where he didn't get input from other offensive coaches.

On the Wfan chatterbox kept going off on Najee because he never had a run longer than 39 yards. Najee ran a 40 time of 4.45. Not great but not horrible. I don't gamble but I believe he has a far better chance of having a run of greater than 40 yards or more with Herbert under center.

 

[Grid71]

Steelers utilized too much zone with Najee, so with Roman and a more gap heavy scheme, look for an increase in production.

This was probably his best fit.

This! Najee is not a good fit for wide zone or zone in general. Give him some momentum running north/south and he is far more effective.

 

[Buckna]

Good for Najee owners, should be a lot of touches at least. But he's a plodder and honestly think there would have been better RB's for the Chargers offense. But Harbaugh likes his ground and pound and probably likes Najee's ability to stay healthy vs a guy like Dobbins last year who never stays healthy.

 

[menobrown]

the Wfan chatterbox kept going off on Najee because he never had a run longer than 39 yards

He may never have run for a 40+ yard run but that's probably an overblown stat.

He got a lot better at explosive runs and surprisingly was tied for 5th last year in 20+yard runs and was also 5th in 2023. Over the last two years he's tied for 4th overall in runs with 20 or more yards.

The guy he's tied in 20 yard runs with is James Conner who had exactly one run over over 40 yards during his time with the Steelers and a grand total of 4 in his entire career. He's interesting to bring up as he's as similar style of player as Najee who went out West at similar point in his career and never looked better. Can Najee become a healthy version of Conner?

In terms of overall explosive runs(10 yards or more) Najee was tied for 8th best in the league last year with Taylor, only 3 behind 4th place(Bijan) and this is not so much a volume thing as both of those RB's had 40 more carries then Najee. He was tied for 10th in this stat in 2023.

Near as I can tell he lost some weight from his first two seasons because he felt he needed the body armor to carry the massive volume but then moved into more of a RBBC with Warren. Since he's done that's he's been one of the better explosive RB's in the league, just has not been able to break a long run.

 

[joey]

Can Najee become a healthy version of Conner?

From your mouth to the spaghetti monster’s ears!!
Best case scenario for Najee. I’ve been riding Conner for 4 years in our SharkPool FFPC league and he’s been a bargain the whole time.

 

[Payne]

He’s a plodder

He WAS a plodder on a team that hasn't had a O Line in years. Also no real threat from the QB position.

Let's see how he does with a very good O line and a stud QB.

 

[IHEARTFF]

Just got him as rb25 round 6 ppr bb

 

[Nick Vermeil]

He’s a plodder

Let's see how he does with a very good O line

Which team are we talking about here?

 

[taylormeetstheismann]

I will be heavily investing in Najee in redraft if his value is right.

They’re gonna run him into the ground.

He’ll probably be a value pick as owners go after more hyped players. A good target at a serpentine or auction draft.

 

[pinkstapler]

So kind of taking in both sides of the argument here on Najee it feels like a great target in redraft, a win now guy for playoff bound rosters in dynasty, and a screaming sell for everyone else in dynasty. He's already jumped from RB36 to RB30 since the trade. I think this could go up to a consensus ranking as a mid RB2 pretty easily in the next month. This would mark his highest value since pre-2023 season and probably a great time to shove him off to a RB needy team. You could roll the dice and hope for some bad rookie landing spots in the draft and that Chargers don't invest in one in the first 3 rounds and probably squeeze some more juice out of him in the market; but I think if you're not set up for a deep playoff run in your leagues this is a prime opportunity to sell at a high. If he does just plod his way to another low end RB2 season in a much better situation in LA I think you see his trade value cut in half. Especially considering at that point he'll be a FA again and 28 years old.

 

[Payne]

He’s a plodder

Let's see how he does with a very good O line

Which team are we talking about here?

Is this sarcasm? The Chargers. The O Line FBG themselves have ranked #7.
They are MUCH better than the Steelers.

 

[-OZ-]

He’s a plodder

He WAS a plodder on a team that hasn't had a O Line in years. Also no real threat from the QB position.

Let's see how he does with a very good O line and a stud QB.

Could be a top offense if they add a better deep threat but najee couldn’t land in a better spot and Harbaugh couldn’t have gotten a better value for what he wants.

 

[Payne]

He’s a plodder

He WAS a plodder on a team that hasn't had a O Line in years. Also no real threat from the QB position.

Let's see how he does with a very good O line and a stud QB.

Could be a top offense if they add a better deep threat but najee couldn’t land in a better spot and Harbaugh couldn’t have gotten a better value for what he wants.

If the Chargers get Engram and either draft a WR or sign one to go along with Johnston and McConkey the offense could be pretty good.

I don't see the downside here at all. Better O Line, currently nobody to share carries with and a coach who we know will use him.

 

[travdogg]

So kind of taking in both sides of the argument here on Najee it feels like a great target in redraft, a win now guy for playoff bound rosters in dynasty, and a screaming sell for everyone else in dynasty. He's already jumped from RB36 to RB30 since the trade. I think this could go up to a consensus ranking as a mid RB2 pretty easily in the next month. This would mark his highest value since pre-2023 season and probably a great time to shove him off to a RB needy team. You could roll the dice and hope for some bad rookie landing spots in the draft and that Chargers don't invest in one in the first 3 rounds and probably squeeze some more juice out of him in the market; but I think if you're not set up for a deep playoff run in your leagues this is a prime opportunity to sell at a high. If he does just plod his way to another low end RB2 season in a much better situation in LA I think you see his trade value cut in half. Especially considering at that point he'll be a FA again and 28 years old.

I think the Chargers are extremely likely to take a RB by round 4. A speedy compliment would make sense.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

He’s a plodder

He WAS a plodder on a team that hasn't had a O Line in years. Also no real threat from the QB position.

Let's see how he does with a very good O line and a stud QB.

He also plodded for 4 YPC average last year, 3.9 for his career— which is better than quite a few RBs held in much higher esteem by the FF community.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

So kind of taking in both sides of the argument here on Najee it feels like a great target in redraft, a win now guy for playoff bound rosters in dynasty, and a screaming sell for everyone else in dynasty. He's already jumped from RB36 to RB30 since the trade. I think this could go up to a consensus ranking as a mid RB2 pretty easily in the next month. This would mark his highest value since pre-2023 season and probably a great time to shove him off to a RB needy team. You could roll the dice and hope for some bad rookie landing spots in the draft and that Chargers don't invest in one in the first 3 rounds and probably squeeze some more juice out of him in the market; but I think if you're not set up for a deep playoff run in your leagues this is a prime opportunity to sell at a high. If he does just plod his way to another low end RB2 season in a much better situation in LA I think you see his trade value cut in half. Especially considering at that point he'll be a FA again and 28 years old.

I think the Chargers are extremely likely to take a RB by round 4. A speedy compliment would make sense.

Isn’t Vidal already that guy?

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

probably a great time to shove him off to a RB needy team

Definitely. Purely situational, and if you have the depth and/or aren’t a win-now roster, you could see excellent return. I’d try to do it before the draft while the hype is at its peak.

OTOH, if you’re in a window and need a RB2, he’s a great acquisition target. Late 2nd, early 3rd? Maybe that & change gets it done?

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

Just got him as rb25 round 6 ppr bb

You get 6 points per reception?!

 

[travdogg]

So kind of taking in both sides of the argument here on Najee it feels like a great target in redraft, a win now guy for playoff bound rosters in dynasty, and a screaming sell for everyone else in dynasty. He's already jumped from RB36 to RB30 since the trade. I think this could go up to a consensus ranking as a mid RB2 pretty easily in the next month. This would mark his highest value since pre-2023 season and probably a great time to shove him off to a RB needy team. You could roll the dice and hope for some bad rookie landing spots in the draft and that Chargers don't invest in one in the first 3 rounds and probably squeeze some more juice out of him in the market; but I think if you're not set up for a deep playoff run in your leagues this is a prime opportunity to sell at a high. If he does just plod his way to another low end RB2 season in a much better situation in LA I think you see his trade value cut in half. Especially considering at that point he'll be a FA again and 28 years old.

I think the Chargers are extremely likely to take a RB by round 4. A speedy compliment would make sense.

Isn’t Vidal already that guy?

Vidal isn't a lock to make the team. I think they'll want someone much more talented than Vidal.

 

[Nick Vermeil]

He’s a plodder

Let's see how he does with a very good O line

Which team are we talking about here?

Is this sarcasm? The Chargers. The O Line FBG themselves have ranked #7.
They are MUCH better than the Steelers.

Not sarcasm. I wouldn't classify the Chargers Line as "Very Good" personally. They have very good tackles and average at best interior linemen. We'll have to see what they do in free agency if they can shoot the lock of the wallet.

 

[Ray_T]

So kind of taking in both sides of the argument here on Najee it feels like a great target in redraft, a win now guy for playoff bound rosters in dynasty, and a screaming sell for everyone else in dynasty. He's already jumped from RB36 to RB30 since the trade. I think this could go up to a consensus ranking as a mid RB2 pretty easily in the next month. This would mark his highest value since pre-2023 season and probably a great time to shove him off to a RB needy team. You could roll the dice and hope for some bad rookie landing spots in the draft and that Chargers don't invest in one in the first 3 rounds and probably squeeze some more juice out of him in the market; but I think if you're not set up for a deep playoff run in your leagues this is a prime opportunity to sell at a high. If he does just plod his way to another low end RB2 season in a much better situation in LA I think you see his trade value cut in half. Especially considering at that point he'll be a FA again and 28 years old.

I think the Chargers are extremely likely to take a RB by round 4. A speedy compliment would make sense.

Isn’t Vidal already that guy?

Vidal isn't a lock to make the team. I think they'll want someone much more talented than Vidal.

well, this is the draft to do it.

I dont think the team is giving up on Vidal but if they let Dobbins go I would say their chances of taking a RB in the draft are pretty close to 100%

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

So kind of taking in both sides of the argument here on Najee it feels like a great target in redraft, a win now guy for playoff bound rosters in dynasty, and a screaming sell for everyone else in dynasty. He's already jumped from RB36 to RB30 since the trade. I think this could go up to a consensus ranking as a mid RB2 pretty easily in the next month. This would mark his highest value since pre-2023 season and probably a great time to shove him off to a RB needy team. You could roll the dice and hope for some bad rookie landing spots in the draft and that Chargers don't invest in one in the first 3 rounds and probably squeeze some more juice out of him in the market; but I think if you're not set up for a deep playoff run in your leagues this is a prime opportunity to sell at a high. If he does just plod his way to another low end RB2 season in a much better situation in LA I think you see his trade value cut in half. Especially considering at that point he'll be a FA again and 28 years old.

I think the Chargers are extremely likely to take a RB by round 4. A speedy compliment would make sense.

Isn’t Vidal already that guy?

Vidal isn't a lock to make the team. I think they'll want someone much more talented than Vidal.

well, this is the draft to do it.

I dont think the team is giving up on Vidal but if they let Dobbins go I would say their chances of taking a RB in the draft are pretty close to 100%

Either way, IMO Najee’s role is secure. 2 down back, short yardage, occasional dump off.

 

[pinkstapler]

So kind of taking in both sides of the argument here on Najee it feels like a great target in redraft, a win now guy for playoff bound rosters in dynasty, and a screaming sell for everyone else in dynasty. He's already jumped from RB36 to RB30 since the trade. I think this could go up to a consensus ranking as a mid RB2 pretty easily in the next month. This would mark his highest value since pre-2023 season and probably a great time to shove him off to a RB needy team. You could roll the dice and hope for some bad rookie landing spots in the draft and that Chargers don't invest in one in the first 3 rounds and probably squeeze some more juice out of him in the market; but I think if you're not set up for a deep playoff run in your leagues this is a prime opportunity to sell at a high. If he does just plod his way to another low end RB2 season in a much better situation in LA I think you see his trade value cut in half. Especially considering at that point he'll be a FA again and 28 years old.

I think the Chargers are extremely likely to take a RB by round 4. A speedy compliment would make sense.

Isn’t Vidal already that guy?

Vidal isn't a lock to make the team. I think they'll want someone much more talented than Vidal.

well, this is the draft to do it.

I dont think the team is giving up on Vidal but if they let Dobbins go I would say their chances of taking a RB in the draft are pretty close to 100%

Either way, IMO Najee’s role is secure. 2 down back, short yardage, occasional dump off.

I'd even give him the capability of 3rd down role in some scenarios/drives. He was an above average catcher and route runner out of the backfield his first season in Pitt. And then for whatever reason Matt Canada just stopped having him do it as much. Unless Najee suddenly lost that part of his game, but that feels unlikely. But one of the perks of him only having a one year deal, the Chargers don't have a major incentive to not just squeeze every drop from him and run him into the ground.

 

[Ray_T]

So kind of taking in both sides of the argument here on Najee it feels like a great target in redraft, a win now guy for playoff bound rosters in dynasty, and a screaming sell for everyone else in dynasty. He's already jumped from RB36 to RB30 since the trade. I think this could go up to a consensus ranking as a mid RB2 pretty easily in the next month. This would mark his highest value since pre-2023 season and probably a great time to shove him off to a RB needy team. You could roll the dice and hope for some bad rookie landing spots in the draft and that Chargers don't invest in one in the first 3 rounds and probably squeeze some more juice out of him in the market; but I think if you're not set up for a deep playoff run in your leagues this is a prime opportunity to sell at a high. If he does just plod his way to another low end RB2 season in a much better situation in LA I think you see his trade value cut in half. Especially considering at that point he'll be a FA again and 28 years old.

I think the Chargers are extremely likely to take a RB by round 4. A speedy compliment would make sense.

Isn’t Vidal already that guy?

Vidal isn't a lock to make the team. I think they'll want someone much more talented than Vidal.

well, this is the draft to do it.

I dont think the team is giving up on Vidal but if they let Dobbins go I would say their chances of taking a RB in the draft are pretty close to 100%

Either way, IMO Najee’s role is secure. 2 down back, short yardage, occasional dump off.

I'd even give him the capability of 3rd down role in some scenarios/drives. He was an above average catcher and route runner out of the backfield his first season in Pitt. And then for whatever reason Matt Canada just stopped having him do it as much. Unless Najee suddenly lost that part of his game, but that feels unlikely. But one of the perks of him only having a one year deal, the Chargers don't have a major incentive to not just squeeze every drop from him and run him into the ground.

he blocks well, so third down isnt out of the question.

hes also going to a more dynamic offense so Id expect his production in terms of yard per carry to be better.

 

[JohnnyU]

toilet:

 

[ffmail4me]

He has always sucked

 

[Ministry of Pain]

RB2 on the Bolts , will see a few snaps so Hampton can get a breather here and there

 

[joey]

Oof.

 

[Payne]

My guess is Harris starts the season since Harbaugh seems like a "Veteran first" type of coach.
But that pick pretty much kills any value Harris had.

 

[Blick]

RB2 on the Bolts , will see a few snaps so Hampton can get a breather here and there

Feels more like a 50/50 or 60/40 split. Najee isn’t going away. The key will be who gets the pass down and short yardage work. They are both similar enough that I thinks it’s debatable.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

RB2 on the Bolts , will see a few snaps so Hampton can get a breather here and there

Feels more like a 50/50 or 60/40 split. Najee isn’t going away. The key will be who gets the pass down and short yardage work. They are both similar enough that I thinks it’s debatable.

I don't understand why it's 50/50...Hampton turns in 10 for 40 or 15 for 65 yd performances all year?
Harris was signed on a 1 yr deal for just $5M after several disappointing seasons in Pittsburgh

It's like if a RB, WR, TE, whatever skill position but I'll focus on RB
If they aren't drafted by a team with nothing in their RB stable and a big warm welcome mat that says "You're Our Starter" the FF community turns into bead clutching priests/nuns

Why would it feel 50/50 after the Bolts just took Hampton at 22 overall? Is that a move that shows a lot of confidence in Harris as their starting RB?
The Bolts will say they plan on using both of them, all well and good.
I got news for some folks, several really good RBs are going to be drafted on to teams that have an RB1/RB2 on paper already or in your minds

I think competition is good, it's how we learned Javonte Williams was never going to be a bonafide starter, could never shake Mel Gordon aside or maybe it was the play calling
I would be more concerned about Harbaugh's offense and scheme he oversees, he neutered Herbert last year and takes a RB in the 1st not a WR to help the passing game
The Bolts didn't move up to get one of the top two Tight Ends on the board

Chargers are going to pound the football early and often, I don't see much downside with a RB on his 2nd contract and only got a 1 year deal, that's an aging veteran move for RBs
MoP not the least bit concerned about Harris right now, you asked or commented so I'm responding, appreciate the post

 

[pinkstapler]

RB2 on the Bolts , will see a few snaps so Hampton can get a breather here and there

Feels more like a 50/50 or 60/40 split. Najee isn’t going away. The key will be who gets the pass down and short yardage work. They are both similar enough that I thinks it’s debatable.

Yeah as much as I don't love Najee, this feels most realistic. I could see a hot hand approach where there are weeks where one guy gets significantly more work, but that's still frustrating for fantasy owners.

I would say it almost certainly kills any chance of an extension though. He will be one and done in LA. And taking that idea and running with it, I almost wonder if they don't grab another RB late in this draft to get a head start on having a young/cheap backup from a deep talented class for Hampton in 2026. This could get even uglier.

 

[zamboni]

I can see Najee getting the bulk of the snaps early on, with Hampton being sprinkled in. But if Najee struggles and the rookie shows some juice, that could really open things up for Hampton to run away with the gig.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

RB2 on the Bolts , will see a few snaps so Hampton can get a breather here and there

Feels more like a 50/50 or 60/40 split. Najee isn’t going away. The key will be who gets the pass down and short yardage work. They are both similar enough that I thinks it’s debatable.

Yeah as much as I don't love Najee, this feels most realistic. I could see a hot hand approach where there are weeks where one guy gets significantly more work, but that's still frustrating for fantasy owners.

I would say it almost certainly kills any chance of an extension though. He will be one and done in LA. And taking that idea and running with it, I almost wonder if they don't grab another RB late in this draft to get a head start on having a young/cheap backup from a deep talented class for Hampton in 2026. This could get even uglier.

I can see Najee getting the bulk of the snaps early on, with Hampton being sprinkled in. But if Najee struggles and the rookie shows some juice, that could really open things up for Hampton to run away with the gig.

Gentlemen...

Omarion Hampton College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

Check out Omarion Hampton's College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits and More College Stats at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

Let's have some reality here, they spent a 1st round pick on a guy you say is gonna be "sprinkled" in
Lot of RBs manage to have one big Senior Year, this guy was pretty consistent '23 to '24, B2B good years as the starter in NC
And he catches the football as well.

I won't allow god posters to start walking down this path follow the skills and talent, Hampton brings them and is tailor made to be a lead RB for Harbaugh
Hampton is 6 foot 225, he's not a small RB like say Achane, he's gonna produce in this system and as @SWC always says, you can take that to the bank brohans

 

[pinkstapler]

RB2 on the Bolts , will see a few snaps so Hampton can get a breather here and there

Feels more like a 50/50 or 60/40 split. Najee isn’t going away. The key will be who gets the pass down and short yardage work. They are both similar enough that I thinks it’s debatable.

Yeah as much as I don't love Najee, this feels most realistic. I could see a hot hand approach where there are weeks where one guy gets significantly more work, but that's still frustrating for fantasy owners.

I would say it almost certainly kills any chance of an extension though. He will be one and done in LA. And taking that idea and running with it, I almost wonder if they don't grab another RB late in this draft to get a head start on having a young/cheap backup from a deep talented class for Hampton in 2026. This could get even uglier.

I can see Najee getting the bulk of the snaps early on, with Hampton being sprinkled in. But if Najee struggles and the rookie shows some juice, that could really open things up for Hampton to run away with the gig.

Gentlemen...

Omarion Hampton College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

Check out Omarion Hampton's College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits and More College Stats at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

Let's have some reality here, they spent a 1st round pick on a guy you say is gonna be "sprinkled" in
Lot of RBs manage to have one big Senior Year, this guy was pretty consistent '23 to '24, B2B good years as the starter in NC
And he catches the football as well.

I won't allow god posters to start walking down this path follow the skills and talent, Hampton brings them and is tailor made to be a lead RB for Harbaugh
Hampton is 6 foot 225, he's not a small RB like say Achane, he's gonna produce in this system and as @SWC always says, you can take that to the bank brohans

Maybe it's just a semantics thing. I don't think he'll just be sprinkled in. But I also don't think that sprinkled in = a 60/40 split which I think is a reasonable guess at how the backfield is handled at the beginning of the season.

I'm sure if Hampton shows himself to be drastically outplaying Najee through the first few weeks the splits would adjust. I just also don't see Harbough giving a rookie an 80% share week 1, especially after spending not insignificant capital bringing in Najee.

Now stop making a Steelers fan defend Najee. It feels gross lol.

 

[oldmanhawkins]

RB2 on the Bolts , will see a few snaps so Hampton can get a breather here and there

Feels more like a 50/50 or 60/40 split. Najee isn’t going away. The key will be who gets the pass down and short yardage work. They are both similar enough that I thinks it’s debatable.

Yeah as much as I don't love Najee, this feels most realistic. I could see a hot hand approach where there are weeks where one guy gets significantly more work, but that's still frustrating for fantasy owners.

I would say it almost certainly kills any chance of an extension though. He will be one and done in LA. And taking that idea and running with it, I almost wonder if they don't grab another RB late in this draft to get a head start on having a young/cheap backup from a deep talented class for Hampton in 2026. This could get even uglier.

I can see Najee getting the bulk of the snaps early on, with Hampton being sprinkled in. But if Najee struggles and the rookie shows some juice, that could really open things up for Hampton to run away with the gig.

Gentlemen...

Omarion Hampton College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

Check out Omarion Hampton's College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits and More College Stats at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

Let's have some reality here, they spent a 1st round pick on a guy you say is gonna be "sprinkled" in
Lot of RBs manage to have one big Senior Year, this guy was pretty consistent '23 to '24, B2B good years as the starter in NC
And he catches the football as well.

I won't allow god posters to start walking down this path follow the skills and talent, Hampton brings them and is tailor made to be a lead RB for Harbaugh
Hampton is 6 foot 225, he's not a small RB like say Achane, he's gonna produce in this system and as @SWC always says, you can take that to the bank brohans

Maybe it's just a semantics thing. I don't think he'll just be sprinkled in. But I also don't think that sprinkled in = a 60/40 split which I think is a reasonable guess at how the backfield is handled at the beginning of the season.

I'm sure if Hampton shows himself to be drastically outplaying Najee through the first few weeks the splits would adjust. I just also don't see Harbough giving a rookie an 80% share week 1, especially after spending not insignificant capital bringing in Najee.

Now stop making a Steelers fan defend Najee. It feels gross lol.

I think you are both right. I'm not sure this is saying much, but the Chargers averaged 30+ carries in their wins but less than 20 in their losses. A 60/40 split is going to be pretty pretty pretty good most weeks. If Hampton gets most of the passing game work and his share of the goal line, he'll have a fantastic season.

 

[Buckna]

Chargers paid about the same amount of money they did to Harris to Gus Edwards in signing bonus and guaranteed in a 2 year deal last year who got only about 100 carries. He did miss some games but got outplayed from the get-go by Dobbins who would have easily had 1,200 yards or more rushing on the season had he not got injured again himself and missed 4.5 games. I could see something similar happening this year with Harris getting 100 to 150 carries and Hampton 200~250 carries if both are healthy the full year. Harris probably starts off the leader in touches due to the veteran status but only a matter of time for Hampton to get phased in more.

 

[zamboni]

RB2 on the Bolts , will see a few snaps so Hampton can get a breather here and there

Feels more like a 50/50 or 60/40 split. Najee isn’t going away. The key will be who gets the pass down and short yardage work. They are both similar enough that I thinks it’s debatable.

Yeah as much as I don't love Najee, this feels most realistic. I could see a hot hand approach where there are weeks where one guy gets significantly more work, but that's still frustrating for fantasy owners.

I would say it almost certainly kills any chance of an extension though. He will be one and done in LA. And taking that idea and running with it, I almost wonder if they don't grab another RB late in this draft to get a head start on having a young/cheap backup from a deep talented class for Hampton in 2026. This could get even uglier.

I can see Najee getting the bulk of the snaps early on, with Hampton being sprinkled in. But if Najee struggles and the rookie shows some juice, that could really open things up for Hampton to run away with the gig.

Gentlemen...

Omarion Hampton College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

Check out Omarion Hampton's College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits and More College Stats at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

Let's have some reality here, they spent a 1st round pick on a guy you say is gonna be "sprinkled" in
Lot of RBs manage to have one big Senior Year, this guy was pretty consistent '23 to '24, B2B good years as the starter in NC
And he catches the football as well.

I won't allow god posters to start walking down this path follow the skills and talent, Hampton brings them and is tailor made to be a lead RB for Harbaugh
Hampton is 6 foot 225, he's not a small RB like say Achane, he's gonna produce in this system and as @SWC always says, you can take that to the bank brohans

Agree Hampton has the tools and draft commitment - just saying Harbaugh may defer to the veteran Najee at first, but could very easily be phased out in short order (and probably will be).

 

[menobrown]

Harbaugh said he sees them both as starters and he's pretty much backed up everything he's said since he took over the team.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

RB2 on the Bolts , will see a few snaps so Hampton can get a breather here and there

Feels more like a 50/50 or 60/40 split. Najee isn’t going away. The key will be who gets the pass down and short yardage work. They are both similar enough that I thinks it’s debatable.

Yeah as much as I don't love Najee, this feels most realistic. I could see a hot hand approach where there are weeks where one guy gets significantly more work, but that's still frustrating for fantasy owners.

I would say it almost certainly kills any chance of an extension though. He will be one and done in LA. And taking that idea and running with it, I almost wonder if they don't grab another RB late in this draft to get a head start on having a young/cheap backup from a deep talented class for Hampton in 2026. This could get even uglier.

I can see Najee getting the bulk of the snaps early on, with Hampton being sprinkled in. But if Najee struggles and the rookie shows some juice, that could really open things up for Hampton to run away with the gig.

Gentlemen...

Omarion Hampton College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

Check out Omarion Hampton's College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits and More College Stats at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

Let's have some reality here, they spent a 1st round pick on a guy you say is gonna be "sprinkled" in
Lot of RBs manage to have one big Senior Year, this guy was pretty consistent '23 to '24, B2B good years as the starter in NC
And he catches the football as well.

I won't allow god posters to start walking down this path follow the skills and talent, Hampton brings them and is tailor made to be a lead RB for Harbaugh
Hampton is 6 foot 225, he's not a small RB like say Achane, he's gonna produce in this system and as @SWC always says, you can take that to the bank brohans

Maybe it's just a semantics thing. I don't think he'll just be sprinkled in. But I also don't think that sprinkled in = a 60/40 split which I think is a reasonable guess at how the backfield is handled at the beginning of the season.

I'm sure if Hampton shows himself to be drastically outplaying Najee through the first few weeks the splits would adjust. I just also don't see Harbough giving a rookie an 80% share week 1, especially after spending not insignificant capital bringing in Najee.

Now stop making a Steelers fan defend Najee. It feels gross lol.

I don't want my FF running backs getting 80% of the touches, they won't last all season
Hampton is going to get 250+ carries, 300 touches for the season, folks need to relax and not make Najee Harris into Saquon Barkley
I never thought Harris was going to seize the starting role
Harbaugh has already tried retreads from the Ravens, now he has one from the Steelers, new shiny rookie coming in, think the Rookie will easily outpace Harris

Plus I like my FF teams peaking in Nov and Dec so if he does split a little time early while he's learning all the blocking schemes, fine.
I will bet whatever folks want on which RB will get the most touches in 2024, this one is easy to figure out
I watched the thick headed Steelers not push for more at RB when they had terrible QB issues, it's possible Harris should have lost his starting spot years ago
Go into those game threads for the STeelers in '22, '23, '24...the guy is not revered back in Pittsburgh

'22 1,000 yds rush, barely over 17 games
'23 1,000 yds rush, barely over 17 games
'24 1,000 yds rush, barely over 17 games
And all 3 were painful to watch for FF managers who invested in him, very avg number of TD to match, the guys is just average NFL RB at this point, we know who he is
Hampton will make Harris look pedestrian

 

[Blick]

Two recent similar situations come to mind.

Detroit with Montgomery and Gibbs. This isn't a great comparison because these to back offer different styles.

• Montgomery - 14 Games, 219 Carries, 1015 Yards, 13 TD, 16 Recs, 117 Yards, 0 TD
• Gibbs - 15 Games, 182 Carries, 945 Yards, 10 TDs, 52 Rec, 316 Yards, 1 TD

A better comparison is Javonte and Gordon as they both had similar skillset.

• Javonte - 17 Games, 203 Carres, 903 Yards, 4 TD, 43 Rec., 316 Yards, 3 TD
• Gordon - 16 Games, 203 Carries, 918 Yards, 8 TD, 28 Rec., 213 Yards, 2 TD

Without injury to one of them or ridiculous volume (unlikely with a competent passing game) I think they both end up low end RB2 or high end RB3s. Who knows what happens in 2026.

 

[MAC_32]

**scrolls up**

What I would ask anyone who does not like the landing spot for Najee to please list the other places you'd have preferred to see him go.

I got one and I never thought it possible as I don't think they are in the market to pay a veteran RB.

Chargers would have been my second best option if I could have picked any team for him to land. ETA-and it's a superclose second.

Whatever happens after this with Chargers or any other team with RB additions we don't know. Just saying based on what we know right now I'd be curious exactly where other people would have preferred.

Totally depends on what else they do between now and the end of April.

All RB's are volume plays, but even moreso for him since he's incapable of creating explosive plays. He was a good player in our game when he net ~22 touches per game and 94 targets as a rook. Thereafter when he tailed to ~17 per and 40some targets give or take, not so much. Regardless, an additional variable needing considered are those targets - are the Bolts are going to use him more in the passing game than JK's 38 targets?

So, what alternative destinations would've been better? We'll see what else the team does at the position. If it's him / Vidal / Haskins / day 3 rook, probably none - that tells me they see him like they saw Frank Gore when they were in SF. But if they commit meaningful capital to anyone else he quickly becomes an undesirable starter / worthwhile depth.

Similar to March, don't over-react to last night. He's an undesirable starter, but he is worthwhile depth. Harbaugh / Roman want to throw to get ahead but then they want to run, run, and run some more. Expect Najee to lead in touches early in the season with opportunities for Hampton to earn more late in the season.

 

[zamboni]

**scrolls up**

What I would ask anyone who does not like the landing spot for Najee to please list the other places you'd have preferred to see him go.

I got one and I never thought it possible as I don't think they are in the market to pay a veteran RB.

Chargers would have been my second best option if I could have picked any team for him to land. ETA-and it's a superclose second.

Whatever happens after this with Chargers or any other team with RB additions we don't know. Just saying based on what we know right now I'd be curious exactly where other people would have preferred.

Totally depends on what else they do between now and the end of April.

All RB's are volume plays, but even moreso for him since he's incapable of creating explosive plays. He was a good player in our game when he net ~22 touches per game and 94 targets as a rook. Thereafter when he tailed to ~17 per and 40some targets give or take, not so much. Regardless, an additional variable needing considered are those targets - are the Bolts are going to use him more in the passing game than JK's 38 targets?

So, what alternative destinations would've been better? We'll see what else the team does at the position. If it's him / Vidal / Haskins / day 3 rook, probably none - that tells me they see him like they saw Frank Gore when they were in SF. But if they commit meaningful capital to anyone else he quickly becomes an undesirable starter / worthwhile depth.

Similar to March, don't over-react to last night. He's an undesirable starter, but he is worthwhile depth. Harbaugh / Roman want to throw to get ahead but then they want to run, run, and run some more. Expect Najee to lead in touches early in the season with opportunities for Hampton to earn more late in the season.

I think that's the size of it. In redraft leagues, Hampton is a great depth piece that you probably don't want to rely upon too early but can be big down the stretch. In keeper/dynasty, it's pretty much wheels up from the get-go, with only Jeanty ahead of him.