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RB Najee Harris, PIT (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Faust
- Start date
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
The Captain
Footballguy
Biabreakable
Footballguy
Before the draft I thought ETN was the best RB of the 2021 class and I still do.
Harris was selected one pick before ETN however and has a more clear path to high volume opportunity with the Steelers than ETN has with the Jaguars in my initial assessment of the fit.
I need to sleep on it but I am actually open to taking Harris before ETN for fantasy now where as I would not have been if ETN was selected first and went to a team with a track record of RB use like the Steelers have. Not sure if sleeping on it will add any clarity for me on this. I might just be on the fence on this for awhile. Its close.
Harris was selected one pick before ETN however and has a more clear path to high volume opportunity with the Steelers than ETN has with the Jaguars in my initial assessment of the fit.
I need to sleep on it but I am actually open to taking Harris before ETN for fantasy now where as I would not have been if ETN was selected first and went to a team with a track record of RB use like the Steelers have. Not sure if sleeping on it will add any clarity for me on this. I might just be on the fence on this for awhile. Its close.
With the Jets, Falcons, and Dolphins all likely taking RB, I think there is still a very good case for Javonte Williams as rookie RB1 if he winds up in any of those spots.
I'd agree with this. Sanders has sort of hit that so overrated, he's now underrated point of his career. It'll help that the Eagles get 3 OL starters back from injury, 2 of whom were elite guys.
Dobbins v. Harris isn't even close to me.
Biabreakable
Footballguy
I spent some time watching Williams and I know many folks here have a high opinion of him. I do think he is good. I have never considered him as possibly better than ETN though. I did not see that.
Its a minority opinion, but I actually think Williams is the best RB talent in this draft, more big play ability than Harris, and more workhorse ability than Etienne, but also I don't like Etienne's landing spot at all, and don't think Harris had a great one either, we'll see where he lands, but there are some very appealing spots left.
jtd13
Footballguy
Yeah, I'm taking Harris there as of right now. Dobbins is going to be a very efficient runner, but I expect Harris will get more work, and most importantly, more targets.
zamboni
Footballguy
I agree that Etienne could certainly have landed better, but I think Harris’s landing spot is fantastic. The Steelers may have had big time troubles running the ball last year (for once), but their identity is committed to the run game and I expect they’ll fix their OL issues. Plus Harris already has workhorse opportunity with only Snell and McFarland likely to compete for carries.
Williams may indeed be the better back, but I don’t see him landing in as good a spot as Harris did.
Wigglytuff's Gruff
Footballguy
Still think O-line was the move. But he's a very likeable player.
MAC_32
Footballguy
This was a bad pick by Pittsburgh, but that does not make him a bad play in our game. The Steelers OL is going to suck this year, but as bad as this line will be they are still a well coached team with a dominant defense. Harris is a good talent on a relatively competitive team that will be given the most valuable asset in our game - volume.
Bracie Smathers
Footballguy
Not a bad pick.
The Steelers O-Line will suck.
Next 9 picks 0 O-Linemen taken. Right before they selected the 5th of 5 1st round O-Linemen were selected. If they took one for need they would have been reaching.
Vikes were in need of O-Linemen so if they anything the Steelers 'can' be dinged for not moving up IF they had a 1st round grade on OT Christian Darrisaw.
i find that hard to believe. The Steelers have a bottom 5 OL in the NFL in right now. They could are bad at both OT spots and at C.
I do agree Harris has workhorse opportunity, but I don't see him being much more successful than Conner was when he was healthy. Feels like a low-end RB2 in the short term, with some risk that the offense craters long term. Just off last year's draft, I'd rather have any of Taylor, Gibson, CEH, Swift, Akers, Dobbins.
I think Williams could land in a better spot, like Atlanta, or NY.
I don't outright hate Harris, but I'm really not seeing this elite talent that some, including the Steelers see, he's just too slow.
Faust
MVP
1,057-9 rushing feels pretty high to me, that said, 25-172-1 receiving feels kinda low.
Ultimately, RB18 in dynasty sounds pretty fair to me.
FreeBaGeL
Footballguy
jtd13
Footballguy
I saw that last night. 25 receptions? That feels like less than half of what he should get if he's on the field enough to run for 1000 yards.
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
Having said this...I still think he's probably the 1.1 more often than not. I'm faced with the decision in a non-ppr myself. I'm leaning toward selecting him.
I've been looking for reasons to fade him and joining the Steelers was the last straw. It's Chase and probably Pitts ahead of him in all formats for me, and so far my leaguemates agree.
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
So draft him and trade him high after year 1 when the hype is through the roof but before his real abilities show through?
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
massraider
Footballguy
After 7 weeks last season, almost mid point of the year, James Conner had 3 games he had run for over 100 yards and even Benny Snell had one. 4 games in total out of 7 with at least a 100 yard rusher. At that time if you just isolate RB carries the Steelers were 11th in the league in rushing yards, middle of the pack in YPC. This was with Snell and Conner who the Steelers apparently made zero effort to retain. My point being this are two replacement level/spare type RB's who for most part were doing solid.
To me I'm less inclined to just assume the Steelers OL is bad but more concerned with looking into reasons the running game collapsed after week 7. I am only reading between the lines on this but my belief is Steeler's also looked at why the running game collapses, came up with two major culprits being RB talent and scheme and then addressed those concerns.
I truly have no fear the OL will be an issue for Najee posting elite fantasy production. My only knock on him taking him 1.1 is he's about to get rode hard and by about the time his usage would seem to be reaching it's end is about when Chase and Pitts are hitting their primes. I get predicting next year is hard less yet 4-5 years out but if injuries/off the field conduct don't get in the way it's just how I see their careers all going.
To me I'm less inclined to just assume the Steelers OL is bad but more concerned with looking into reasons the running game collapsed after week 7. I am only reading between the lines on this but my belief is Steeler's also looked at why the running game collapses, came up with two major culprits being RB talent and scheme and then addressed those concerns.
I truly have no fear the OL will be an issue for Najee posting elite fantasy production. My only knock on him taking him 1.1 is he's about to get rode hard and by about the time his usage would seem to be reaching it's end is about when Chase and Pitts are hitting their primes. I get predicting next year is hard less yet 4-5 years out but if injuries/off the field conduct don't get in the way it's just how I see their careers all going.
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
You could use your eyes and see the line play was terrible. If you look at advanced metrics you can also see the run blocking was among the worst in the league.
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
MAC_32
Footballguy
Ilov80s
Footballguy
MAC_32
Footballguy
Snorkelson
Footballguy
Most people hate all the landing spots so everyone comes at a discount. Take Najee for instance- “volume will be all he has going for him” in a league that has gotten away from workhorse backs. That really doesn’t sound awful. Williams has Gordon in front of him for a year, big deal. There’s some chance for a massive qb upgrade too. Etienne is sharing a backfield and has a rookie head coach and a rookie qb and I have a hard time being optimistic but his talent could overcome all that.
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
Other than injury issues Conner has been a good back. Not great, but a reasonable starting HB. He is certainly not a replacement level player.
Drunken Cowboy
Footballguy
Yeah, it is lower. As a prospect he is remarkably similar except slower and going to a team with worse run blocking.
