Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris is a polarizing player in NFL circles.
Some analysts view the former first-round pick out of Alabama as a feature back who can carry the load on the ground as well as operate as a skilled pass catcher out of the backfield. Other analysts are more pessimistic about Harris, calling him a plodder who lacks the juice to hit the home run as he has over averaged 3.9 YPC across his first two NFL seasons.
However, the cast on GMFB, which aired on NFL Network Thursday morning, decided to stand on the argument that Harris is underappreciated by many across the NFL as show guest DL Malik Jackson selected Harris to his all-underrated offense.
“Been a 1,000-yard rusher the last two seasons. I think he really is a workhorse for the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Jackson said on GMFB. “If you hand him the ball, I think he’s going to be electric, get those hard yards, make defenders feel him and punish them, and he’s a great pick for me.”
It’s interesting that Jackson deemed Harris “electric” when his biggest knock on him is his lack of top-end speed. However, Harris has shown that he can be electric with the ball in his hands in various ways outside of hitting the home run. We have seen him hurdle defenders with ease while also make impressive catches in contested coverage. Combine that with a physical running style where he can go through you or stiff arm you into the turf and Harris has the skill set to be considered a quality feature back in the league.
Harris is a certified workhorse RB, having amassed a whopping 694 touches in his first two seasons in the league. He has proven that he can carry the load on the ground as well as be effective as a receiver, breaking the team’s rookie reception record in 2021 with 74 catches. While Jaylen Warren got more run down the stretch last season to take some of the load off Harris, the end result proved to benefit Harris. He stayed fresh and was able to help close out games as Pittsburgh rolled to a 7-2 record after the bye.
Harris figures to be the focal point of the offense one again in 2023 as Pittsburgh embraces the bully-ball mentality on offense, suggesting he could be in for his best season as a pro this season.
