One year after ranking No. 8 overall at the running back position in ESPN’s positional rankings survey from executives, coaches and players compiled by ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris barely generated any attention this year.
Harris, who was ranked by some execs, coaches and players as the No. 3 running back last summer in the survey, fell outside of the top 10 this year and didn’t even garner honorable mention in the survey overall. Instead, he was a footnote as a running back who received some votes, but not enough to garner honorable mention overall.
His fall out of the top 10 continues a trend this offseason in which Harris went from being considered one of the better running backs in the NFL entering the 2022 season, to now being a relative afterthought overall this summer, despite closing the 2022 season in impressive fashion.
It’s fair to say that Harris’ production has been more about volume than efficiency. The yards per carry number bear that out.
Last season’s production wasn’t all that impressive, compared to other running backs in the NFL. Harris put up 272 carries, 1,034 yards, and seven touchdowns and another 41 receptions, 229 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
Harris, who was dealing with a foot injury, was too often caught behind the line of scrimmage being too patient and dancing, trying to avoid contract, rather than leaning into his massive 235-pound build and punishing defenders downhill.
There were growing pains once the Steelers turned to Kenny Pickett as the starter at halftime of the New York Jets matchup in Week 4, but once Harris got healthy after the Week 9 bye, the Steelers’ rushing attack took off.
Pittsburgh went from one of the worst rushing attacks in football to the No. 7 rushing offense in football in the second half of the season.
After the Week 9 bye, the Steelers averaged 141.8 rushing yards per game, a significant increase from the early-season struggles in the run game for Pittsburgh, which needed a new-look offensive line to gel under first-year position coach Pat Meyer. In the second half of the season, Harris had five games with 4.5 or more yards per carry, including three of 5.0 or more. The rushing attack really took over in the second half of the season, and Harris looked like the first-round back he was expected to be.
A key to Harris’ success was that he would just put his head down and barrel forward, punishing defenders in the process. He really leaned on his size and worked downhill, rather than searching for that home run-style run seemingly every single time.
Now, following some offseason additions like the selection of left tackle Broderick Jones in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and the signing of left guard Isaac Seumalo in free agency, the Steelers’ offensive line appears rebuilt and trending towards being a strength, something it hasn’t been in the past. That should do nothing but help Harris.
Harris appears poised for a big season ahead in 2023. Should that come to fruition, Harris will find himself back inside the top 10 at the position. When he’s healthy and leaning on his size and strength at the position, he’s a complete package and a true workhorse. The 2022 season left a bad taste for many evaluators, but he has the opportunity to bounce back.
