Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris eclipsed 4.0 yards per carry in 2023 for the first time in his career. He also found the end zone eight times. So a lot of Steelers fans expected the team to pick up his fifth-year option.
However, the Steelers declined to do so. So now 2024 is a contract season for Harris. It is arguably the most important season of Harris’ career. But could fellow RB Jaylen Warren put a wrench in Harris’ plans for a big second contract?
“During his long tenure in Pittsburgh, Mike Tomlin has favored more of a bell-cow approach in the backfield, with Harris pacing the NFL in touches (381) as a rookie,” Eric Edholm wrote in his article on veterans who could lose starting roles in 2024 for NFL.com. “That appears to have changed with the emergence of Warren, who logged 210 touches in 2023 — making him the only other Pittsburgh player since Harris arrived to crack 200 in a season. The Steelers declined Harris’ fifth-year option, and though he figures to still have a major role in 2024, it won’t be shocking if Warren gets yet more involved, perhaps even taking over the starting job. He’s more of a three-down back than Harris, and new Steelers OC Arthur Smith called an offense in Atlanta last season with a lot of work for his backs in the passing game.”
Harris has certainly seen a decrease in total touches since his rookie season. Last season was by far his fewest with only 284 touches. He carried the ball 255 times and only logged 29 receptions. It was also his first season without a receiving touchdown.
Meanwhile, Warren doubled his touches from his rookie season (105) to 2023 (210). He jumped from 77 carries to 149 (and increased his yards per carry from 4.9 to 5.3). He also was targeted 41 more times and added 33 more receptions. Warren proved that he can be a threat on the ground and through the air throughout his sophomore season. Statistically, he’s one of the most versatile running backs in the league behind only San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey.
As for just how much usage the running backs will get through the air, Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle took a look at the usage stats for Smith’s offense in Atlanta, Tennessee when he was the offensive coordinator of the Titans, the Denver Broncos with QB Russell Wilson, and the Steelers themselves the last two seasons. Surprisingly, the Steelers targeted their running backs more than Smith did in Atlanta the last two seasons.
However, Warren has talked about how the running backs have been more involved in the passing game this spring. If that holds true, we should definitely expect Warren to be getting the lion’s share of those targets.
Will that help Warren de-throne Harris as the top back in Pittsburgh? Potentially. Warren has shown he can handle an increased workload in 2023. Smith will continue to lean on the running game and apparently will be involving the backs in the passing game. Perhaps that just means both Harris and Warren will see plenty of work in 2024. Or it could be Warren’s time to truly showcase his blend of shiftiness, speed, and strength.
