Najee Harris's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris, who had his fifth-year option declined by the team last month, attended mandatory minicamp this week but didn't participate at all. Harris also declined every interview request and hasn't done interviews since January. He said he'd talk to the media next month at training camp. Harris isn't believed to be dealing with an injury this offseason, and head coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the fact that the RB didn't take part in minicamp workouts this week. In a contract year now, the 26-year-old has slimmed down as he looks to show out before hitting the free-agent market next March. The former first-rounder will probably never be as productive as he was in his rookie campaign in 2021, but he's been durable and reliable in Pittsburgh's backfield. Jaylen Warren's emergence has capped Harris' fantasy upside, although the Steelers should remain heavily committed to the run in 2024 under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris changed his diet this offseason in an effort to slim down. "He's motivated, to say the least," his offseason trainer Josh Scott said. It makes sense for Harris, who had his fifth-year option declined by the Steelers recently. "It's all fueling his fire to have an even better season than last year and prove a lot of people wrong," Scott said. The former first-rounder in 2021, who is listed at 242 pounds on the team's roster, looks closer to his listed college weight of 230. Harris has been eating a lot of fish and vegetables and has avoided processed foods. "He's looking really, really springy; really, really light off the ground; and more agile," Scott said. Harris averaged less than 4.0 yards per carry in his first two NFL seasons but has gone over 1,000 yards rushing in all three of his campaigns. He had a career-high eight rushing TDs in 2023, but his fantasy ceiling could be capped as an RB2 with Jaylen Warren commanding his share of backfield touches.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are declining running back Najee Harris' fifth-year option, according to NFL insider Ari Meirov. This is somewhat of a surprise, but the 2021 first-round selection has not lived up to the hype as a prospect or matched his rookie-year production. In 51 games over three seasons, Harris has rushed 834 times for 3,269 yards (3.9 YPC) and 22 touchdowns to go along with 144 receptions for 866 yards and six scores through the air. Picking up the option would've cost the Steelers just $6.79 million, but he is now set to potentially become a free agent next offseason. This could put Jaylen Warren in the clear RB1 role in 2025, but surely, the team will add to the position if they move on from Harris.

While Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan said that the team thinks "very highly" of running back Najee Harris, he was also non-committal on whether the team will pick up his fifth-year option. Harris' future is thus uncertain despite the fact that he's recorded three straight 1,000-yard seasons while making team history. Harris' fifth-year option, which was set at $6.79 million, must be decided on by May 2. If they pick it up, it would become fully guaranteed for the 2025 season. It would be a surprise if Pittsburgh didn't pick it up, considering they have invested heavily in a ground-and-pound offensive rushing attack and just hired Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator. The 25-year-old would figure to have a solid fantasy floor if he sticks with the Steelers, although Jaylen Warren will continue to be a thorn in his upside.

With the Pittsburgh Steelers hiring former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator on Tuesday, it signals that they are committed to being a run-first team, which is good news for the fantasy stock of both running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Smith underwhelmed in three years in Atlanta, but his body of work in the NFL shows he's well-positioned to utilize a roster that has a potentially dominant RB tandem, especially if paired with an above-average offensive line and serviceable quarterback. Smith's offenses in Atlanta and Tennessee consistently had some of the NFL's best rushing attacks. "I think we have two high-performing running backs in Najee and Jaylen and they, along with an improving offensive line, can be the foundation of success going forward," owner Art Rooney II said.