Najee Harris DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

According to Los Angeles Chargers reporter Daniel Popper of the Athletic, the team is likely to target a running back in April's 2025 NFL Draft. "The Chargers will be adding an explosive player to this group in the draft to complement Harris, Popper wrote." Perhaps as early as the 22nd pick in the first round." Harris signed a one-year, $5.25 million deal to join Justin Herbert's offense during the first week of free agency, but the depth chart behind him consisting of Kimani Vidal and Hassan Haskins leaves a lot to be desired. The 2025 NFL Draft class is loaded at the running back spot, and North Carolina's Omarion Hampton or Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson could fit what L.A. is looking for. While Harris would have immense upside in the Chargers' offense in a workhorse role, he could be related to early-down work depending on if L.A. pulls the trigger on a ball carrier on Day 1 or Day 2. Harris has missed just one game in his NFL career and has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first four seasons, but his contract value and lack of explosive play-making signals he could be at risk of falling into a committee-back role.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers, sources tell NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Harris, who had four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons in Pittsburgh in his first four years in the NFL after being the 24th overall pick in 2021 out of Alabama, will now head to the AFC West. J.K. Dobbins, the Chargers leading rusher last year, is an unrestricted free agent, so there's a very good chance Harris will be the Bolts' unquestioned lead back in 2025, depending on what the team does in the draft. Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal are the only other current RBs on the roster at the position. The 27-year-old lost valuable pass-catching work to Jaylen Warren the last two years, so if the Chargers use him as more of a three-down back, his fantasy stock will rise with the move out West.

The Los Angeles Chargers are pursuing Pittsburgh Steelers impending free-agent running back Najee Harris and are hoping to close a deal with him, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. A deal hasn't been completed yet, but it could if everything goes well. It would be a big addition to L.A.'s backfield, especially since J.K. Dobbins, the team's leading rusher a year ago, is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal are the only other RBs on the Bolts' roster currently, so if Harris were to sign with the Chargers and Dobbins goes elsewhere, he'd be the unquestioned lead back going into 2025. The former 24th overall pick in 2021 out of Alabama has left fantasy managers wanting more in his four NFL seasons despite rushing for at least 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons. Jaylen Warren has been a thorn in Harris' side the last two years, but a move to L.A. could give Harris more of a bell-cow role.

Sources told Penn Live's Nick Farabaugh at the NFL Combine last week that the Pittsburgh Steelers are unlikely to re-sign Najee Harris because they will be unwilling to match the $8-10 million per year he's expected to get on the open market. Harris is expected to have a strong market in what is a weak RB class in free agency, and the Las Vegas Raiders could be his biggest suitor. Meanwhile, fellow RB Jaylen Warren is a restricted free agent, but the team has already said they will tender him an offer and there is a desire within the organization to start contract talks with Warren this summer on a long-term extension. Harris, 26, has started all 68 games for the Steelers in his first four seasons in the NFL and has also exceeded 1,000 yards rushing all four years. A move to a team like Vegas with questions at QB could make Harris even less attractive as an RB2 in fantasy, while Warren's stock will improve if Harris leaves.

ESPN's Brooke Pryor writes that it would be cost prohibitive for the Pittsburgh Steelers to use the franchise tag on impending free-agent running back Najee Harris this year after they declined his fifth-year option a year ago. Additionally, neither quarterbacks Russell Wilson nor Justin Fields is worth the hefty price that would come with a franchise tag for a QB. However, Pittsburgh could consider using the transition tag on Wilson or Fields that would give them the ability to match another team's offer. RB Jaylen Warren will also be a restricted free agent, so the Steelers RB room could look quite different in 2025. Harris has over 1,000 yards rushing in all four of his NFL seasons and has started all 68 games, but he's lacked explosiveness by averaging 3.9 yards per carry on his 1,097 rushing attempts. Still, the Steelers could very well re-sign him, especially if they let Warren walk.