Pro Football Focus put out their ranking of the Top 32 running backs in the NFL heading into the 2023 season. The biggest thing that stood out on this ranking was just how many great running backs there are in the league right now.
The other thing that stood out was how low PFF ranked Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris. They have Harris ranked at No. 19. Here is what they had to say about the ranking:
Harris has been solid throughout his NFL career. He’s rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons but did so with a sub-4.0 yards-per-carry average. So far, he’s been a product of his volume more than efficiency. We’ll see if he can take that next step in 2023.
Harris saw his numbers dip in 2022 after a 1,200-yard rookie season. Harris saw the sledding pretty rough early in the year and once the run game got going, it was more of a shared event with Harris and Jaylen Warren. Given all those factors, putting Harris at 19 seems fair. He could have a breakout year on the ground but it doesn’t feel like he is going to be featured in the offense this season.
