The Pittsburgh Steelers have a big question mark at quarterback heading into the 2022 season. That should bode well for fantasy football owners who end up selecting Steelers running back Najee Harris in their drafts.
Harris burst onto the scene for Pittsburgh with a tremendous rookie campaign, and finished as the fourth most productive fantasy running back in the NFL as a result. Harris was deadly on the ground (307 CAR, 1200 YDS, 7 TD), but also posed a serious threat in the air as well (74 REC, 467 YDS, 3 TD) making him a top option again heading into the 2022 season.
Harris was great last season, and he figures to be even better in 2022 given the Steelers' question mark at quarterback. With potential inconsistencies under center, it could mean that Harris has to carry an even bigger load on offense, which means his fantasy stock could increase. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Harris' fantasy football outlook for the 2022 season.
Najee Harris' 2022 fantasy football outlook
As previously mentioned, Harris burst onto the scene in his rookie season with the Steelers. Fantasy owners who took a flier on Harris in their drafts last year got a great reward with the production he provided throughout the season. He was a consistent source of points, and it's no surprise to see him moving up the draft boards heading into the 2022 season.
Now Harris has expectations surrounding him moving forward. The Steelers are going to be relying heavily on him to produce with a new quarterback under center. That could result in an uptick in production from Harris in year two. It also could make the Steelers offense one-dimensional and make it tougher for him to pick up yards on the ground.
As a result, it makes it a bit tough to gauge Harris' outlook for the 2022 season. He could see more carries with the Steelers looking to ease their new quarterback into the offense. Whether that results in increased production remains to be seen.
The good news for Harris is that whoever ends up under center for the Steelers (most likely it will be Mitch Trubisky) will have weapons to succeed on offense. Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool are a top duo at wide receiver, and they could be joined by 2022 second-round pick George Pickens as well. Pat Freiermuth developed into a solid tight end last season, and then Harris exists as a checkdown option out of the backfield too.
If Trubisky enters the offense and holds his own, that means he's going to at least keep opposing defenses honest. That in turn would open up more room for Harris on the ground. His 2022 production doesn't solely depend on the quarterback's success, but if the passing attack can get going for the Steelers, it will take a burden off of Harris on the ground.
In the backfield, Harris won't be competing with anyone for snaps. Benny Snell Jr. is his true backup, and he only had 36 total carries for 98 yards last season, which is a dismal 2.7 yards per carry. He is not a threat to take carries from Harris. Anthony McFarland Jr. and Jeremy McNichols are behind Snell on the depth chart, but similar to Snell, they aren't a threat to Harris' production.
Harris is undoubtedly a number one running back headed into the 2022 season based off his performance in 2021. The question really seems to be how high Harris could go on draft boards. It's worth noting that Harris finished so high on the running back rankings last season, in part because of how many of the top backs in the league got injured. If the guys ahead of him are healthy heading into 2022, that will cause Harris to fall down some draft boards.
Many experts have Harris going as a top 10 running back at least, with some even suggesting he's a top five back in PPR leagues. That seems reasonable given Harris' contributions in the passing game last season. Again, though, it's worth considering the impact of a new quarterback under center; will they be able to find Harris out of the backfield as consistently as Ben Roethlisberger did last season?
Overall, Harris seems poised for to take his game to a new level in 2022. His rookie season is in the rearview mirror, and he appears set to continue to grow in his second campaign. When you factor in the lack of competition for snaps in the backfield, his receiving abilities, and the fact that the Steelers are making a change at quarterback, Harris could have an explosive 2022 campaign.
There is some risk associated with him as a result of the Steelers' offensive question marks, but Harris seems poised to take a leap forward after a strong 2021 campaign. He figures to be one of the first running backs selected in most fantasy drafts, with his sweet spot being the end of the first round or beginning of the second round. If you can get your hands on Harris early, he figures to pay off in a big way in 2022.
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