Najee Harris became a key player in the Pittsburgh Steelers offense right out of the gate. The running back led the team in yards from scrimmage by over 400 yards and ranked fourth in the NFL, behind only three All-Pros, in his rookie campaign. As Harris embarks on his second season, his usage in the offense will actually be decreasing.

According to Chris Adamski of TRIBLive, Harris told reporters that he will not be a three-down back as much. He stressed that he really wants to play but understands why the Steelers coaches are looking to manage his load more.

“I am taking time off,” Harris said in his first remarks to the media since winter. “I will not be on the field for certain plays. We’re still going to talk about that, though. I do want to play. A lot. … Any time I can. But at the same time, it’s all about being smart. So I understand where (Steelers offensive coaches) are coming from.”

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Harris will be extra important for the Steelers this season. The offense will be quarterbacked either by rookie Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph or Mitch Trubisky. None of those options inspire much confidence for this season so Harris will have to take on a lot of responsibility, especially with JuJu Smith-Schuster gone.

Keeping Najee Harris healthy is crucial for Pittsburgh. The star running back said that he is in the right shape and ready to thrive in his second season. The way to do that is to lessen his load on offense and use him more effectively. It isn't an indictment of his talent to use him less but rather a testament to how important and talented he is.