Fantasy Alert: Steelers' Najee Harris Says He'll Play vs. Patriots After Foot Injury
September 13, 2022
Najee Harris' fantasy managers can breathe a sigh of relief after the Pittsburgh Steelers running back said the foot injury he suffered in Week 1 is "nothing too crazy."
On Tuesday, Harris told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio he plans to practice this week and intends to play in Sunday's Week 2 home opener against the New England Patriots:
Mad Dog Sports Radio @MadDogRadio"I'll be back at practice this week, and then I will be playing this weekend." <br><br>Najee Harris tells <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchein?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AdamSchein</a> he'll be ready to go for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Steelers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Steelers</a> game against the Patriots. <br><br>Audio:⬇️⬇️⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/aUjNewbjTk">pic.twitter.com/aUjNewbjTk</a>
The dual-threat playmaker was an immediate fantasy star as a rookie last year, tallying 1,667 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns to help a lot of managers win their leagues.
He got off to a sluggish start against the Cincinnati Bengals to open this season, rushing for just 23 yards on 10 carries before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with the injury. He salvaged the game from a fantasy perspective with a receiving touchdown.
The Steelers picked up the win in overtime, 23-20.
A long-term absence for Harris would be a major setback for Pittsburgh and fantasy managers alike. Pittsburgh doesn't have a proven backup with Jaylen Warren and Benny Snell Jr. next on the depth chart, and fantasy players had to invest a high draft pick on the standout rusher this year.
Luckily, it sounds like the 24-year-old University of Alabama product expects to avoid missing his first NFL game after playing all 17 last year.
The key question in the coming days will be whether he's listed as a full participant in practice or if he remains limited or out.
If he's fully involved and is tracking toward his usual high-volume role, he shouldn't have any trouble maintaining his No. 1 RB value in Week 2.
Should it appear the Steelers need to use him more sparingly as a precaution, he could fade toward the No. 2 RB or flex conversation.
That said, as long as he's active Sunday against the Pats, managers can't keep a player of his talent level on the fantasy bench.