Tier 4 Low RB1sAaron Jones, PackersSaquon Barkley, GiantsJavonte Williams, Broncos. No player in fantasy football has a higher ceiling if he can stay healthy. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers. Najee Harris' fantasy outlook and projection for 2021 You don't currently have any notifications, See if your team wins or loses with this trade View Trade Analyzer. All of these backs will likely be in committees in 2022, making it tough to trust them as more than flex options. Click here to confirm your accessLogin Now. 5. Swift has big upside due to his receiving chops, but he needs to avoid nagging injuries to meet expectations. 2022 CONSISTENCY RATINGS:Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end. 2 rusher last season (Nick Chubb) and over 600 yards more than Joe Mixon at No. CMC has played just 10 total games over the past two seasons, while Cook has never played more than 14 games. 1 overall pick, as Eric Young took Christian McCaffrey instead of Jonathan Taylor a pick I've been advocating for the entire offseason, so maybe we're going to see it a bit more often over the final month of drafts. Last season, Taylor was the best running back in fantasy, averaging 22 PPR fantasy points per game (ppg). If he can do all of that on a bum knee, imagine what he can do on two good ones, as was the case early on last season. Hate that Matt Canada is back. Jonathan Taylor puts the @Colts ahead! Big plays have never been part of Harris' game and that doesn't . However, with Jones still expected to be a major part of the backfield in Green Bay, Dillons opportunity to be a top-15 running back is severely hampered. Najee Harris Fantasy Football 2021 outlook: Changes in ADP, mock draft In one fewer game Henry had 46 more carries and averaged almost 20 more rushing yards per game (126.7). Ken Walker, SeahawksMelvin Gordon, BroncosJames Robinson, JaguarsJames Cook, BillsJ.D. . Here are the ones I trust when employing the Hero RB strategy. Taylor has accumulated 861 yds carrying the ball in 11 games played this year. 1 running back (and player) in fantasy football after posting a breakout campaign in 2021. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. 6 or 7 -- and even then he's a risk. The case for Jonathan Taylor over Nick Chubb. Splitting duty with Kareem Hunt has done absolutely nothing to slow or curb the production of Chubb. Taylor is running for 89.3 yds on the ground per game so far in his career. Fantasy football dynasty rankings: Young NFL stars to target in 2021 1 pick, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report, Richardson logs colossal measurements at combine, Top QB in draft has one team he doesn't want to play for. DOB Mar 9, 1998 Age 24.9. Fantasy football draft season is upon us, and the predominant top-two picks in most standard drafts have been Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry. Of course, nobody will call you a donkey for opting instead for King Henry. If you draft either No. This week the 3-7 Pittsburgh Steelers go on the road to take on the 4-6-1 Indianapolis Colts. He also added 467 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air. Ekeler finished second with 343.8 PPR points in 2021. Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers, RB - News, Stats, Bio Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com Pollard carries increased value in a PPR format, especially with injuries to the Cowboys RB group. As such, he's cascaded from near the top of this mountain to the valley below, and needs to prove himself in a major way in 2022. His longest run this season is 36 yds. The RB5 last season, Conner will likely experience touchdown regression even though his role in Arizona projects to increase a bit without Chase Edmonds. Week 16 Fantasy Injury Updates for Najee Harris, Jonathan Taylor, Nick If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. Considering the extent of CMCs injuries have not resulted in major surgeries or completely torn ligaments, I like him bouncing back to form in 2022. . Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. It was Kamara who helped keep the Saints' offense relevant in 2021 -- absent All-Pro wideout Michael Thomas and any sort of consistent production at QB following a torn ACL suffered by Jameis Winston -- and it's neither the first nor last time he'll be tasked with being the bulk of the production. He scored 10 touchdowns last season and averaged 4.4 yards per touch last season. He added one catch for 10 . First running back in franchise history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons in the NFL. It makes sense JT was the best RB last year, and King Henry dominated the previous two seasons before breaking a bone in his right foot last Halloween. The Chargers let Melvin Gordon walk because of their belief in Ekeler, and it was well-founded. Penny, who popped at the end of last season, is the favorite to start in Seattle, but can he avoid injuries? 1 running back for Week 9. Henry was on pace to rush for over 1,990 yards last season before going down with an injured foot. The Dawg-turned-Dawg has been a dynamo since landing in Cleveland by way of Georgia, being the steady hand for a roller coaster of a ride with former first overall pick Baker Mayfield and, in the absences of Mayfield due to injury, whomever else took the QB reins in the moment. McCaffrey lands in the honorable mention category only for the sheer magnitude of his talent, one that is arguably unmatched when healthy, but he's only played in 10 games since signing his mega deal in 2020. Kamara, who has looked great in camp, should be a top-10 fantasy runner as long as he isnt faced with an in-season suspension for an off-field issue. Henry is a cyborg, simply put, and can do it all -- from running around and through defenders with ease, to running past them with speed unnatural to his size, to catching the ball out of the backfield to throwing it. George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK, Austin Ekeler, ChargersNajee Harris, SteelersDerrick Henry, Titans. Meanwhile, you should not underestimate the value of Patterson in PPR formats. He had higher grades on Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor and LSU's Clyde Edwards-Helaire last year than the 2021 class. The 27-year-old played just 10 games in 20 and has been dinged up countless times throughout his three prior years as a pro. At No. Harris should dominate. He has more rushing touchdowns than Jonathan Taylor, Najee Harris, and James Conner combined. In his absence, Zack. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. Compare Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor careers through the years of your choosing. Because the Steelers did not practice on Tuesday, they issued an estimated injury report, and Harris (hip) was listed as a limited participant. Elliott is ranked at his lowest point since he entered the NFL, but that could make him a bargain in drafts. Pierce, who looks like the Texans No. Stevenson should split the workload with Damien Harris in New England, and Edwards-Helaire will share touches with Jerick McKinnon in what looks like a committee in Kansas City. Fournette averaged a career-high 18.3 fantasy points per game a season ago, and hell remain the top back in a Buccaneers offense that will score lots of points. And, as things often go in these industry leagues, I probably could've waited longer than I did I went with Patrick Mahomes with the 11th pick of the fourth round, but Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson weren't drafted until the next round. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. While Taylor proved his ability as a pass catcher out of the backfield last season, it remains to be seen if Henry will ever truly materialize as a stud receiving back. 2022 AUCTION VALUES (Standard & PPR):QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Overall. Taylor was so potent in his destruction of opposing defenses that he remained in the MVP conversation throughout and landed Offensive Player of the Year honors, having racked up 1,811 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns while adding 360 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns to his stat line. 1 PPR back. Be sure to check out our full RB PPR rankings and RB tiers before you draft! Hell be a top-five pick. It's easy to look at the success of the Bengals in 2021 and forget what it took for them to get there, which is to say what Mixon had to fight through to keep the team relevant and to ultimately still be around in Cincinnati for it. For the Steelers this game marks his seventh career start as he continues to develop as Pittsburghs future franchise signal caller. Taylor Made (Jonathan Taylor) Hot Chubb Time Machine (Nick Chubb) Best fantasy team names for top wide receivers. Plus the presence of James Cook as a pass-catching back has a major effect. Bijan Robinson is the number 1 rated RB - no surprise there. Najee Harris should be a top-ten pick in all formats, and he should be considered one of the safest options across the board. Everyone loves upside and potential steals, but there seems like way too much potential downside to grabbing CMC before No. So, who should go 1-2-3 out of the top tier of RBs in PPR drafts? Ek could also be due for some touchdown regression his previous career high for TDs in a season was 11 in '19, a year in which he also scored eight receiving TDs. If Jonathan Taylor were staring at me in the first round, I couldn't pass him up, but he might be the only one. By using a tiered approach, fantasy managers can see where the next drop-off in talent is and make decisions about whether they need to invest in the current tier or if theyre able to wait. Henry was on pace to rush for over 1,990 yards last season before going down with an injured foot. The Panthers recently traded for Baker Mayfield, so the Carolina offense could be in for some major positive regression this season. Jonathan Taylor is 'hottest back in the NFL,' feels good despite leading league in touches . Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Top Quarterbacks: Comparing Player Props With ADP and Rankings, Pete Carroll Is Still Going Strong and Setting the Seahawks Culture. Taylor's carried the rock 20-plus times in both games since Jeff Saturday took over as interim head coach, but the offense might have more success through the air this week as Taylor could be. Najee Harris definitely has upside in this offense, but other players being drafted around the same time as Harris, such as Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley, definitely bring more. Our ESPN draft analysts all selected Harris as the top running back, with Kiper . Taylor was not the same running back as 2021, he missed 5 games with injuries and struggled on a team that had QB issues and fired their head coach early in the year. Both teams are looking to establish the run, keep the game simple and let their defenses do their jobs. Tier 5 High RB2sNick Chubb, BrownsJames Conner, CardinalsEzekiel Elliott, Cowboys. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts 12. Fantasy managers looking for some late-round running backs should consider the likes of Ingram, White, Allgeier, Hilliard, Williams and Ingram, who could all see bigger roles if injuries occur to the starting running backs ahead of them. Andrew Erickson, Awesome tool on @FantasyPros that I have been re-introduced to: The Boom or Bust Report, Mixon and Jonathan Taylor were the only RBs to post 7 top-six weekly finishes in 2021. pic.twitter.com/dAKDV29zFG, Andrew Erickson (@AndrewErickson_) May 17, 2022, We all know the deal with CMC. Derrick HenryDalvin CookJoe MixonNajee HarrisLeonard FournetteDAndre SwiftAlvin Kamara. Hes so utterly dominant on the ground that he could finish No. The following 10 players have proven to be in a league of their own, in one way or several. No surprises here, as Jonathan Taylor was the No. The former two-time NFL rushing champ was off to a blazing start to the 2021 season that saw him as fast, quick and decisive as he's ever been, but he was slowed by injury in the back half of the season that made many forget what he was doing prior to that point. 02 Mar 2023 21:32:29 Gainwell could even push Sanders for touches, and Mostert would see more work if Edmonds were to go down, but he's clearly in the top two in Miami's backfield rotation. Hero RB is receiver-centric. Walker's (hernia) status for Week 1 is in question, but he's still very draftable as a No. Taylor played all 17 regular-season games in 21 and looked fine despite the massive usage. Start free trial today. But it is unclear who,. His individual potential is massive, but his actual fantasy ceiling at least for now seems capped at No. 'Is Najee Harris Really That Guy?' Analyst Greg Cosell Unsure Of 2 overall, and things mostly continued the way you expect for the next few picks, with one exception; Cooper Kupp kept falling. His streak of consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons ended at two, but 1,190 total yards with 10 touchdowns in 15 starts is nothing to shake a stick at. Already a premium subscriber? 3. He was well on his way last year, catching 18-of-20 targets, but a broken bone in his foot changed everything. Regardless of format, you should be pretty pleased if you land Henry in the middle of the first round. He caught just 19-of-31 targets in 2019 and averaged only six yards per reception. Meanwhile, McCaffrey is the most prolific fantasy RB since LaDainian Tomlinson. Najee Harris vs Jonathan Taylor College Comparison Singletary looks like the leader in the Bills backfield, making him a viable middle-round flex starter. Elliott had a tough year in 2021, but hes still a talented back. 98 RB Damien Harris NE 10 $12. That appears set to be the same situation this year, plus Jalen Hurts should take touches out of that backfield. Additionally, as it relates to who belongs in the top 10, there's also something to be said for having skins on the wall, and while some of the promising up-and-comers -- one in particular notwithstanding (scroll down) -- have a lot to look forward to, they simply haven't also been producing for as long as Jones has. 3:21 pm ET, a pick I've been advocating for the entire offseason, still think Kupp is the top WR on the board, I'm a firm believer in taking an early QB this season, evidence suggests early-round QBs are worth the investment, Quentin Johnston: Rookie scouting profile. Flex: RB Najee Harris, Steelers ($9,400) ? How do PFN's fantasy football RB tiers for 2022 shape up as fantasy managers head into their drafts over the coming weeks? section: | slug: ranking-nfls-top-10-rbs-for-2022-christian-mccaffrey-plummets-with-injury-concerns-jonathan-taylor-soars | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Steelers 17, Colts 14, Sign up for the Steelers Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Jonathan Taylor vs Najee Harris Stats Taylor is running for 89.3 yds on the ground per game so far in his career. To this point in his career, Harris has laced them up in 34 contests and has gained 2,238 yds on the ground. Hunt will continue to see work in Cleveland behind Chubb in a Browns offense that will be run heavy until Deshaun Watson returns. His average yds per carry is currently at 4.5 and he has carried it 192 different times this year. Najee Harris or Jonathan Taylor: Who Should Rich Eisen Take - YouTube Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers. A case can be made for either Taylor at Henry as first off the board but passing on either of them for a wild card with health risks could have dire consequences. Dobbins is back healthy, but the Ravens love to use a committee approach, and we could see him sharing touches all season, especially when Gus Edwards returns. 2023 was a year to forget for the consensus 1.01 in fantasy football drafts. It's a powerful aesthetic that translates very well on the field, and it feels like Ekeler is just getting started. Brian Robinson was already expected to play a significant role, potentially around the goal line, and if Gibson cannot hold onto the ball, hell potentially see his touches limited early. He led the NFL in rushing yards (1,811), rushing touchdowns (18), yards from scrimmage (2,171), and total TDs (20). Running back rankings for 2022 dynasty fantasy football leagues . 4 back with upside. That said, there are enough obvious risks here to preclude Ekeler from going ahead of Taylor. Pollard should see enough touches to have stand alone value in Dallas. at The remaining names in this tier all rank inside the top 15 overall in our consensus 2022 PPR fantasy rankings. That requires careful analysis and tireless preparation, two things deeply woven into Sporting News Fantasys DNA. Tier 8 High RB3s/FlexTony Pollard, CowboysRhamondre Stevenson, PatriotsClyde Edwards-Helaire, ChiefsAntonio Gibson, CommandersCordarrelle Patterson, FalconsJ.K. But as he works to do so, promising upstarts like the Harris Bros. (spoiler: they're not actually brothers) threaten to challenge the incumbents for supremacy going forward, as veterans like Conner and Jacobs threaten to find another gear to reach this coming season. Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris - FantasyPros Pairing Taylors elite red-zone usage with his ascending role as a receiver 11th in routes run and sixth in route participation in 2021 makes him worthy of the 1.01 pick across all fantasy formats. Austin Ekeler, D'Andre Swift, and Dalvin Cook all went ahead of Kupp, but then so did Justin Jefferson, making him, not Kupp, the No. 10, while FantasyPros grades Indys schedule as a three out of five. Harris has coughed up the ball 3 different times in his career and his longest rush is 25 yards. DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 fantasy cheat sheet. Of course, taking a TE and QB early means I've got Allen Robinson as a somewhat weak WR2, with the hope that he breaks out in his new offense. Jonathan Taylor vs. Derrick Henry: Which top-tier fantasy RB should go McKissic, CommandersNyheim Hines, ColtsMichael Carter, Jets. If anything, it simply makes you wonder just how much more destructive he'd be if he was the only option out of the Browns' backfield. 99 TE Dawson Knox BUF 7 $7 . Lets dive right into the top five candidates. The others on this list are all talented, but workload questions are prevalent. Taylor also led the NFL in red-zone touches (92), which was not that surprising considering he ranked fifth in that category as a rookie. Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts 2. . This tier is an extremely difficult one to judge. This game could come down to which rushing offense steps up.. At just 23, he was the focal point of the Steelers' otherwise-dreadful. During his 17 games this season, Najee Harris is averaging 61.1 yards per contest and has crossed the goal line 7 different times on the ground. The Colts gutted out their coaching staff at midseason and many Steelers fans think Pittsburgh should have done the same. 15 overall,. . Michael F. Florio on Twitter: "Bijan Robinson is the number 1 rated RB Fantasy Football Injury Reports For NFL RBs: Week 16 Updates for In standard leagues, these two are the creme de la creme. 1 in standard leagues before getting into whether any other RB -- maybe Austin Ekeler or Najee Harris -- should go over Taylor in PPR formats. Hes rushed for 33 touchdowns with the longest carry being for 62 yds. Williams ceiling got lowered with the return of Melvin Gordon. I like that the Panthers are already putting him in preseason bubble wrap to make sure hes full-go for Week 1. Has played in 34 regular-season games (34 starts) Has recorded 2,234 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns on 579 attempts and added 115 catches for 696 yards and six receiving touchdowns. Week 10 Running Back Rankings for Fantasy Football: Nick Chubb, Travis Expectations are this will not be a direct split, but Gordon should still take enough of the pie to hurt Williams fantasy output. Harris still operated as a pseudo-workhorse ranking 6th in opportunity share (70%) and 8th in total touches through the first 17 weeks of the season. While 1.2 touchdowns per game over this stretch isn't sustainable, Taylor usually saw the field for 55-65% of the offensive snaps and handled the vast majority of the running back carries. David MontgomeryBreece HallTravis EtienneCam AkersAJ DillonJosh Jacobs. Jonathan Taylor started to take the lion's share of the Colts' backfield touches in Week 5 and from that point forward he averaged 26.1 PPR points per game. PFF ranks the Colts line No. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings 3.. In his rookie season, Harris led the NFL with 381 touches, and his 1,667 scrimmage yards trailed only Taylor among RBs. Ekeler will likely see touchdown regression, but hes a dual-threat back with a high points-per-touch average who plays in an explosive Chargers offense. : #MINvsIND on FOX He enters his . Fantasy Football 2022: Dynasty Mock Draft, Rankings and Tips for Team For all of the hubbub about Tony Pollard, a justifiable nod to the potential of the Cowboys backup, it's still Elliott's throne in Dallas and for good reason. The Lions could re-sign the veteran running back in the offseason, especially if they don't trust Swift to stay healthy for an entire season. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. All Rights Reserved. Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor are both underperforming this season but both backs are capable of taking over a game. Saquon Barkley vs Jonathan Taylor College Comparison Hes carried the ball 579 different times for an average of 3.9 YPC. Accept Draft Wizard My Playbook Premium Log. Check out the full list: Like we said this time last year, Henry will get the ball early and often, but he will really be turning on the afterburners as we get closer to fantasy playoff time. He's locked into massive volume behind one of the best run-blocking offensive lines in the league. There are expectations he will take a bigger role in the passing game, but could losing goal-line work to AJ Dillon offset that? Najee Harris UPDATE: Najee Harris (hip) practiced fully Thursday and doesn't carry an injury designation ahead of Saturday night's game against the Raiders. Steelers' Najee Harris: Overcomes early fumble Rotowire Jan 8, 2023 Harris carried the ball 23 times for 84 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 28-14 win over the Browns. 2. Sloan Piva is a content producer at The Sporting News. And with Matt Ryan now replacing Wentz, it's likely Taylor might terrorize the NFL yet again in 2022. @ohthatsNajee22 headset Play Clip. Montgomery will lead a run-based attack in Chicago, though Khalil Herbert could earn more touches. Jonathan Taylor for Najee Harris (2022) Should I Trade. Steelers vs Colts: Cast your vote for the winner No running back was more dominant than Henry in the 2.5 seasons between 2019 and Week 8 of '21. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts 2. Fournette is set to be a three-down back for the Buccaneers in 2022, but there are growing concerns around the strength of Tampa Bays offensive line. Brown traded away to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 NFL Draft, the Titans will depend more than ever on Henry, which isn't exactly a stretch when considering that's mostly what they've been doing to this point in his career anyway; as evidenced by his 2,141-yard season (!!) Can't. Given Henrys importance to the Titans offense and Tennessees shot at contending it would be somewhat surprising to see him garner another touch count in the 330-370 range. $48 Jonathan Taylor ($50) $46 Christian McCaffrey ($41) . When Taylor first returned from injury (Weeks 10-13) he ranked as the RB3 overall. Still, Ekelers injury history could make drafters squeamish. #ForTheShoe @JayT23. All Rights Reserved. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Najee Harris or Jonathan Taylor Who Should I Start? His sheer all-purpose yardage numbers and TD volume make him a cant-miss pick, especially considering his age (23) and his health (he played all 17 games last season). Jamey stopped Kupp's slide with the eighth overall pick, and even with concerns about Matthew Stafford's elbow making headlines in training camp recently, I still think Kupp is the top WR on the board and should be a top-three pick in PPR leagues. He has good hands, catching nearly 85 percent of his 90 targets through his first two seasons. So, you're probably thinking there is one or two honorable mentions (listed below) who deserve this spot over Jones, but if I agreed with you, they'd be in this spot. 2022 Running Backs Busts: Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara, Najee Harris