Should I Start Najee Harris in Week 3? RB Fantasy Football Rankings Analysis

Alabama's running backs can be very hit-or-miss. Some like Derrick Henry and Shaun Alexander become superstars, while players like Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram II become good players, and guys like Trent Richardson become massive busts.

As of right now, the jury is still out on Najee Harris. He has racked up a lot of rushing attempts and yards, but his efficiency is very questionable for a first-round running back. He has gotten off to a pretty slow start in a make-or-break year three, rushing for just 74 yards.

How did Harris perform in the first two weeks? Should you start Harris in Week 3 against the Raiders? Let's take a look.

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What Did Najee Harris Do In Weeks 1 And 2?

Najee Harris entered his third year in the NFL with lots of expectations, but it's safe to say that he hasn't lived up to the hype yet. For the second season in a row, he has gotten off to a slow start. His 74 yards and no touchdowns in the first two weeks of 2023 are eerily similar to his 72 yards and no touchdowns in the first two weeks of 2022.

Don't give up on Najee Harris 😤 pic.twitter.com/N14FxczANw

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) September 21, 2023

If you're a believer that history repeats itself, Harris would go on to have some more mediocre performances until the team's bye week, when he started to turn things around. You can blame Pittsburgh's poor run-blocking for his slow start, but he's not even the top fantasy back on his own team. Jaylen Warren has recorded 8.8 more PPR points than Harris due to his target potential.

Najee Harris Running Back Rankings Analysis

As per the latest RotoBaller staff ranking, Harris is ranked #18. His stock has gone down, but our experts have given him the benefit of the doubt over Warren.

Harris should have two easy games against Las Vegas and Houston before facing some of the best run-stopping teams in the league in Baltimore (fifth in the least rushing yards allowed), Jacksonville (eighth), and Tennessee (fourth). His stock will likely peak in the next two weeks.

Should I Start Najee Harris In Week 3 Fantasy Football?

Let's face it, if you had Harris on your roster, you probably expected him to be a bell-cow back who would carry you to a fantasy title. If you have given up on him, you should at least wait and let him torch two bad teams before trading him.

The Raiders are one of the worst defenses in the league this year and have allowed 4.9 yards per rush thus far. James Cook dominated them by racking up 123 yards on 17 attempts (7.2 yards per attempt). Harris himself had 15.5 PPR points against them last season, which is marginally better than anything he's done so far in 2023.

Simply put, if you're not playing Harris against the Raiders (and Texans), then you're not playing him all season.

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