The Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Cleveland Browns in Week 12. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, especially regarding RB Najee Harris.
Is Najee Harris Playing in Week 12?
Najee Harris did not practice on Monday, but the Pittsburgh Steelers listed “rest” as the reason for his absence. He returned for a full practice on Tuesday and Wednesday and was officially removed from the team’s injury report.
Harris failed to practice last Wednesday while battling an ankle injury. Fortunately, he returned for full sessions on Thursday and Friday and was a full go for Sunday’s win over the Ravens. Harris took 22 touches for 93 total yards, finishing as fantasy’s RB17.
We’ll continue to monitor the Steelers’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Najee Harris in Week 12?
No projection is easy, but players like Najee Harris are a dream. This season, he’s produced 8.4-13.6 PPR points in seven of 10 games, making him somewhat easy to forecast and someone that fantasy managers can plug in with an understanding of what they’re getting.
Harris has been handed the ball at least 18 times in four straight games, but the lack of versatility is what has sucked the upside out of this profile. Prior to last week, he had five targets over a three-game run. Are the five targets against the Ravens a sign of things to come?
It’s possible. Russell Wilson’s “moon balls” get the attention, but he’s ultra-conservative otherwise, and that puts Harris in a position to win.
I think Harris will need to sustain some level of work through the air, as he is averaging a whopping 0.21 yards per carry before contact this season.
The Browns allow the fifth-most yards per carry after contact to running backs this season, a flaw that has me optimistic that we can get low-end RB2 numbers from Harris, even with Jaylen Warren factoring in (13 touches last week).
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Week 12 Fantasy Start-Sit Advice Cheat Sheet for every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Najee Harris’ Fantasy Points Projection in Week 12
As of Thursday evening, Harris is projected to score 13.7 fantasy points in PPR formats. This includes 16.3 rushing attempts for 65.7 yards and 0.4 touchdowns. It also includes 2.6 receptions for 17.3 yards and 0.1 touchdowns.
Check out the free PFN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Najee Harris’ Fantasy Ranking
Our Weekly Consensus PPR Rankings are below — both positional and overall. They were last updated at 11:45 PM ET on Saturday, January 25.
Conference Championship RB PPR Rankings
1) Saquon Barkley | PHI (vs. WAS)
2) James Cook | BUF (at KC)
3) Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS (at PHI)
4) Isiah Pacheco | KC (vs. BUF)
5) Kareem Hunt | KC (vs. BUF)
6) Austin Ekeler | WAS (at PHI)
7) Ray Davis | BUF (at KC)
8) Ty Johnson | BUF (at KC)
9) Samaje Perine | KC (vs. BUF)
10) Kenneth Gainwell | PHI (vs. WAS)
11) Jeremy McNichols | WAS (at PHI)
12) Will Shipley | PHI (vs. WAS)
13) Carson Steele | KC (vs. BUF)
14) Reggie Gilliam | BUF (at KC)
15) Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS (at PHI)
