The running back dead zone is a scary place. Most fantasy football managers lose their league by incorrectly picking their backfield, and this year, Najee Harris and Raheem Mostert sit firmly within those parameters.
Harris has an average draft position (ADP) of No. 67 overall, while Mostert is No. 71 overall. Let’s break down both of their fantasy outlooks to help you properly decide on which of the two can propel your lineups.
2024 Fantasy Outlook For Najee Harris
Harris has produced three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Last season, Harris accumulated the seventh-most rushing yards in the NFL, punching the ball in the end zone with eight touchdowns — 13th best in the league.
Everyone worries about Jaylen Warren destroying Harris’ fantasy outlook, but he proved he can still produce like a top-12 rusher, even with competition in his backfield.
This year, Harris will work with the new Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, who is known for running the ball and then running it some more. So, Harris’ outlook is bright with this new coaching scheme.
He also has a cohort (Warren) recovering from a soft tissue lower-body injury. Those injuries can linger and hamper the production of running backs, so we can be comfortable in assuming Harris will be Option A in the Steelers’ backfield.
2024 Fantasy Outlook For Raheem Mostert
Mostert was a league-winning running back last year. He helped fantasy managers win by scoring an NFL-leading 18 touchdowns and producing 4.8 yards per rush attempt, the league’s eighth-best average.
On top of that, according to TruMedia, Mostert scored a touchdown on every 11.61 touches, the third-best in the NFL.
KEEP READING: PFN’s Consensus Fantasy Football Rankings
Mostert also has competition in the backfield, but the Miami Dolphins’ offense has 40-point potential in every game, allowing us to use Mostert safely weekly.
Who Should I Draft for Fantasy Football?
Both running backs deal with competition in their respective backfields, so I’ll rest this choice on a proven draft strategy: draft good players from good offenses. With that understanding, Mostert is the running back you want in this debate.
The Steelers’ offense still doesn’t have a quarterback we can trust under center. If we can’t trust your quarterback, we can’t trust your offense.
You can take Mostert later in the draft than Harris and have a key part of one of the most offensively-powered teams in the NFL.
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