Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman have found their new workhorse—Najee Harris is heading to the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year deal worth up to $9.25 million.
At just 26 years old with some serious tread on his tires, the former Steeler entered free agency as one of the top backs available, fresh off his NFL-leading fourth consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season. With only Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal behind him, Harris is set up for a massive workload in this offense.
Let’s break down his 2025 fantasy outlook as the Chargers’ new bell-cow.
NAJEE HARRIS 2025 FANTASY OUTLOOK: VOLUME & SCHEME OVER FLASH
Najee Harris may not be the flashiest back, but he’s as durable as they come—and barring what the team does in a loaded RB draft, he’s stepping into a workhorse role with the Chargers.
Sure, he’s not breaking off house calls like De’Von Achane or Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jaylen Warren often looked like the more explosive and efficient option in Pittsburgh. But guess what? Harris is the NFL’s only RB to top 1,000 rushing yards in each of the last four seasons. He had nine carries that traveled 20-plus yards (fifth in the NFL), is more than serviceable in the passing game (180 career rec), and has never missed a game in four NFL seasons.
Sounds like a Harbaugh back to me.
Now, the Chargers’ depth chart behind him is about as thin as a preseason playbook—Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal (who I was high on last year) aren’t exactly breathing down his neck. The team also cut Gus Edwards and isn’t expected to bring back fragile J.K. Dobbins, leaving Harris with a clear path to insane volume in an offense that will run the ball at a high clip.
Is LA’s offensive line a massive upgrade over his situation in Pittsburgh? Not exactly—but there’s young talent waiting to make the leap, led by Joe Alt, Rashawn Slater, Zion Johnson, and newly signed Mekhi Becton. Not to mention a massive quarterback upgrade with Justin Herbert to keep defenses honest and out of the box.
Unless the Chargers invest big in another back, Harris should see a workload that starts with a “three” in total touches. This combo leads us to believe that Harris should be drafted as a solid RB2 this season, with The Wolf currently ranking him at RB22, right behind his former teammate Warren, and above the likes of Rhamondre Stevenson and Tyrone Tracey.
SUMMARY: DRAFT NAJEE HARRIS FOR CONSISTENT RB2 OUTPUT
The NFL’s most consistent and available running back over the last four seasons, Harris now steps into an offense run by Justin Herbert, where defenses can’t just stack the box and dare the run game to beat them. Harris should see all the volume he can handle in a Harbaugh-led, run-heavy system, especially with who’s currently behind him on the depth chart.
Of course, no situation is perfect. Harris might not be the most explosive back in fantasy, but opportunity is king, and he’s looking at a potential 300-touch season in a much friendlier offense on the sunny West Coast. Make no mistake about it, Harris should be a rock-solid RB2 in fantasy.
