Latest on the Chargers RB’s Status, Is Najee Harris Playing Week 1?

Is Jim Harbaugh The Real Life Ted Lasso?

The 27-year-old back was cleared for full contact earlier this week after missing all of training camp due to an eye injury suffered in a Fourth of July fireworks mishap. Harris called the damage “superficial” and stressed that his vision wasn’t impacted, but the setback disrupted his early preparation with Los Angeles.

“It’s a humbling experience,” Harris reflected. “I’m still going through it in a way. Just that whole situation shows how things can change with a snap of a finger. … It’s a blessing every day that we wake up, and I’m just happy that everybody is safe.”

While Harris has resumed practicing, head coach Jim Harbaugh is not yet ready to commit to him playing in the opener. “He’s looked really good in practice,” Harbaugh said. “Cleared for contact. Just take it one day at a time. There’s a possibility he plays against Kansas City.”

Harris echoed that sentiment, noting he won’t rush the process. “I mean, yeah, but we’re just ramping up to it,” he said when asked if he expects to be active. “We’ll see where it takes us.”

During his time on the non-football injury list, Harris stayed engaged by conditioning and studying the playbook. “Recovering, staying in shape, trying to stay on top of the playbook,” he explained. “Obviously, I was on NFI, so it kind of makes things a little more difficult, can’t be on the field and stuff. Just trying to have the same schedule, just not with the team.”

In Harris’s absence, rookie Omarion Hampton has handled most of the first-team reps. A first-round pick this spring, Hampton would be in line for a heavy workload if Harris isn’t ready to go on Friday.

Harris, meanwhile, has never missed a game in his four-year career with Pittsburgh, starting all 68 contests before signing with Los Angeles this offseason. Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz has maintained confidence in Harris’s recovery, noting last week that the back was “on track” for Week 1.

For fantasy football managers, Harris’s situation is a tricky one. At his best, he provides steady — if unspectacular — production. Last season, Harris averaged 1.3 PPR points per target with an 80.9% rush gain percentage, numbers that align closely with veteran Ezekiel Elliott’s output. That consistency makes him a useful depth piece, but the emergence of Hampton could limit Harris’s ceiling.

At this point, whether Harris suits up Friday remains uncertain. What is clear is that the veteran runner is eager to contribute — and if not in Week 1, then shortly after. “Just trying to get into that football shape,” he said. “I’m feeling good, and we’ll just see where it leads.”