Don't overlook this AFC North RB in fantasy football drafts

Some would argue that fantasy football is a game ruled by running backs. Finding a good value at the position can make or break your season, as can the strategy you use during fantasy drafts.

It's important to highlight key players you want to target during draft season as well as players you think may present good value if they fall to a certain round.

It may not be the sexiest option, but sometimes, relying on a high-volume veteran at halfback is a solid means of getting production from the most important position in fantasy. At a position where injuries and performance are so volatile, having a "sure thing" on your team can help keep the ship afloat when other players on your squad aren't producing commensurate with their ADP.

Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Hard though it may be to believe, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris is the only player in the NFL with 1,000-plus rushing yards in each of the last three seasons.

Though his efficiency has never been great — he averaged a career-high 4.1 yards per carry last season — he garners tremendous volume (250-plus rushes in each season of his career) and pairs it with enviable durability, having appeared and started in all 51 possible games of his career.

Since being selected No. 24 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Harris has 3,269 rushing yards. Only Derrick Henry (3,642), Jonathan Taylor (3,413), and Josh Jacobs (3,330) have more rushing yards in that span. In that same window of time, only two running backs have played in at least 50 games: Harris and Devin Singletary (50 games played, 42 started). Harris's 834 carries in that span are 75 clear of second-place Joe Mixon.

His biggest threat for touches, Jaylen Warren, is dealing with a hamstring injury that could delay his 2024 debut. In 2021 when Warren was still in college, Harris accrued a league-leading 381 touches, including 74 receptions. Now that he's playing in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's run-heavy scheme, he should have no issue garnering 15-plus touches a game, regardless of Warren's availability.

As a friendly reminder: touches are king among running backs in fantasy. Since 2012, 58.7 percent of the backs to receive 20 or more touches in a game have posted an RB1 scoring week (in 12-team league formats), with those backs averaging 19.7 PPR points and 18.1 half-PPR points per game.

Harris is far from a flashy option, but he's got an ADP in the mid-60s right now. There's no one else even close to that range who projects to have 250-plus touches next season, and Harris's knack for the end zone (28 scores in three seasons) gives him a higher floor than almost any other mid-round pick. Especially in standard formats, Harris represents a solid value for managers looking to load up at running back.