Is Patriots Damien Harris a Top 20 Running Back?

In Pro Football Focus' annual running back rankings, the New England Patriots' starter gets respect. Sort of.

Author:
Richie Whitt
Publish date:
Jul 14, 2022 10:00 AM EDT

NFL feature running backs - like Major League Baseball starting pitchers - have gone the way of the VCR. Too many other viable alternatives to be committed to just one option.

In this era of running-back-by-committee, only the Steelers' Najee Harris played more than 70 percent of his team's offensive snaps and just five runners topped 60 percent. Teams are looking for complementary skill sets and running backs that can split the workload at a position that has tended to have a short shelf life.

Same in New England, where the Patriots last season rushed for 2,151 yards, spread over four running backs: Damien Harris (929), Rhamondre Stevenson (606), Brandon Bolden (226) and James White (38). This offseason the Pats added multi-faceted veteran Ty Montgomery.

Damien Harris

Rhamondre Stevenson

Bill Belichick

That diversity makes Pro Football Focus' annual list of the Top 20 running backs an interesting mix of the few remaining three-down backs and players who have been efficient in more balanced committees.

Harris, who got 202 carries last season to Stevenson's 133, sneaked into PFF's Top 20 at No. 17 despite the platoon system.

Says PFF:

Harris falls into the “uber efficient in a limited role” category after earning 85.0-plus PFF grades in each of the last two seasons on between 250 and 450 offensive snaps. He’s been particularly effective in the gap rushing schemes that the Patriots favor, grading out in the 82nd percentile of all qualifying running backs in rushing grade in those schemes. Harris should continue to split the work with Rhamondre Stevenson, James White and rookie addition Pierre Strong Jr. in 2022.

Any way you slice it and no matter who calls the plays with Harris, Stevenson, White and the addition of Pierre Strong Jr. in 2022, the Patriots - who also sport a pretty salty stable of safeties - should be set at running back.

PFF's Top 20:

1. Jonathan Taylor, Colts

2. Nick Chubb, Browns

3. Derrick Henry, Titans

4. Christian McCaffrey, Panthers

5. Dalvin Cook, Vikings

6. Alvin Kamara, Saints

7. Aaron Jones, Packers

8. Austin Ekeler, Chargers

9. Joe Mixon, Bengals

10. Josh Jacobs, Raiders