Najee Harris Crashes the Cam Skattebo Party with Giants Deal; Fantasy Owners Lament
The New York Giants are making the headlines this afternoon. In a peculiar move, the team has agreed to a deal with veteran running back Najee Harris. Joining the team on a one-year deal, Harris will add pressure to both Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Fantasy Football Impact
The #Giants are signing free agent RB Najee Harris to a 1-year deal, per me and @MikeGarafolo, as NYG adds another veteran to their backfield.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 18, 2026
Harris’ season with the #Chargers last year was cut short because of an Achilles tear. Now fully healthy, he lands in NY. pic.twitter.com/50ufYzyyKt
Before any depth chart debate, let's check out Harris's most recent statistics.
His 2025 NFL season was cut short by a dual threat of injuries. First, Harris injured his eye during the fireworks season over the offseason. After missing much of training camp, he did return to the Chargers, only to tear his Achilles tendon in Week 3.
The total output of Harris spanned 15 rushing attempts for 61 yards in 2025.
Harris is not far removed from consistently strong output over his first 4 NFL seasons (2022-25). He played his debut seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers and rushed for over 1,000 yards each year. The caveat is that Harris averages only 4.1 yards per attempt over his career, a less-than-stellar efficiency.
The biggest note I find to make, via comments, comes from my head coach, John Harbaugh. Per a Reuters report, Harbaugh stated, "I felt like the hair on the back of my neck stood up when I saw him over there." More importantly, "He's not in football shape yet. So, if we are able to do something, it'll be a process," Harbaugh explains.
Harris is not going to be a threat right away. An Achilles repair can take up to one full year, and Harris's tear was in September 2025.
The team had ultimately wanted to add a body to their running back room. They reportedly were going after Jeremiyah Love in the NFL Draft. After not getting him, they seemed to settle on the duo of Skattebo and Tracy Jr., but not with 100% commitment.
The addition of Harris will be something to keep an eye on through the middle parts of the season. Once healthy, he will have a shot at snaps most likely. What this does is point to much less confidence toward Skattebo and Tracy Jr.
Harris's signing only makes the case even stronger regarding our publication last Saturday — Why Cam Skattebo Is Our 2026 Fantasy Football Bust of the Year.
For now, add Harris to your fantasy football watch list. He is not a top-100 projected back, but he certainly can become one on a weekly basis past, say, Week 8.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.