Fantasy Football Draft Decision: Najee Harris vs Rhamondre Stevenson

As fantasy football drafts progress and players come off the board, mid-round draft selections become crucial. Simply put, you hit paydirt on a pick or you miss out on a player you could’ve selected instead.

The best strategy is to create a list of mid-round ADP players by position and evaluate their projections, depth chart position, and team’s offensive philosophy (e.g., run-heavy, pass-heavy, etc.).

Two running backs with mid-round ADPs in 2025 drafts are New England’s Rhamondre Stevenson (10th-round ADP) and Los Angeles Chargers’ Najee Harris (8th-round ADP). Both running backs are entering the year with rookie running backs competing for carries in TreVeyon Henderson (NE) and Omarion Hampton (LAC).

Stevenson and Harris will play pivotal roles in the upcoming season, but which running back is best suited for an RB3 or FLEX spot on fantasy rosters?

The above table shows Najee Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson’s 2024 statistics and 2025 projections in full PPR leagues. Harris outperformed Stevenson last season, and his current ADP is in the 8th round. However, he enters his first season with the Chargers, and Los Angeles selected rookie running back Omarion Hampton in the first round of the 2025 draft.

Jim Harbaugh wants a run-heavy offense, but it’s hard to believe drafting Najee Harris in the 8th round is a better choice than selecting Stevenson in the 10th round. Like Harris, Stevenson will be part of a run-heavy offense while competing with a rookie for the bulk of the workload. The main issue with Stevenson was his fumbles in 2024. If this issue continues in 2025, he could see a diminishing role.

The table above shows Harris and Stevenson’s touchdowns inside the 5-yard line and total touchdowns between 2021-2024. Both players were their respective team’s primary goal-line running backs, and their production inside five yards was nearly identical.

Heading into 2025, it’s reasonable to expect each player to receive early work inside the five-yard line. However, work inside the five-yard line does not confirm drafting Harris in the 8th round is a better option than waiting on Stevenson in the 10th round.

Looking at each player’s impact in receiving, Najee Harris was more effective, but there is something to watch in the upcoming season. Omarion Hampton (LAC) and TreVeyon Henderson (NE) are both exceptional pass-catchers, and this will play a factor in Harris and Stevenson’s usage in passing situations for Los Angeles and New England, respectively.

Something to consider are the quarterbacks and receiving options for each player’s team. The Chargers have the edge in the combination of quarterback and receivers, which could mean fewer pass-catching opportunities for their running backs. In 2024, New England running backs had 66 receptions compared to Los Angeles’s 43.

In conclusion, determining whether Najee Harris’ 8th-round ADP is a better value than Rhamondre Stevenson’s 10th-round ADP will ultimately come down to usage. However, Omarion Hampton was the Chargers’ first-round pick and will greatly diminish the workload Najee Harris saw during his tenure in Pittsburgh. Waiting until the 10th round and drafting Stevenson for an RB3/FLEX spot allows more opportunities in rounds eight and nine.

The current 8th and 9th rounds have wide receivers Chris Godwin, Jaylen Waddle, George Pickens, Travis Hunter, Jerry Jeudy, and Zay Flowers available. It’s hard to argue that landing two of these receivers in rounds eight and nine, followed by Stevenson in round ten, isn’t a wise decision.