Damien Harris

Damien Harris

27-Year-Old Running BackRB
 Free Agent  
Free Agent
2023 Fantasy Outlook
A thigh injury limited Harris to 11 games last season with the Patriots, and this offseason he signed a one-year deal with the division-rival Bills. With leading rusher Devin Singletary gone, snaps are up for grabs between Harris, James Cook and Latavius Murray. Cook, a 2022 second-round pick, appears first in line for a lead role, but Harris is a superior runner between the tackles. Whereas Cook (5-11, 190) is more of a hurry-up and spread back, the 5-11, 213-pound Harris can square up and charge through the middle. Harris' recent durability troubles are a concern -- he dealt with lingering hamstring issues with the Patriots in both 2021 and 2022 -- as is his lack of NFL pass-catching production (40 catches in 38 games). Then again, no Buffalo running back has had success as a receiver in the Josh Allen years, including Cook as a rookie. The goal-line carries and clock-killing work may end up more valuable, and Harris is a strong candidate to handle that type of work. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
$Signed a one-year, $1.77 million contract with the Bills in March of 2023.
Announces retirement
RBFree Agent
March 25, 2024
Harris (concussion) announced Monday via his personal Instagram account that he has retired from professional football.
ANALYSIS
Harris spent his first four seasons with the Patriots before suiting up for six games with the Bills in 2023. He had a limited role for the first six weeks of this past season before suffering a concussion and neck injury and spending hte remainder of the campaign on injured reserve. Rather than attempting to play in 2024, the 27-year-old running back will opt to put his health first and retire at a relatively young age. He finishes his career with 2,485 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns across 44 games.
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Damien Harris' 2023 advanced stats compare to other running backs?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Broken Tackle %
    The number of broken tackles divided by rush attempts.
  • Positive Run %
    The percentage of run plays where he was able to gain positive yardage.
  • % Yds After Contact
    The percentage of his rushing yards that came after contact.
  • Avg Yds After Contact
    The average rushing yards he gains after contact.
  • Rushing TD %
    Rushing touchdowns divided by rushing attempts. In other words, how often is he scoring when running the ball.
  • Touches Per Game
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) he is averaging per game
  • % Snaps w/Touch
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) divided by offensive snaps played.
  • Air Yards Per Game
    The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
  • Air Yards Per Snap
    The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
  • % Team Air Yards
    The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
  • % Team Targets
    The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
  • Avg Depth of Target
    Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
  • Catch Rate
    The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Drop Rate
    The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Avg Yds After Catch
    The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
  • % Targeted On Route
    Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
  • Avg Yds Per Route Run
    Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.
Broken Tackle %
8.7%
 
Positive Run %
91.3%
 
% Yds After Contact
66.0%
 
Avg Yds After Contact
2.7
 
Rushing TD %
4.3%
 
Touches Per Game
4.2
 
% Snaps w/Touch
45.5%
 
Air Yards Per Game
0.2
 
Air Yards Per Snap
0.02
 
% Team Air Yards
0.0%
 
% Team Targets
0.4%
 
Avg Depth of Target
0.5 Yds
 
Catch Rate
100.0%
 
Drop Rate
0.0%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
7.5
 
% Targeted On Route
11.8%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
0.94
 
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2023
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2021
2020
2019
2023 NFL Game Log
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2022 NFL Game Log
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2021 NFL Game Log
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Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Damien Harris lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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2023 Damien Harris Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Damien Harris' measurables compare to other running backs?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
5' 11"
 
Weight
213 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.57 sec
 
Vertical Jump
37.0 in
 
Broad Jump
121 in
 
Bench Press
16 reps
 
Hand Length
9.75 in
 
Arm Length
30.75 in
 
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
The Patriots' decision to trade Sony Michel last summer paved the way for a breakout from Harris, and the Alabama product seized the opportunity with five 100-yard games and 15 touchdowns on the ground while posting modest career highs as a receiver. However, minor bumps and bruises cost Harris a couple games, and during a Week 10 absence rookie Rhamondre Stevenson emerged as a strong alternative. The duo teamed up to wear down defenses in the second half of the season, with Harris finding the end zone six times in the final three weeks. As a runner, the 25-year-old Harris offers a good blend of power, balance and patience that allows him to hit holes and plow through traffic, making up for average speed and size. New England's backfield figures to be more of the same in 2022, with Ty Montgomery potentially replacing retired James White as the passing-down specialist. A pair of draft picks joining the backfield could be another complicating factor, though Stevenson's involvement was the exception rather than the rule for first-year RBs under coach Bill Belichick, so expectations should be kept in check with fourth-rounder Pierre Strong and sixth-rounder Kevin Harris. The experienced NFL starter, Damien Harris, likely retains the edge here, but Stevenson is both larger and more powerful, so week-to-week production between them could well depend on matchups or the hot hand.
After barely seeing the field as a rookie, Harris had his sophomore NFL campaign bookended by three-game absences due to finger and ankle injuries. For the 10 games in between, he was a solid addition to the New England backfield, posting three 100-yard rushing games and averaging five yards per carry in an offense that gave defenses little reason to worry about the passing game. Harris' best asset is his versatility. He's a patient runner with the power and balance to make his way through traffic, and while James White's presence gave him few opportunities to show it, Harris' college resume suggests he could handle third downs in a pinch. He doesn't have breakaway speed, meaning he needs volume to make an impact rather than being a threat to go the distance with every touch. With Sony Michel having been traded to the Rams, Harris has a chance to be the team's clear-cut option on running downs. Meanwhile, White remains entrenched as the team's top pass-catching/change-of-pace option, with power back Rhamondre Stevenson poised to serve as a complement/backup to Harris when it comes to early-down work, and 5-foot-6, 185-pound J.J. Taylor potentially mixing in as well. Though Stevenson impressed during the preseason, the Patriots have in the past tended to ease rookie backs into the mix, so with Michel -- who had been in line to see his share of touches in tandem with Harris -- out of the picture, added opportunities are now available for Harris in what could be a run-heavy attack helmed by rookie QB Mac Jones.
Just like many Patriots rookies before him, Harris essentially spent his first season in the NFL as a redshirt, playing only two games and getting only four carries. That is by no means a signal he's a washout, however. James White was equally invisible in 2014 before emerging as one of the league's most valuable pass-catching backs. While Harris doesn't have White's hands or route-running prowess, the third-round pick out of Alabama does possess a skill set that could allow him to eventually thrive as a versatile option in Bill Belichick's offense if he gets the chance - a chance that might come as soon as this season if Sony Michel fails to make an impact once again in the lead role or struggles to stay healthy. It's possible that Tom Brady's departure could force the team to lean even more heavily on its ground game, opening up touches for Harris even if he isn't starting. The jury remains out on his potential upside, but he should at least begin to make his case this season once he recovers from a training camp finger injury.
Given the parade of talented backs that passed through Alabama the last few years, Harris' consistent production is impressive - he topped 1,000 scrimmage yards each of the last three seasons despite maxing out at 172 touches. He doesn't possess any one standout ability in the backfield, but instead profiles as the same kind of jack-of-all-trades that Rex Burkhead was intended to be for the Patriots. In addition to good vision and balance to find yards between the tackles and in traffic, Harris is an effective outlet receiver who gets extra points for his solid instincts as a pass protector. What he lacks is speed or a surprising burst that would allow him to escape NFL defenders on a regular basis. His spot on the depth chart in a talented New England backfield won't do him any favors to begin the season, but the rookie's snaps and touches should increase once he proves to Tom Brady and the coaching staff that he can be trusted to do his job in almost any situation.
More Fantasy News
On track for full recovery
RBBuffalo Bills
Concussion
January 23, 2024
Harris (head/neck) should be healthy before free agency begins this offseason, Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News reports.
ANALYSIS
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Moved to IR
RBBuffalo Bills
Concussion
October 20, 2023
The Bills placed Harris (concussion/beck) on injured reserve Friday, Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News reports.
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Won't play Sunday
RBBuffalo Bills
Concussion
October 20, 2023
Harris (concussion/neck) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Patriots.
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Remains sidelined Thursday
RBBuffalo Bills
Concussion
October 19, 2023
Harris (concussion/neck) won't practice Thursday, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Not practicing Wednesday
RBBuffalo Bills
Concussion
October 18, 2023
Harris (concussion/neck) won't participate in Wednesday's walk-through practice, Matt Parrino of The Syracuse Post-Standard reports.
ANALYSIS
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