Damien Harris Fantasy Football Outlook Includes Huge Sleeper Potential in 2021

Damien Harris looked like a future star at times in 2021. The New England Patriots' second-year back showcased a tough, hard-nosed style of play while racking up 743 yards from scrimmage in just 10 games last year.

Now entering year three, Harris looks like a legitimate breakout candidate for the Patriots.

Damien Harris Fantasy Outlook

Harris currently carries an average draft position (ADP) of RB34 in PPR formats, per FantasyPros. That means he's being drafted as a low-end RB3 or FLEX option. He's a fantastic value at that spot.

The Alabama Crimson Tide standout looked like a true bell-cow back for the Patriots. He was on pace to rush for 1,106 yards had he not missed games at the beginning and end of the 2020 campaign. The 24-year-old has also reportedly looked great at camp and is considered the favorite to win starting duties over fourth-year back Sony Michel.

Even if the two split time again, though, New England should have more than enough rushing volume to go around. Only the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans ran the ball more often than the Patriots last year. That run-heavy approach doesn't look likely to change much in 2021 with some combination of Cam Newton and Mac Jones under center.

The downside here is that Harris doesn't offer much as a receiver. He's going to be coming off the field in favor of James White in passing situations, and that does put a cap on his upside.

Damien Harris ADP

Still, Harris is the favorite to lead this team in carries. New England always does a great job scheming up the run game and he'll be getting those carries behind what looks like an elite offensive line.

He's a better value in standard-scoring leagues than PPR formats because he doesn't do much as a receiver, but Harris could enjoy a breakout season as a pure rusher. There aren't many RBs being drafted outside the top 25 that you can say that about.

He checks in at RB32 in our 2021 fantasy football rankings.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.