- Najee Harris has -115 odds to have OVER 1350.5 rushing and receiving yards this season.
- Saquon Barkley is a -110 betting underdog to have OVER 1550.5 rushing and receiving yards.
- Nick Chubb has -115 odds on both sides of 1575.5 total rushing and receiving yards.
LAS VEGAS - Najee Harris is expected to be the top-performing rookie running back for the 2021 season. But how do his projections line up with some of the league’s top backs like Saquon Barkley or Nick Chubb?
Najee Harris Season Projections
Najee Harris was selected in the first round on the NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is expected to be a workhorse running back for the team and thus, online gambling sites have set his season totals at a very respectable mark.
Najee Harris Regular Season Rushing & Receiving Yards
- OVER 1350.5 -115
- UNDER 1350.5 -115
Of his total, 990.5 yards are expected to come on the ground with the extra 350+ yards coming through the passing game. On top of his yardage, Harris has -145 odds to have OVER 7.5 rushing touchdowns.
Assuming Harris plays in all 17 games of the NFL season, he would need to average 58.2 rushing yards per game to hit his rushing total and 79.4 total yards per game to hit his combined rushing and receiving yards total. Both of these figures seem very obtainable since he’s expected to be a three-down back.
Saquon Barkley Season Projections
Saquon Barkley is coming off of an injury, but is expected to be at full strength for the 2021 season. In his limited time in the NFL, Barkley has proven to be one of the more dynamic running backs in the NFL. His season totals alone reflect his talent and abilities.
Saquon Barkley Regular Season Rushing & Receiving Yards
- OVER 1550.5 -110
- UNDER 1550.5 -120
Barkley’s rushing total is set at 1185.5 yards with +115 odds on the OVER which would amount to just 69.7 rushing yards per game needed to hit the total posted. In his first two seasons, Barkley averaged 81.7 and 77.2 yards per game.
He would also need 91.2 total yards to reach his rushing and receiving yards mark, which may be surprisingly low considering he averaged 126.8 yards in 2018 and 110.9 yards in 2019. Online sportsbooks are either expecting regression, or missed time on the field with these numbers.
Nick Chubb Season Projections
Nick Chubb is one of the most efficient RBs in the league. He was seventh in rushing yards and sixth in rushing touchdowns last season despite being 14th in carries. Sports betting sites are expecting another impressive year from Chubb.
Nick Chubb Regular Season Rushing & Receiving Yards
- OVER 1575.5 -115
- UNDER 1575.5 -115
Chubb’s total is very similar to Barkley’s, but the difference is that Chubb does most of his work on the ground. Chubb has a rushing total of 1350.5 yards with -115 odds on either side.
With weapons around him like Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Austin Hooper, Kareem Hunt, and David Njoku, it seems it will be tough for him to get his touches but he’s arguably the best player on the team.
The Verdict
All in all, Najee Harris isn’t expected to be quite as good as Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb but as it is just his rookie season, it’s definitely a great place to start.