Who Should I Start? Najee Harris or Dameon Pierce

Wednesday, September 24, 6:15 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers announced on Wednesday that they placed running back Najee Harris (Achilles) on Injured Reserve, according to Fernando Ramirez of the Sporting Tribune. Harris' season is over after he tore his Achilles in the Week 3 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. It's a disappointing end to his first year with the Bolts after signing with them in free agency in the offseason. The 27-year-old will end his streak of four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons to begin his career. In his three games this year, Harris carried the ball 15 times for 61 yards and no touchdowns, adding three receptions for 25 yards through the air. The Chargers will be forced to lean more on rookie first-rounder Omarion Hampton as their lead back going forward, making him a must-start each week. Hassan Haskins will be elevated to the RB2 role, with Kimani Vidal the next man up at No. 2 in the backfield.

Thursday, November 20, 4:53 PM

The Houston Texans have waived running back Dameon Pierce, per Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. A fourth-round pick of the Texans in 2022, Pierce burst onto the scene as a rookie by rushing for 939 yards and four touchdowns on 220 carries across 13 games. However, injuries and ineffectiveness have plagued him basically ever since. Across four games this season, Pierce had logged just 26 rushing yards on 10 carries. The 25-year-old was buried behind Woody Marks, Nick Chubb, and Dare Ogunbowale on the running back depth chart in Houston and had not recorded an offensive snap since Week 5. Pierce will now search for a new home for the remainder of the 2025 season. Regardless of where he ends up, Pierce is unlikely to play a fantasy-relevant role.