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Damien Harris

Bills upgrade at starting running back

The Bills signed Damien Harris yesterday, and I'm a fan of the move. It's not always that you can sign a 15-touchdown, just turned 26 years old running back a week into free agency. Harris didn't get a second contract in New England, but I think he's an underrated player, at a position of need for Buffalo.

Devin Singletary has been Buffalo's main back the last four years, but he's been more functional than an asset. There have been efforts to replace him, either at the goal line or as the main runner (Zack Moss) or in the passing game (James Cook, the briefly signed J.D. McKissic, Nyheim Hines).

Harris, meanwhile, battled injuries and fell behind Rhamondre Stevenson last year. But he's just a year removed from rushing for 15 touchdowns for the Patriots, one of the best running back seasons in that regard from the past decade. Just 14 times in those 10 years has a running back rushed for that many scores, and Harris did it on just over 200 carries. A rushing touchdown per every 13 attempts is one of the three best ratios from the last 10 years, among all 10-TD running backs.

Contrast that with Singletary, who's averaged just 4 rushing touchdowns over the past four seasons on his 168 carries per year -- that's a touchdown per every 42 attempts. Granted, he was playing with Josh Allen, who tends to account for a healthy percentage of his team's rushing scores each year. But Harris should be more of an asset in this regard than they were getting from Singletary, Moss or the team's other backs the last few years.

10-TD RUNNING BACKS, TDS/ATTEMPT (2013-2022)
YearPlayerAttYdsAvgTDAtt/TD
2020Alvin Kamara, N.O.1879325.01611.7
2021James Conner, Ariz.2027523.71513.5
2021Damien Harris, N.E.2029294.61513.5
2018Alvin Kamara, N.O.1948834.61413.9
2019Aaron Jones, G.B.23610844.61614.8
2018Todd Gurley, LAR25612514.91715.1
2022Jamaal Williams, Det.26210664.11715.4
2020Antonio Gibson, Was.1707954.71115.5
2022Austin Ekeler, LAC2049154.51315.7
2020Nick Chubb, Cle.19010675.61215.8
2016Latavius Murray, Oak.1957884.01216.3
2016LeGarrette Blount, N.E.29911613.91816.6
2021Austin Ekeler, LAC2069114.41217.2
2018Melvin Gordon, LAC1758855.11017.5
2018James Conner, Pitt.2159734.51217.9
2018Derrick Henry, Ten.21510594.91217.9
2016LeSean McCoy, Buff.23412675.41318.0
2015DeAngelo Williams, Pitt.2009074.51118.2
2016David Johnson, Ariz.29312394.21618.3
2021Jonathan Taylor, Ind.33218115.51818.4
2019Todd Gurley, LAR2238573.81218.6
2019Derrick Henry, Ten.30315405.11618.9
2019Christian McCaffrey, Car.28713874.81519.1
2017Mark Ingram, N.O.23011244.91219.2
2019Dalvin Cook, Min.25011354.51319.2
2022Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.2318763.81219.3
2020Dalvin Cook, Min.31215575.01619.5
2019Mark Ingram, Balt.20210185.01020.2
2015Jeremy Hill, Cin.2237943.61120.3
2016Devonta Freeman, Atl.22710794.81120.6
2020Jonathan Taylor, Ind.23211695.01121.1
2017Todd Gurley, LAR27913054.71321.5
2016Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.32216315.11521.5
2014Marshawn Lynch, Sea.28013064.71321.5
2013Jamaal Charles, K.C.25912875.01221.6
2021Derrick Henry, Ten.2199374.31021.9
2020Derrick Henry, Ten.37820275.41722.2
2021Joe Mixon, Cin.29212054.11322.5
2020Josh Jacobs, L.V.27310653.91222.8
2015Todd Gurley, St.L.22911064.81022.9
2022Miles Sanders, Phil.25912694.91123.5
2021Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.23710024.21023.7
2018Saquon Barkley, NYG26113075.01123.7
2020Kenyan Drake, Ariz.2399554.01023.9
2015Devonta Freeman, Atl.26510564.01124.1
2013Knowshon Moreno, Den.24110384.31024.1
2019Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.30113574.51225.1
2013Marshawn Lynch, Sea.30112574.21225.1
2022Nick Chubb, Cle.30215255.01225.2
2016Melvin Gordon, S.D.2549973.91025.4
2013Eddie Lacy, G.B.28411784.21125.8
2022Derrick Henry, Ten.34915384.41326.8
2013Adrian Peterson, Min.27912664.51027.9
2022Josh Jacobs, L.V.34016534.91228.3
2022Saquon Barkley, NYG29513124.41029.5
2015Adrian Peterson, Min.32714854.51129.7
2014DeMarco Murray, Dall.39218454.71330.2

Harris' arrival throws some cold water on any idea of a breakout season for James Cook. He'll be the back of choice in passing situations, but unlikely he has a big role as a ballcarrier, or near the goal line. Cook is listed at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds (Nyheim Hines, the other possibility, is at 5-foot-8 and 198), compared to 5-foot-11 and 213 pounds for Harris. Maybe the team gives Cook, their second-round pick a year ago, a chance at the starting job, but I think Harris will be more effective atop the depth chart. Should be Harris leading this backfield, with Cook and perhaps Hines mixing in.

Singletary, incidentally, also signed yesterday, with the Houston Texans. They'll have one of last year's more impressive rookies, Dameon Pierce, as their main back, with Singletary a change-of-pace and maybe getting some work in passing situations. If you've got Pierce in a dynasty league, I don't think this is particularly threatening news. Houston was always going to have a second option at the position, and there's little chance of Singletary being much more than that.

--Andy Richardson

12 Reader Comments:

Dennis Salisbury

Cranston, RI
2023-03-21T13:06:17Z
Yeah this is a nice pickup for Buffalo! I think the Bills realize they have to take some pressure off Josh Allen and pound the rock some times. I am telling my grandchild NOT to be RB's for sure...Harris only received 1 year, I did not see his $$$ though...getting a real 2nd contract is a challenge for RB's? I think Harris is a quality RB with plenty of good football in him!

Andy Richardson

Port Chester, NY
2023-03-21T14:26:48Z
The Harris money hasn’t been reported yet. I did see that Singletary is getting $3.8M for his one year, just another crazy contract from the Texans.

Ben Hogevoll

Siletz, OR
2023-03-21T14:56:57Z
I don't think he is any better than Singletary.He was not as good as Stevenson and was injured for about a third or more of the season last year.He won't change what Allen does and he will share time with cook at best.

Andy Richardson

Port Chester, NY
2023-03-21T15:17:23Z
There will certainly be some Cook fans. I don’t see it. I think they would have used him more if they had much confidence in him.

Matt Morse

Glennallen, AK
2023-03-21T15:31:00Z
Best against the Bills. In 4 games he has scored 5 TDs on 57 carries with a 6.4 ypc.

Ian Allan

Seattle, WA
2023-03-21T15:34:12Z
Cook has some of the same speed and elusiveness as Dalvin, and he got better late in the year. He finished at 5.7 yards per carry, and if he continues to produce at that clip, he'll be getting some carries every week. Weighs only 190 pounds, so I don't know that he'll ever move beyond getting about 10 touches per week.

David Kennedy

Steamburg, NY
2023-03-21T15:46:39Z
Talent wise Harris is much more than Singletary Ben. How Harris gets used is debatable but if I own a Bill's RB it will definitely be Damien. I am sure the Buffalo coaching staff would like to see less Allen goal line carries.

David Kennedy

Steamburg, NY
2023-03-21T15:47:55Z
Harris was the starter over Stevenson before he got hurt.

Ian Allan

Seattle, WA
2023-03-21T15:51:29Z
I have logically been calculating that Allen would run less for years. It makes no sense to have an asset worth a quarter of a billion putting himself in harm's way that often. It's insane. But then the game starts, and there's trying to run over a defensive back or hurdle a linebacker. He can't help himself.

Dennis Salisbury

Cranston, RI
2023-03-21T15:59:08Z
When Josh Allen gets clobbered a couple more times...maybe he wakes up and turns into what Cam Newton is now? Newton @ the end could not complete a pass, had all these weird arm angles and had his legs only! Just think that is an outcome for Allen if he does not calm down? BTW, Cam Newton still pursuing the dream I just read.

Paul Desimone

Hayward, CA
2023-03-21T16:42:13Z
Patience pays off in dynasty, doesn't it, Andy (I recall reading a few times that you had Harris)?
Saw a blurb a few days ago that the Bills were looking at adding a power back, now it's done.
Cook is smaller than his older brother, and not quite as fast. So expectations of a 'little Dalvin' might be a reach. I'll stick with the 2023 draft mag's advice, thanks .

Paul Desimone

Hayward, CA
2023-03-21T17:12:20Z
Ummm... Let's make that the 2022 draft mag . FI draft mag. Until the 2023 model comes out.
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