Chargers' Najee Harris may be the most disrespected 1,000-yard RB ever

The Los Angeles Chargers signed running back Najee Harris to a cheap one-year deal in free agency, representing a rather low-risk, potentially high-reward move for the club.

Harris posted 1,000 yards in each of his first four NFL seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, so you would think there would be considerable hype surrounding him heading into his debut campaign with the Chargers.

Instead, Harris has been slammed with nothing but disrespect since joining Los Angeles. Heck, even the front office itself showed very little confidence in him when it selected North Carolina halfback Omarion Hampton in the first round of the draft (and then added Raheim Sanders as an undrafted free agent).

It seems fairly clear that the Chargers are viewing Harris as a one-year option, and he is quickly becoming forgotten about in many NFL circles.

Take Pro Football Focus' recent Fantasy Football running back rankings, for example. Jonathon Macri of PFF ranked Harris 39th. He placed him in Tier 6, a section Macri dubbed "backups with a path to snaps."

So, essentially, Harris is not even being viewed as a starter; he is being perceived as a No. 2 option to Hampton, and while Hampton was a monster in college, he is just a rookie. You would assume that Harris would at least begin the 2025 campaign as a starter, right?

Ironically enough, J.K. Dobbins — who signed with the Denver Broncos — is ranked 35th, so the Chargers may have simply been better off keeping him.

Perhaps Harris will prove everyone wrong in the fall. I'm not sure we have ever seen a perennial 1,000-yard back get disrespected this much, even if he only owns a career average of 3.9 yards per carry.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Chargers from Los Angeles Chargers on SI —

More Los Angeles Chargers News:

Chargers' unexpected Gadsden development is great sign for rookie breakout candidate

Chargers make roster move on Justin Herbert’s OL before training camp

Jim Harbaugh's Chargers secure at least one joint practice with another team

Chargers' Justin Herbert gets absolutely shredded, 'not close' to being elite

Chargers dismissed as threat to Chiefs while NFL insider hypes Broncos