Damien Harris injury update: Should fantasy football managers hold on to Patriots RB?

New England Patriots running back Damien Harris racked up 111 yards on just 10 carries, including a touchdown on a 64-yard run. 90 percent of his yards came in the first half, so why would you consider dropping him in fantasy football ahead of the playoffs?

Keep or drop Patriots Damien Harris in fantasy football?

Part of the reason most of Damien Harris' yards came in the first half was because Harris suffered a hamstring injury in the second quarter. He did return late in the third quarter for one carry for 22 yards, but that was the end of his playing time. He played just 25 percent of the snaps for the Patriots in the 14-10 win over the Buffalo Bills.

The Patriots have a bye week in Week 14. They next play the Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo again, and then the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Patriots have a chance to make a run at the No. 1 seed in the AFC and could use a first-round bye to get healthy. In fantasy football, the playoffs start in Week 15 and finish during Week 17.

Damien Harris' hamstring injury hasn't seemed too severe since he did return and was back on the field, even though it was for a short time. The main concern is the frequency with which Harris gets injured. Harris has only played more than 50 percent of the offensive snaps for the Patriots three times and hasn't played more than 40 percent since Week 8. Part of it is due to his injuries and part of it has been on account of the emergence of Rhamondre Stevenson.

New England are best suited with both Harris and Stevenson at 100 percent, giving them a dynamic duo for the playoffs. Stevenson is on a hot streak for the Patriots, and Harris could use the next few weeks to get back to full health, meaning he could see a decrease in his touches. When it comes to fantasy football, he could indeed be a dud for the playoffs.

If you are on the cusp of the playoffs in fantasy and are short-handed at running backs in a deep league, you might be handcuffed to betting on Damien Harris not seeing a decrease in production. In standard leagues, it might be best to either bench him or drop him heading into the playoffs.

When it comes to keeper leagues, Harris is also a question mark. Stevenson has played well in 2021, and Harris' injury history could come back to bite him. 2022 is the final year of his rookie deal, and he could ask for a decent pricetag for his second contract. With Stevenson as a cheaper option, the Patriots could decide that Harris is too injury-prone to be worth a long-term deal.

Harris was used fairly well in fantasy football this year, ranking in the top-15 for running backs. If he ends up with a different team, he might reach RB1 status again. But with the Patriots, he's losing traction and the deck is getting stacked against him. The final verdict would be to not take the risk on an injury-prone runner, and grab one of the many running backs on the waiver wire.

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