Isiah Pacheco or Najee Harris Week 17 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Fantasy football projections for RBs ahead of Christmas showdown

The Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers are set to clash in the first of two NFL Christmas games on Netflix. And already, the most intriguing fantasy football positional battle is between quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Russell WIlson.

However, there are other ones for managers to closely observe. One of them is between running backs Najee Harris and Isiah Pacheco. Who wins and starts?

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Is Najee Harris a good fantasy pick in Week 17?

Pittsburgh Steelers v Cincinnati Bengals - Source: Getty

If all goes as planned, this may be the penultimate regular-season game that Najee Harris will play for the Steelers. They had not invoked his fifth-year option during the offseason, as they believed that Jaylen Warren would be a faster, more agile, and more versatile successor.

Not helping matters for Sportskeeda's RB36 is that the Chiefs have consistently been fantasy football's best anti-RB team. As of this writing, they have averaged only below 15 points allowed - the only one to do so.

And that performance comes off the heels of a very highly underappreciated core - one that includes defensive linemen Chris Jones, George Karlaftis and Michael Danna; linebackers Nic Bolton and Drue Tranquilll; and defensive backs Trent McDuffie, Justin Reid and Brian Cook. Defeating that group presents a very tall task for him.

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Is Isiah Pacheco a good fantasy pick in Week 17?

Houston Texans v Kansas City Chiefs - Source: Getty

With Clyde Edwards-Helaire gone, the Chiefs have managed to restructure their running back room. And Isiah Pacheco has one role: co-lead with returnee Kareem Hunt.

Currently sitting at RB27, he has been trying hard to regain the form that made him a near-thousand yarder in each of his first two seasons. With just two games left, it has obviously not worked as well as expected, and then there is the issue of the Steelers' eleventh-ranked anti-RB defense.

Much has been said about the anti-air unit consisting of pass-rushing linebackers TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith and defensive backs Joey Porter Jr., DeShon Elliott, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. However, credit should also go the the likes of Cam Heyward, Patrick Queen, and Elandon Roberts for their ability to stuff runs before they can get even a yard out. And overcoming that group will be the key to a strong performance for him.

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Whom should I start between Nahjee Harris and Isiah Pacheco?

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It is a very close battle, but the Sportskeeda Start/Sit Optimizer deems Pacheco's chances better here.

While he has obviously not been as prolific as his counterpart, he has been trustworthy and reliable in what some call "the little things" - short gains that tire out the opposing defense further and leave them vulnerable to explosive pass plays that they will strugge to stop before it can even happen.