Best 2021 NFL breakout candidate from every team

By Randy Gurzi | Jun 28, 2021

ASHBURN, VA - JUNE 02: Ryan Fitzpatrick #14 of the Washington Football Team hands the ball off to Antonio Gibson #24 of the Washington Football Team during the organized team activity at Inova Sports Performance Center on June 2, 2021 in Ashburn, Virginia. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images) /

New England Patriots: Damien Harris, Running Back

When the New England Patriots took Sony Michel in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, it seemed as though they found their running back of the future. Michel spent his time at Georgia behind Nick Chubb (who went in the second round that same season) but he really came into his own during their final season in Athens.

As a rookie, Michel started out strong with 931 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 4.5 yards per carry. But then, he started to drop in effectiveness, gaining just 3.7 yards per rush in his second campaign. Then in 2020, he missed much of the season and had just 449 yards.

This opened the door for Damien Harris, who had 691 yards on the ground in his second season. The former Alabama running back was taken in the third round of 2019 and as he enters his third season in the NFL, he looks ready to take on even more responsibility in the running game.

New England will continue to use a committee as they always have but Harris has been separating himself from the rest of the pack. He’s the most complete runner and that should help him become the top dog in the committee that will still include Michel and James White.

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