Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Derrick Harmon missed the first two games of his rookie season due to a knee injury and has appeared in just nine of the team’s first 14 games this year.
When Harmon’s been on the field, however, he’s been one of the “most impactful” players in the NFL in the minds of Chad Graff and Josh Kendall of The Athletic.
Graff and Kendall revealed their picks for every NFL team’s MVP entering Week 16, choosing Harmon as the Steelers representative.
“The rookie defensive tackle has quietly been one of the most impactful players in the league this year,” the duo’s article said on Tuesday. “In the nine games Harmon has played, the Steelers have allowed 96 rushing yards per game. In the five games he has missed, they have allowed 165.8. With Harmon out again Monday night with a knee injury, the Dolphins gained just 63 on the ground, but that was mostly because they threw the ball for much of the second half as they tried to catch up.”
The first-round pick hasn’t played since Week 12 due to a knee ailment.
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Harmon’s posted 22 tackles, four quarterback hits and 2.0 sacks across his nine games and his health will be crucial in Pittsburgh’s push for its first AFC North title since the 2020 season.
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Featured image via Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images