OP, don’t forget that there are are other variations of the deadlift, like Romanian Deadlifts. Do a few heavy sets of RDL’s (by heavy, I mean 5-rep max or heavier) and I guarantee that if you’re keeping everything tight throughout the movement (shoulders down and back, head erect), you’ll feel if in your upper back, especially your traps and thoracic extensors.
Now, deadlift variations may not build an impressive back all by themselves, but the strength you’ll gain definitely helps you handle bigger weights on rows and pullups. And, as a bonus, they make your back look thicker by adding mass to the larger, deeper muscles. Think of them as assistance lifts for your primary back exercises.
I have a decent DL but DLs never really did anything for my upper back. My mid/lower erectors got done in pretty good by DLing but my upper back didn’t start growing until I added in specific upper back work.
I’ve always felt like RDLs are better for hypertrophy, because you can get some TUT there.
For me, the degree to which I bend my knees determines how much hamstrings vs back gets involved…not to mention, if you focus on keeping the bar close to your body throughout the whole motion, it’s essentially an isometric row for your lats
