Pittsburgh Steelers RBs Fantasy Outlooks: Jaylen Warren and Kaleb Johnson

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ backfield has undergone a significant transformation that every fantasy football manager needs to understand. With Najee Harris finally departing after years of underwhelming production, the door has opened for a new dynamic in the Steel City rushing attack.

Rookie Kaleb Johnson enters as the presumed frontrunner to claim the lead role, while veteran Jaylen Warren looks to capitalize on his years of patience behind Harris. This backfield battle will be crucial for fantasy football success, as Arthur Smith’s run-heavy scheme could produce valuable fantasy assets if you target the right player.

Jaylen Warren Fantasy Outlook

After multiple years of waiting for Warren to overtake Najee Harris in fantasy, Harris is finally on another team. Unfortunately, he has been replaced by another strong young running back, rookie Kaleb Johnson.

Johnson’s downfield explosiveness can make him near impossible to stop once he breaks into the second level, a trait Warren lacks. The former Oklahoma State standout has been used more as a pass-catching back in Pittsburgh, utilizing his safe hands and pass-blocking prowess.

Jaylen Warren was the Steelers player that impressed me most against the Ravens. He just took over the game for three plays in a row in the 4th QTR. pic.twitter.com/p0bO5YQ5ch

— Billy Hartford (@CamHeywardFan) October 9, 2023

Warren may see some early work while Johnson acclimates to his new surroundings, but the fact that he couldn’t usurp Harris is a worrying sign. Harris’s 3.97 yards per carry ranked 26th out of 31 running backs with at least 150 carries last season, but the veteran continued to be favored over Warren on the ground.

The rookie should be the favorite to take over Harris’s role, though it could be more of a split backfield in the early weeks of the season. Warren has an outside chance to take the lead role, but you needn’t go out of your way to draft him unless you’re insuring Johnson against injury. 

 — Cameron Sheath, Fantasy Football Analyst 

Kaleb Johnson Fantasy Outlook

Johnson is the exact type of player you should be targeting in the running back deadzone. I’ll admit I wasn’t particularly high on him as a draft prospect, but he had his merit and went to a fantastic fit in Arthur Smith’s scheme. 

Warren gives me no pause. Plenty are still high on him and believe he should have been the starter for a couple of those Najee Harris years, but I don’t think he’s much more than a solid change-of-pace back. That’ll continue to be his role with Johnson, who is far more well-built to handle the bulk of the carries. 

This is an offense with questionable receiving talent and an old quarterback, so I believe this team will want to run the ball early and often. Managers are very skeptical of Arthur Smith, which I understand.

However, Harris had 299 touches last year for over 1,300 yards. I’d also expect this to be a split-backfield early on, as Warren has earned a place, but it’s Johnson who offers the upside you want for fantasy. If the young offensive line takes a jump forward, and the defense can stay stout, this situation has the makings for a very solid RB2, with the upside to be a great starter. 

— Mason LeBeau, Fantasy Football Analyst