Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jaylen Warren was saddled with a hamstring injury in the middle of August and while he missed plenty of time, he assured us that if the preseason finale was a regular season game, he would have been out there.
What Happened to Jaylen Warren vs. Falcons in Week 1?
As it turns out, players may not be the greatest source of fantasy football insight. With Justin Fields starting for a banged-up Russell Wilson, the Steelers took a run-heavy approach in a tight game throughout — and yet Warren was essentially MIA.
In the victory, the explosive back carried the ball just twice for seven yards and earned only a pair of targets. Najee Harris was heavily featured, and as expected, Fields chewed up plenty of usage on the ground. To make matters worse, Cordarrelle Patterson, who followed Arthur Smith to Pittsburgh from Atlanta, recorded four rush attempts.
The Steelers have a trio of positive matchups coming up (Broncos, Chargers, and Colts), making cutting ties with Warren a move too dangerous this early in the season. That said, it appears safe to assume that a move back to Wilson under center only stands to help his value.
Jaylen Warren moving well at practice as he recovers from a hamstring. He said Monday he plans to play this week. pic.twitter.com/AgV3hVSzaD
— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) September 4, 2024
There’s no way you can justify looking at Warren as a Flex option until he gets the chance to produce. He is a talented back and it’s not as if Harris’ star shined bright (20 carries for 70 yards with 20 of those yards coming on a single carry), but trying to get ahead of a breakout is reckless.
On Tuesday, Mike Tomlin didn’t hold any punches — he acknowledged that Warren is healthy enough to be active, but he followed up by labeling it as a “slippery slope” when it comes to declaring that his back is fully healthy.
This is why you drafted depth. It’s unlikely that there is a better option on your wire right now, so I’d suggest sticking tight and hoping that Week 1 represents rock bottom as opposed to an odd offensive strategy.
That said, you did choose to invest in an Arthur Smith running back.