Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Reverts to modest production on SNF
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Warren took 13 carries for 62 yards while catching two of three targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 35-25 loss to Green Bay.
Warren cooled off following last week's 127-yard rushing performance, reverting to the modest production he's logged most weeks as the Steelers' starter this season. The 26-year-old actually finished Sunday's primetime tilt right at the 62.2 yards he averaged over his previous five contests. Backup Kenneth Gainwell finished with 31 yards on five carries, but he coughed up Pittsburgh's only fumble on the evening. Warren carries a high floor as the Steelers' lead back heading into a Week 9 matchup against the Colts.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: RBs to Start
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Warren was great as the Start of the Week in Week 7 at Cincinnati with 16 carries for 127 yards and four catches for 31 yards on five targets. He scored a season-high 19.8 PPR points, and he now has at least 13.1 PPR points in four of five games this season. This week, Warren doesn't have an easy matchup against the Packers, who are No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. But Jahmyr Gibbs, Quinshon Judkins and Javonte Williams all managed to score at least 15.0 PPR points against Green Bay, and the Packers are one of eight teams to allow at least 35 receptions to running backs this year. Warren should be a significant factor in the passing game, and I would start him as a No. 2 running back in this matchup at home.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Breaks out in TNF loss
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Warren rushed 16 times for 127 yards and brought in four of five targets for 31 yards in the Steelers' 33-31 loss to the Bengals on Thursday night.
Warren came just two yards short of his single-game career high in rushing yards, which he set against the Browns back on Nov. 19, 2023. The versatile back was in outstanding form against a Bengals defense that had been particularly prone to allowing chunk plays on the ground, compiling a season-high yardage total with the help of four runs of 10+ yards and a co-game-long 37-yard scamper. Warren also has at least four catches in three of the last four contests, and Thursday's performance affords him plenty of momentum heading into a Week 8 home showdown against the Packers on Sunday night, Oct. 26.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Start of the Week
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I don't typically use a player from Thursday night as Start of the Week, but I thought Warren was worth it for Week 7. There are still questions about him being at least a No. 2 Fantasy running back in the majority of leagues after what happened in Week 6 against Cleveland, but I expect Warren to dominate the Bengals in this matchup. Warren missed Week 4 against Minnesota with a knee injury, and Kenneth Gainwell had a dominant game with 31.4 PPR points, which is better than anything Warren did this year. After Pittsburgh's bye in Week 5, Warren returned against the Browns with just 11 carries for 52 yards and two catches for 11 yards on two targets. Gainwell had six carries for 22 yards and six catches for 14 yards on six targets against Cleveland, but Warren led the backfield in snaps (31-20). I expect a similar workload for both, and I like Gainwell as a flex in Week 7 (see below). But Warren has top-15 upside in all leagues since Cincinnati is No. 1 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs this year. Eight running backs have scored at least 14.1 PPR points against the Bengals, and Cincinnati has allowed 10 total touchdowns to the position. This should be a great game for Warren, and I expect him to go off on Thursday night.
Warren rushed the ball 11 times for 52 yards in Sunday's 23-9 win over the Browns. He added two receptions on two targets for 11 yards.
Warren returned from a one-game absence caused by a knee injury with his role in question due to competition from Kenneth Gainwell. Warren comfortably led the team with 11 carries, though he gave up a considerable amount of work to Gainwell in the receiving game. He was efficient with his work, but Warren appears to be the leader of a committee in Pittsburgh rather than a true lead back for the time being.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: RBs to Sit
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We have no idea if Warren or Kenneth Gainwell will get the majority of touches in Week 6 against the Browns, but this is a tough matchup for either running back. And with the potential of both splitting touches after what Gainwell did in Week 4 against the Vikings (31.4 PPR points) when Warren (knee) was out, it could be messy for the Steelers. I still prefer Warren, but he's just a flex option at best against Cleveland, which is No. 3 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Given the uncertainty and how good the Browns are against running backs, you're better off sitting Warren and Gainwell if you can.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Logs full practice
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Warren (knee) practiced fully Wednesday.
Warren was inactive for the Steelers' 24-21 win over the Vikings in Dublin on Sept. 28, but following his team's bye week, the running back is poised to return to action Sunday against the Browns. In Warren's absence in Week 4, Kenneth Gainwell carried 19 times for 99 yards and two TDs and caught all six of his targets for 35 yards, an effort that should keep him involved in Pittsburgh's Week 6 offense. However, assuming no setbacks, Warren should reclaim his lead role this weekend. In three games to date, he's logged 43 carries for 132 yards and caught 11 of his 12 targets for 142 yards and a TD.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Present at practice Monday
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Warren (knee) participated in individual drills at Monday's practice, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Warren missed the Steelers' Week 4 game against the Vikings in Ireland and had the Week 5 bye to recover. Pittsburgh isn't required to release an official practice report until Wednesday this week, but Warren's presence on the field Monday would indicate he's closing in on being 100 percent and returning to game action ahead of Sunday's date with the Browns.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Expected to play Week 4
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Warren (rest/knee) is expected to play against the Vikings on Sunday in Dublin, Ireland, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Warren was a limited practice participant all week, with the Steelers citing both 'resting vet' and 'knee' as his injury designations. Even with Trey Sermon being elevated from the practice squad to the active roster, the expectation is that Warren will suit up against Minnesota, though an official announcement will be made approximately 90 minutes before Sunday's 9:30 a.m. kickoff. Kenneth Gainwell would be in line for an uptick in playing time on offense if Warren is unable to play or has his snap count limited, with rookie third-rounder Kaleb Johnson -- who didn't play against the Patriots in Week 3 -- also providing depth out of the Steelers' backfield.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: RBs to Start
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Warren took off as a pass catcher in Week 2 against Seattle with four receptions for 86 yards on four targets. He now has six catches for 108 yards and a touchdown on six targets in two games with Aaron Rodgers, and Warren's role in the passing game could be vital this week at New England. The Patriots struggled to contain De'Von Achane in Week 2 when he had eight catches for 92 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, and Warren will hopefully continue to be a reliable weapon out of the backfield for Rodgers in this game. I also like that Warren had 14 carries for 48 yards against the Seahawks, and Warren is worth using as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues for Week 3.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Makes impact as receiver
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Warren rushed the ball 11 times for 37 yards in Sunday's 34-32 win over the Jets. He added two receptions on two targets for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Warren led the Steelers' backfield as expected, though he only out-carried Kenneth Gainwell 11-7. He had a disastrous first half, recording just four carries for nine yards, but he managed to make an impact in the second half with a long reception of 17 yards late in the third quarter, and he later capped the same drive with a five-yard touchdown catch. Warren managed a decent fantasy performance all told, but he may be reliant on big plays and touchdowns rather than volume, even as the lead back in Pittsburgh.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Sleeper RBs
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Warren signed a two-year contract extension Monday, and coach Mike Tomlin made it clear Warren will be No. 1 on the depth chart ahead of Kaleb Johnson and Kenneth Gainwell going into Week 1 at the Jets. "Certainly, he'll be our feature running back," Tomlin said. "We're not opposed, obviously, to utilizing Kenny G and Kaleb, and I'm sure you'll see them. At what time, and to what degree, will be determined how the game unfolds." Warren should be considered a flex option in most leagues until we see how the touches are distributed, but Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith will hopefully give Warren 15-plus touches in this matchup.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Not on track to play Saturday
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Coach Mike Tomlin noted Thursday that the same players (with the possible exception of LB Nick Herbig) who sat out last weekend's game against the Jaguars -- a group that included Warren -- are not in line to see action in this Saturday's game against the Buccaneers, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com and Teresa Varley of the Steelers' official site report.
Along with Warren, that's a group that includes QB Aaron Rodgers, WRs DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin (abdomen) and TEs Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith (knee). Meanwhile, rookie RB Kaleb Johnson is on track to see snaps Saturday, as he did versus Jacksonville, per Pryor. As the regular season approaches, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic suggests that Warren likely will get the first chance to be the Steelers' lead back early on, but Johnson should remain in the mix, nonetheless, with Kenneth Gainwell on hand as well.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Joined by Kaleb Johnson
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Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said the dynamic between Warren and third-round pick Kaleb Johnson will be different than that between Warren and former teammate Najee Harris.
The 224-pound rookie, drafted 83rd overall, profiles cleanly as a replacement for Harris, but that doesn't necessarily mean it'll be a one-for-one thing with Johnson immediately taking 250-plus carries. Harris topped that number in each of his four seasons in Pittsburgh, despite averaging 4.1 YPC or less every year, in part because he never missed a game and was decent enough at blocking and receiving to stay on the field for some passing downs. Johnson may well prove to be Harris' equal or superior as a runner, but Warren could nonetheless take on a larger role than he had the past few seasons if the Steelers aren't confident in other aspects of Johnson's game. Warren signed a second-round restricted free agent tender a few days before the draft, keeping him under contract for 2025 at $5.35 million -- about the same as what Harris is getting from the Chargers, coincidentally.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Signs RFA tender
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Warren signed his one-year restricted free agent tender with the Steelers on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Warren received a second-round tender in March, which carries a $5.35 million salary for the 2025 season. Signing his tender doesn't necessarily preclude a long-term deal for Warren, but any further negotiations could be impacted by whether the team addresses the running back position during the 2025 NFL Draft. Coach Mike Tomlin expressed confidence Tuesday in Warren's ability to handle lead back duties following the departure of Najee Harris, per Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com.
The Steelers placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on Warren on Monday, Alan Saunders of SteelersNow.com reports.
The Steelers make Warren's second-round RFA tender official, a move that GM Omar Khan foreshadowed in late February. Pittsburgh had the option to place an original-round tender on Warren, which would have given him a $3.19 million salary for 2025 but made it more feasible for teams to offer him a competitive contract. By issuing Warren a second-round tender, the Steelers effectively guarantee he'll remain with the team this season at the cost of a $5.2 million salary, as any team he signed with would have to surrender second-round draft compensation. Najee Harris is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, and his departure would thrust Warren into the No. 1 backfield spot for at least the time being.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Will receive RFA tender
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Steelers GM Omar Khan said Tuesday that Warren will receive a restricted free agent tender and likely stay with the team in 2025, Dale Lolley of the Steelers' official site reports.
The real question is whether Warren gets a second-round tender ($5.2 million) or an original-round tag ($3.19 million). He went undrafted back in 2022, which means the latter wouldn't involve any draft compensation if he signed with another team and the Steelers declined to match the contract offer. A second-round tender, on the other hand, would ensure that Warren stays in Pittsburgh unless he's traded, as no team is going to give up a top-64 pick for the right to hand him a large contract. There's less clarity regarding the future of Najee Harris, who is scheduled for unrestricted free agency after starting his career with four straight seasons of more than 1,000 rushing yards but less than 4.2 yards per carry.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Ends season quietly
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Warren rushed the ball two times for six yards in Saturday's 28-14 loss to the Ravens. He added four receptions on five targets for 19 yards.
The Steelers attempted only 11 total rushes for the game as they were chasing points, though Warren was still outtouched 9-6 and outgained in terms of scrimmage yards 58-25 by Najee Harris. It was a disappointing close to a primarily disappointing season for Warren, as he was derailed by injury for the first six games of the campaign and then worked behind Harris in most games thereafter. Warren will be a restricted free agent this offseason and should have a strong chance of being retained by the Steelers. With Harris a free agent, it's also possible that Warren will be in line for an expanded role with the team in 2025.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: Takes back seat to Harris
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Warren rushed the ball six times for 21 yards in Saturday's 19-17 loss to the Bengals. He did not record a catch on one target.
Warren had been chipping into the role of Najee Harris in recent weeks, though he was out-touched 15-6 by Harris in Saturday's loss. Warren's lack of volume was also the result of game script, as the Steelers' running backs accounted for only four total carries in the final two quarters of the contest as they played from behind. Warren will likely serve as the change-of-pace back in Pittsburgh's opening-round playoff matchup against the Ravens or Texans.
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Steelers' Jaylen Warren: RBs to Start
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Warren is dealing with a rib injury, which is something to keep an eye on, but hopefully, he plays Saturday against the Bengals. I like Warren and Najee Harris as the No. 2 running backs in this game, but I have Warren ranked higher if he's healthy. He's played more snaps than Harris in each of the past four games, and Warren has more touches in the past two outings (33-26). Warren has scored at least 14.2 PPR points in each game over that span, and he has 10 catches for 85 yards and 11 targets against Baltimore and Kansas City. Harris only has three catches for 14 yards on six targets in his past four games, but he was great against the Bengals in Week 13 with 24.9 PPR points. Warren scored 10.4 PPR points against Cincinnati, and eight running backs have reached that mark in the past seven games against the Bengals. This should be a productive game for Warren and Harris in Week 18.
