Steelers RB Jaylen Warren to see More Playing Time?
Fresh off their Week 9 bye, the 2-6 Pittsburgh Steelers could be looking to shake things up on offense, particularly in the backfield. According to NFL.com, backup running back Jaylen Warren is expected to earn more playing time.
When asked if Warren could eventually supplant starter Najee Harris, head coach Mike Tomlin didn’t exactly rule it out, saying:
“You know he’s [Warren] a quality back that’s made some plays. We’ll keep giving him an opportunity to do so, and maybe he’ll write that script.”
After a promising rookie campaign, Harris has found the going tough in 2022, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry on 108 attempts. Conversely, Warren has made the most of his limited opportunities, rushing for 152 yards on 29 carries (5.3 AVG) while demonstrating a hard-nosed running style.
Tomlin was also asked if Harris’s preseason Lisfranc injury could be the source of the 24-year-old’s struggles, to which he replied:
“To what degree, I don’t know,” said Tomlin. “He’s playing, and so obviously he’s healthy enough to play. I’ll let him speak to that…But both guys [Harris and Warren] have been available to us. We’ve gotten some awesome contributions from Jaylen, and it’s reasonable to expect that to continue.”
A consensus first-round pick in 2022 fantasy leagues, Harris’s rest-of-season outlook is looking dim. Meanwhile, Warren could soon enter the FLEX conversation if the undrafted free agent continues to impress Pittsburgh’s coaching staff.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Steelers as +2.5 home underdogs on the spread and +112 on the moneyline.
