The Pittsburgh Steelers may be without rookie running back Jaylen Warren for Week 12’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. Speaking during his weekly Tuesday press conference, Mike Tomlin outlined the injuries the team is dealing with heading into Monday night’s game. Tomlin noted the same three injured players he discussed following this past Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
RB Jaylen Warren (hamstring)
WR Miles Boykin (oblique)
C Mason Cole (foot)
Tomlin said Warren’s hamstring is not “significant” but he may not play in Week 12.
“Miles Boykin wasn’t able to finish the game with an oblique or abdominal injury,” he said via the team’s YouTube channel. “We’ll see where this week leads us from a participation standpoint…same thing with Jaylen Warren. Not a significant hamstring but his availability is in question.”
Boykin and Warren were hurt early in Sunday’s loss. Without Warren, Najee Harris played a season-high 92% of the offense’s snaps and only gave up a couple of snaps to Benny Snell, seeing his first offensive action on the year. If Warren can’t play, Snell will bump to the #2 while the team is likely to add a third running back, perhaps elevating RB Anthony McFarland. McFarland has been on the team’s practice squad all season long.
Cole left Sunday’s game before halftime but Tomlin is optimistic will return for the Colts’ game, though he noted Cole is likely to miss time early in the week.
“There’s a decent level of confidence he’s going to come through the other side of it and be available to us at the end of the week.”
If Cole can’t play, J.C. Hassenauer will replace him. Cole has battled a foot injury all season long but will likely tough it out Monday night as he’s done for most of the year.
Tomlin did not mention CB Ahkello Witherspoon, who missed the Bengals’ game with a hamstring injury. He’s only played one half of football since Week 3.
