Pittsburgh Steelers RB Anthony McFarland Jr. wasn’t widely expected to secure a spot on the team’s opening 53-man roster heading into training camp, but McFarland was able to win the No. 3 running back job. It doesn’t seem like the team is going to go outside the organization either, making McFarland’s job safe for now. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talked about what he saw out of McFarland that allowed him to make the roster.
“Continual growth. Playmaking, one-on-one playmaking, he has a distinguishing trait that kind of distinguishes him from his position group. He won in space more than others,” Tomlin said via Steelers.com. He’s a challenge in the passing game, probably presents more of a challenge than some others. And so distinguishing varsity traits are things that have been his calling card that allowed him to succeed.”
McFarland’s speed sets him apart in Pittsburgh’s backfield, making him a nice potential change-of-pace back behind Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris. And McFarland’s shown he can be a contributor in the passing game, with six receptions on nine targets in 89 offensive snaps as a rookie.
His downfall has been his inability to contribute on special teams, but he was far and away the best third running back option on the roster this preseason and also worked as a kick returner. While he might not retain the kick return job heading into the regular season, McFarland clearly showed enough even as just a running back to impress Tomlin and make the roster.
It’ll be interesting to see the type of role McFarland has this season. His speed could make him a bit of a gadget for the Steelers, even in a small role. He won’t play more than Harris or Warren, but he becomes a really important piece if one of them has to miss time. McFarland is going to have to stay ready and produce like a runner the way he did in the preseason.
McFarland ran for 75 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries usually behind the second-team offensive line, and he also caught three passes for 23 yards. He was an impact player when he was on the field in all three games, and hopefully he’s finally hitting his stride after being a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
It’s good to see McFarland continue to grow, and his speed and ability to win in space and as a receiver could end up giving him more of a role than expected in 2023. We’ll see if McFarland can play well enough to take on a bigger role now and potentially in the future.
