The Pittsburgh Steelers offense has been the talk of the NFL world this preseason. QB Kenny Pickett has been magnificent in his brief cameos and the offense has been explosive. These two things have grabbed the headlines but an underrated aspect of Pittsburgh’s offense has been the versatility of the Steelers three running backs: Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Anthony McFarland Jr. All three have looked good when they have played and they all can do a lot, yet excel in different areas, which could cause match-up/gameplan problems for defenses.
To start with the lead back Harris, he is a grinder. No, Harris isn’t an explosive player but he can see 25-plus carries in a game and get better as the game goes along. A throwback runner, he’s just a pain in the ass to tackle because he won’t go down. In his fully healthy 2021 season Harris averaged 2.2 yards after contact. He is a bruiser who will make life difficult for other teams even if he isn’t consistently breaking 15-plus yard rushes. With the improved offensive line, and entering the year healthy, he is poised for a great season.
However, what makes Harris so versatile is the fact he can do that but also be valuable in the pass catching game. We saw in 2021 how he was one of QB Ben Roethlisberger’s favorite targets as a checkdown given what he can do after the catch. Don’t forget his impressive route and touchdown catch against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17 last season. He has sure hands and can pick of yards after the catch, and in 2021 he averaged an impressive 6.1 yards after catch. I use 2021 when referencing Harris because last year he was notably unhealthy for almost half the year which clearly impacted his performance and stats.
Moving to RB2 in Jaylen Warren, a fan favorite and like Harris he can do so much. Warren is entering is second year and made the team as an undrafted free agent last year in part due to how good of a pass blocker he is. He used his ability in quarterback protection to become the third down back halfway through the year, and then used his increase role to show how good he is with the ball in is hands.
Last season, Warren averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per carry as he has more “juice” than Harris. Warren showed that juice this preseason with his 62-yard touchdown run. He simply sees the hole and hits it and with the build up of the offensive line this offseason, Warren could be a big beneficiary of it .
As mentioned earlier, Warren is the primary third down back for Pittsburgh due to his pass blocking ability, but he can also catch the ball and does well after the catch. Warren caught 28 passes last year and averaged eight yards after the catch, showing he can be used in the pass game. If Warren is lined up next to the quarterback in the shotgun, defenses won’t be able to be confident he is staying in for protection, going out for a pass, or running the football. His presence isn’t a tick off to the defense even if he isn’t the primary back, he can do everything Harris can do and even does some thing better than him.
Finally, we get to the the Steelers likely RB3, Anthony McFarland Jr. McFarland was drafted in 2020 and has struggled to have an impact in Pittsburgh so far, yet this year he has had his best preseason to date. He has broken multiple big runs and has scored two touchdowns showcasing his best rushing ability to date. When drafted McFarland was known for his speed and he can be a change of pace back for Pittsburgh. While Warren does have some juice, he is no where close to as fast as the 4.44 speed McFarland has. With the best offensive line in front of him in his young career, if McFarland gets the ball in space, watch out.
But while McFarland is known for his speed and he isn’t physical like Harris or Warren, he can still prove to be a match up/game plan issue for defenses. McFarland has seen snaps in the slot an his speed there can be a mismatch. In addition, he is obviously a threat in the screen game and draw game if he gets lined up next to the quarterback in the gun. But, despite his speed he isn’t a “tell” like WR/RB Dri Archer was back in the day. When Archer was in the game everyone knew the play was designed for him, McFarland isn’t a one trick pony like Archer. While he isn’t as versatile as Harris and Warren, he is capable of doing enough different things to keep defenses honest.
If offensive coordinator Matt Canada wants to get freaky with this running back room he can. In training camp Pittsburgh has used Pony sets, meaning two running backs next to the quarterback. Given the running backs the Steelers have are so versatile defenses really will have no idea which running back will do what. In addition, the playbook doesn’t really have to change if Warren is in the game compared to Harris or vice versa. And while McFarland is the least versatile of the three, he can still do a lot and his speed will keep defenses honest and scared of what he may do if he is given the ball.
The highlights of the Steelers preseason are rightfully how well Pickett has played and how explosive the offense has been, but what could play a big part in the Steelers taking a leap is their running game. It is what they emphasized last year and it is most likely their game plan this year. With the versatility of the running backs, Matt Canada never has to show his hand on what the Steelers are running no matter who trots out there.
The Steelers were way too predictable last year. This year, they don’t have to be and their running backs could be a match up and game plan nightmare for opponents due to what they all can do.
