Traditionally, the Pittsburgh Steelers have used a workhorse back. A lone leader, someone soaking up all the carries and snaps. Not this year. With two talented players in Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, each bringing their own unique skillset, the Steelers reportedly plan to lean on both players in today’s opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the two will split carries this afternoon.
“Of course, Najee Harris is going to be the starter, gonna get first- and second-down snaps. Jaylen Warren, third-down snaps,” Rapoport said via NFL.com’s Jeremy Bergman. “But Warren is expected to get a little more first- and second-down snaps than usual, splitting carries in Pittsburgh.”
Warren serving as the team’s third down back comes as no surprise. It’s a role he’s held since Week 5 of last season, quickly becoming one o the NFL’s better pass protectors and a way to keep Harris fresher. The question has always been the first and second down splits. Warren was expected to receive snaps there and Rapoport doesn’t define what a “little more” than usual means but it sounds like there will be a clear rotation on early downs.
On first and second down last season, Harris recorded 263 carries to Warren’s 73. Even after the bye, that split stayed the same, Warren seeing about 20 percent of the early down work. That’ll be a handy measuring stick to compare to in today’s game.
Pittsburgh will look for run game traction against a San Francisco 49ers’ front that’s hard to run on. Last year, they led the league by allowing just 3.4 yards per carry, no run longer than 25 yards, and just 23 runs of 10 or more yards. And they added former Steeler DT Javon Hargrave as another interior threat.
The Steelers’ offseason model has been built around creating a strong running game. That philosophy helped create a second half surge last season,, going 7-2 after their bye, turning their year around, and nearly making the playoffs. Pittsburgh kept building on that approach by adding Isaac Seumalo to play left guard, drafting rookie tight end Darnell Washington, and even trading for wide receiver Allen Robinson as an effective slot receiver blocker. But yards won’t come easy today.
Of course, we’ll be tracking the Steelers splits and carries today. For Harris and Warren, as long as the offense is successful and the team wins, they won’t care what their splits are. Fantasy owners, on the other hand, might be a bit more perturbed.
