Pittsburgh Steelers rookie RB Kaleb Johnson is entering his first training camp in the NFL with a big opportunity. Other than RB Jaylen Warren, there just aren’t many proven running backs on the Steelers’ roster. Johnson is a rookie, but the Steelers invested a third-round pick in him. He was their second pick of the draft.
So, could Kaleb Johnson be the Steelers’ starting running back Week 1 against the New York Jets? Or will he simply be a big part of the overall picture at the position? That’s the question reporter Brian Batko fielded Monday on the North Shore Drive Podcast.
“I don’t think he will overtake Jaylen Warren by Week 1,” Batko said. “I think from that standpoint, yes, large chunk of the committee and an ample opportunity to prove himself going into Week 1 at the Jets is sort of the best-case scenario for Kaleb Johnson.”
Under head coach Mike Tomlin, the Steelers often defer to veteran players to begin the season. And there is no one on the roster more experienced than Jaylen Warren right now. Even as a former undrafted free agent, Warren has more carries at the NFL level than any other option on the roster. He’s carried the ball 346 times in his three seasons in the league. Trey Sermon, who has four years in the league, only has 134 rushing attempts. Kenneth Gainwell has 280 in four years.
That’s not a ton of carries across the other three top running backs on the roster. Jaylen Warren will certainly be a big part of what the Steelers do in 2025. And he’s helping Kaleb Johnson with his pass protection.
But Batko says Kaleb Johnson has arguably the best chance of any Steelers rookie to make an impact this upcoming season. He can see Johnson taking advantage of that before the midpoint of the season.
“Having said that, as far as just the way his rookie season can play out, Kaleb Johnson, maybe more so than any other Steelers rookie, should aim high and can aim high,” Batko said. “I think there’s very much a chance if he’s running well right out of the gate, by the end of the first month of the season, maybe he does become the de facto starter.”
The Steelers obviously have high hopes for Johnson. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have drafted him in the third round. He ran for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2024 at Iowa, along with another 188 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Batko doesn’t expect Johnson to start Week 1 against the Jets, but he wouldn’t be surprised if he earns the spot early in the 2025 season.
