Through two games, RB Jaylen Warren is the only one of the Steelers’ three-headed monster with any fangs. Currently, he ranks 15th in the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 193 yards. If anything, his work is calling out for a bigger role, especially relative to others. Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers agrees, once again praising the fourth-year back.
“He’s kind of what I thought from afar”, Rodgers said of Warren earlier this week, via the Steelers’ website. “I think the biggest compliment I could give him is, when you’re behind a four-straight 1,000-yard rusher, you’re seen as a ‘change-up back’. He’s a guy who could be a No. 1 back on any team in the league. I’m really thankful for him”.
This offseason, the Steelers moved on from four-year starter RB Najee Harris. Initially signing Jaylen Warren to a second-round restricted tender, they’ve since signed him to a two-year extension. Despite the disparity in pay in the running back room, he still isn’t dictating the No. 1 workload.
Warren has played 61 snaps in the Steelers’ first two games, amounting to just 52 percent of the total. Although rookie third-round pick Kaleb Johnson has barely played, it is Kenneth Gainwell who is seeing a substantial amount of playing time. He has 56 snaps to date, just five fewer than Warren.
Although Steelers HC Mike Tomlin has said he is certain Warren can handle a greater workload, they have thus far declined to place the burden on his shoulders. Part of the issue is that game circumstances have precluded them from running as much as they would like. For example, they rank 30th in rushing attempts with just 41 collectively.
Warren has 25 of those attempts, rushing for 85 yards. While his 3.4-yard rushing average looks underwhelming at best, one has to look at it situationally. Despite the low efficiency, he is producing a 56-percent run success rate, the highest run success rate of his career. In other words, he is producing successful plays for the offense.
Of course, Jaylen Warren also contributes to the passing game. He has six receptions so far for 108 yards. His 65-yard catch-and-run—the longest passing play of the NFL season so far—earned specific praise from Rodgers.
Still, Rodgers’ praise of saying Warren could be a top back anywhere in the league is—ambitious. Perhaps he didn’t quite mean he would start for every team, and in fact, surely he did not. Saquon Barkley still exists, after all, the last time I checked. But it speaks to his confidence in what he has seen Warren do so far in a Steelers uniform.
