Will Kenneth Gainwell steal more of Jaylen Warren’s snaps?
After Kenneth Gainwell had the best game by a Steelers running back this season, speculation has begun regarding his playing time. He had already seen a decent amount of playing time in the first three weeks, though that appeared to be changing. With Jaylen Warren missing the Dublin game, however, the Steelers rode Gainwell—and successfully.
On 19 carries, Gainwell rushed for 99 yards, scoring two touchdowns. Most notable is the fact that he recorded 15 successful runs, even if his unsuccessful runs came in more notable moments. That included an unsuccessful 4th-and-goal carry that, frankly, wasn’t a great play call in my estimation. He also caught six passes for another 35 yards, his first game with 100-plus yards from scrimmage.
Throughout their careers, both Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren have been backups. They each set new career highs in single-game touches this season already. While Gainwell had the best rushing day by a back this season, that has a lot to do with the offensive line.
Presumably, if the line is improving, it can block just as well for either back. The Steelers also used a lot of heavy formations with an extra offensive lineman to block. In theory, this should be good news for both Warren and Gainwell—and Kaleb Johnson.
Even though the Steelers signed Warren to an extension, they always intended to use a full complement in the backfield. Johnson’s early struggles made that more difficult, but he showed some positive signs on Sunday. What will the snap distribution look like on the other side of the bye?
One hopes that the Steelers are in a position to ride the hot hand, whoever it might be. That might be a tough ask for Johnson, who did drop his one target in the passing game Sunday. But between Warren and Gainwell, perhaps whoever is hitting most of his touches should go until he is tired.
After another disappointing season and months of retooling, the Steelers are set to try it all again in 2025. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. They settled in on Aaron Rodgers, but we still have a lot to learn about him. The 2025 NFL Draft class could play a big role, but veteran additions like Jalen Ramsey will be paramount.
Now we are in the regular season. From Rodgers to George Pickens to Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ramsey, we’ve seen the Steelers make some big changes. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and figuring out how it all works out.
