Jaylen Warren Fantasy Stats

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has developed into one of the league's most well-rounded backs, topping 300 receiving yards in three straight seasons and 1,100 yards from scrimmage in two of three. Whether paired with a bruiser like Najee Harris or a pass-catching specialist like Kenny Gainwell, Warren has shown a knack for filling in wherever needed and often excelling while doing so. Now slated to share a backfield with a similar jack-of-all-trades in Rico Dowdle, there is an opportunity for both backs to produce in Mike McCarthy's up-tempo offense. Dowdle has rushed for 1,000 yards at each of his last two stops with the Panthers and Cowboys and has familiarity with McCarthy's system. Still, with Warren having already earned the trust of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the incumbent could have an early advantage in any workload split, and his reliability to always do the right thing will make snaps difficult to take away. Both players represent excellent value in the middle rounds of 2026 drafts, and as the current RB27 by ADP, Warren has the opportunity to greatly outperform expectations after his RB16 finish a year ago in a not dissimilar situation.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren is listed as the RB1 ahead of newcomer Rico Dowdle on the team's first preseason depth chart, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. Depth charts, especially preseason ones, must always be taken with a grain of salt. This is especially true for Pittsburgh's backfield in a new offense in 2026 under head coach Mike McCarthy, who has already been mum on naming a "starting" RB between Warren and Dowdle. The 27-year-old Warren had a career-high 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 211 carries in 2025 in his fourth year in the league, adding 40 receptions for 333 yards and another two TDs as a receiver in 16 regular-season games. Dowdle's arrival most likely will mean a reduction in carries for the former undrafted free agent from Oklahoma State, but Warren could make up for it with more receiving work now that pass-catching back Kenny Gainwell is in Tampa. Warren is trending as a more attractive RB3/flex target for fantasy managers in PPR leagues in 2026.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren saw more work with the first-team offense during Monday's practice, according to Nick Farabaugh. It is worth noting in a backfield expected to feature both Warren and offseason addition Rico Dowdle, though one practice does not mean the competition has shifted. Steelers running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. said this spring that the team wants to keep both backs fresh and expects the weekly split to depend on the game plan. Warren is coming off the best season of his career, rushing 211 times for 958 yards and six touchdowns while catching 40 passes for 333 yards and two scores in 16 games. He started 15 contests and finished with 1,291 yards from scrimmage. Monday's usage is encouraging for Warren's fantasy outlook, but Dowdle should remain involved after topping 1,000 rushing yards for Carolina last season. The backfield still looks likely to be shared, with future practices offering a better indication of whether Warren can separate.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren is "probably" the team's RB1A "for now," according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. Warren had his most productive season as a pro in 2025, recording 1,291 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns on 251 touches across 16 games. However, the Steelers signed running back Rico Dowdle, who has recorded back-to-back 1,000-rushing-yard seasons, to a two-year deal in free agency. Per DeFabo, Warren has been "getting every first rep," but the Steelers are also "quickly and consistently rotating" through Warren, Dowdle, and second-year back Kaleb Johnson. While it seems likely that Warren will operate as part of a committee backfield in Pittsburgh this season, the 27-year-old still looks to be on track to be the nominal starter for the Steelers. RotoBaller currently ranks Warren as the RB31 for redraft leagues entering 2026.

DK Pittsburgh Sports reports that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle got reps ahead of Jaylen Warren in training camp practice on Thursday, which was the opposite of Wednesday. However, both RBs took reps with the first-team offense. Warren lost considerable pass-catching work to Kenny Gainwell in 2025, but he still managed a career-high 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 211 carries while adding 40 receptions for 333 yards and another two TDs as a receiver in 16 regular-season games in his fourth year in the NFL. Gainwell is gone, with Dowdle taking his place in Pittsburgh's backfield alongside Warren. With Dowdle now in the picture, Warren's rushing workload will likely take a hit, but he could replace that volume with more work as a pass-catcher, and we all know how veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers loves to dump off the football late in his career. This could be a true even split between Warren and Dowdle in 2026, with RotoBaller ranking Dowdle as the No. 30 overall fantasy RB, and Warren at No. 31. Warren should have slightly more upside as an RB3/flex option in PPR formats.

Pittsburgh Steelers 27-year-old running back out of Oklahoma State, Jaylen Warren, finds himself in another timeshare backfield in 2026, even after the Steelers moved on from Kenny Gainwell and brought in 28-year-old Rico Dowdle. Warren finished the 2025 season as the RB16, with 211 carries for 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He contributed through the air as well, hauling in 40 of his 45 targets for 333 yards and two touchdowns. It was Warren's best season of his professional career, which spans four years. New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy and Dowdle spent time together in Dallas in 2024, and Dowdle has now put together back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards and five or more total touchdowns. Warren figures to maintain his primary role as the pass-catching back; however, the goal-line work and the timeshare between the two will be sorted out as training camp continues. Neither back is expected to take the lion's share of work, making both backs valuable in what figures to be a run-heavy, short, intermediate passing offense with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers still under center. Warren remains a valuable fantasy asset in both redraft and dynasty formats heading into the 2026 season.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren continues to produce despite his ADP over the last few seasons. Warren has exceeded expectations and doesn't seem to be getting the credit he deserves. This past season, Warren rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and scored six touchdowns on 211 carries. He also hauled in 40 receptions for 333 yards and an additional two scores through the air. That performance landed him the RB16 spot in half-PPR leagues. Given his success, Warren will likely continue to see a similar usage next season. The Steelers did bring in Rico Dowdle to help take the load off Warren on the ground. The 27-year-old should still be a popular target for Aaron Rodgers, so the addition of Dowdle shouldn't threaten Warren's overall value too much. Dynasty managers should feel comfortable sliding in Warren as their RB2.

Despite two top 25 finishes in the past three seasons, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has never seen a preseason ADP inside the top 30 running backs, and that continues to be the case heading into 2026. Warren is currently the consensus RB30 following his RB16 finish in 2025. With the Steelers committing $5 million in guaranteed money to free agent Rico Dowdle, Warren's weekly ceiling appears capped in what could be close to a 50/50 workload split, though he is no stranger to sharing the Pittsburgh backfield. His career-best season came with teammate Kenneth Gainwell trailing only Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, and Jahmyr Gibbs in running back receptions, while his RB25 finish in 2023 saw him end the year more than 100 carries behind Najee Harris. Dowdle perhaps represents his most well-rounded running mate to date, but nothing the fourth-year player can do should be enough to keep Warren off the field and away from his own fantasy-relevant touches. Capable of matching ADP expectations in a true committee split, Warren's upside far exceeds that of other backs taken in his range when considering the full backfield takeover that could befall him in the event of an injury to Dowdle, and he represents some of the best value from the middle rounds of 2026 drafts.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren is down to 205 pounds for OTAs and is "looking slimmer," per Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Warren was listed at 215 pounds for the 2025 season. The 27-year-old set career-highs across the board last season for the Steelers, finishing the year with 1,291 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns on 251 touches across 16 games (15 starts). Entering 2026, Warren projects to split backfield reps with new Steelers running back Rico Dowdle, who was signed to a two-year contract in March. Dowdle profiles as more of a downhill, short-yardage back, so Warren's weight loss could be a sign that the team wants him to focus on shiftiness for an open-field, pass-catching role. Both Pittsburgh running backs profile as mid-tier RB3/flex options entering 2026.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren is arguably one of the biggest beneficiaries of the team's reunion with 21-year veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. With the sides agreeing to a one-year deal worth up to $25 million on Saturday, target distribution in the Steelers' new-look offense could bear a striking resemblance to that of 2025. While personnel tendencies are expected to shift dramatically away from Arthur Smith's heavy usage of multi-tight end sets, who the ball gets thrown to will still be determined by the 42-year-old Rodgers. In 2025, with Rodgers seemingly unwilling to hold the ball any longer than necessary, his running backs were targeted 126 times across his 16 starts, second only to the 49ers. Kenneth Gainwell and his 73 receptions were allowed to walk in free agency, and in replacing him with Rico Dowdle, whose 39 catches in 2025 matched a career high, Warren should serve as Rodgers' primary pass-catching back. At RotoBaller's dynasty RB30, Warren is perennially one of the more underrated assets in the game, and the 27-year-old former undrafted free agent has a realistic shot at another RB2 finish after ending the 2025 season as the RB16 in Half-PPR formats.