Kaleb Johnson Fantasy Stats

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson handled just two carries for three yards in Thursday night's preseason win over the Green Bay Packers. Johnson, a third-round pick in last year's NFL Draft, doesn't appear to have won over Pittsburgh's new coaching staff just yet, as he didn't enter the contest until late in the third quarter. Although he was listed as the team's RB3 on the updated depth chart released earlier this week, Johnson played behind veterans Travis Homer and Lew Nichols and was out-touched by rookie running back Eli Heidenreich in the second half. Johnson could see an uptick in opportunities as the preseason continues, but it's becoming increasingly unlikely that he will have a meaningful role in the offense this season behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. While he remains worth stashing in deeper dynasty formats, Johnson is off the fantasy radar for redraft purposes.

PennLive.com's Nick Farabaugh reported that Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson is still getting kick return work in practice. Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said he has been pleased with Johnson's special teams play, including as a returner. Johnson will likely need to stand out on special teams to earn carries on offense. The Steelers drafted the 23-year-old in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft as a potential replacement for Najee Harris, and he quickly became a trendy sleeper in fantasy football leagues. However, Johnson was phased out of the offense and finished with 69 rushing yards on 28 carries in 10 games. There was optimism he could become a main back in his second season, but that faded after the team signed Rico Dowdle early in the offseason. Johnson will remain a dynasty stash for the foreseeable future but can be dropped if managers need extra roster space.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson earned a third-down rep with the first-team offense on Friday, as pointed out by Steelers beat writer Nick Farabaugh. Friday's session was a low-intensity walk-through, so Johnson's work with the starting offense carries less signal than it might in a full-padded practice, but his dynasty managers will surely welcome any signs of momentum gained. Johnson was a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft but disappointed as a rookie with only 69 rushing yards on 28 carries. He now looks for a clean slate with a brand new coaching staff, and while he remains firmly behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle on the depth chart, his presence in a situational third-down role should be viewed with encouragement in a Steelers offense likely to continue featuring its backs in the passing game. Johnson is outside RotoBaller's top 300 players for 2026 and has fallen to RB57 in the latest dynasty rankings.

After being selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson's rookie season was a major disappointment. Johnson spent the entire year as the Steelers' RB3, recording 78 scrimmage yards on 29 touches across 10 games. Entering 2026, Johnson once again projects to open the year third on Pittsburgh's running back depth chart, behind veteran backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. However, the Steelers have a new coaching staff in place with Mike McCarthy replacing Mike Tomlin, which could provide Johnson with the clean slate he needs to get his NFL career back on track. The 23-year-old demonstrated a three-down skill set during his college career at the University of Iowa, recording 1,725 yards from scrimmage and 23 touchdowns across 12 games for the Hawkeyes in 2024. With his value at a low point, rebuilding dynasty managers may want to look to buy low on Johnson.

A third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson was unable to carve out a meaningful role in his team's offense as a rookie. Johnson spent the season stuck behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell on the Steelers' running back depth chart and finished the year with just 28 carries across 10 games played. While Gainwell departed Pittsburgh in free agency, the team replaced him with former Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle. As a result, Johnson once again appears likely to be limited to RB3 duties for the Steelers in 2026. However, he'll get a chance to work with a new coaching staff in his second NFL season, which could be the clean slate that Johnson needs to revitalize his pro career. The 22-year-old recorded over 1,500 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns across 12 games in his final collegiate season at Iowa, so he has some untapped rushing potential. For dynasty managers in the midst of a rebuild, Johnson could be worth targeting as a buy-low trade candidate.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson was a third-round pick in a 2025 NFL Draft billed for its running back talent, and while several players from his class were able to deliver promising rookie campaigns, Johnson's was one to forget. The most memorable moment of his first season was arguably a kickoff return blunder early in the year that gifted the Seahawks a touchdown and landed Johnson in Mike Tomlin's doghouse. With an entirely new coaching staff in Pittsburgh for 2026, Johnson will look to put a disappointing rookie season, in which he touched the ball fewer than 30 times on offense and averaged only 2.5 yards per carry, squarely behind him. However, the Steelers also replaced leading pass-catching back Kenneth Gainwell with the more well-rounded Rico Dowdle, forming a formidable pair of do-everything backs with fifth-year veteran Jaylen Warren and further obscuring Johnson's path to playing time. Still yet to turn 23 years old, Johnson remains a hold at least throughout training camp, but barring an injury ahead of him or an unexpected new home, RotoBaller's dynasty RB57 will need to be seriously looked at as a cut candidate only one year after coming off the board in the first round of many rookie drafts.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson was seen lining up in the backfield with the first team offense during an OTA team period on Monday, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor. A third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Johnson recorded just 78 scrimmage yards on 29 touches across 10 games as a rookie. Johnson enters 2026 as the RB3 in Pittsburgh behind veteran backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. However, he'll have the benefit of a fresh start with a new coaching staff in Pittsburgh and could have a chance to work his way into a larger role. While fantasy managers should not overreact to a team session in May, Johnson's training camp progress could be worth monitoring over the summer months.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson was an interesting target in dynasty leagues going into his rookie season in 2025 after the Steelers took the Iowa product with the 83rd overall pick in the third round last April, but he ended up being mothballed behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. The 22-year-old only saw 28 rushing attempts for 69 yards (2.5 yards per tote) and added a measly one reception on two targets for nine yards in 10 games played. Johnson got off on the wrong foot with former head coach Mike Tomlin and his coaching staff after an inexcusable special teams blunder early in the season, and he just wasn't trusted in either the running or passing game out of the backfield with both Warren and Gainwell being a nice one-two punch. Gainwell is now gone, but the Steelers added Rico Dowdle in free agency, so Johnson figures to enter his sophomore campaign in the Steel City as the RB3, at best. Perhaps new head coach Mike McCarthy will utilize him more in 2026, but as things currently stand, Johnson's dynasty stock has fallen considerably. He's RotoBaller's No. 56 dynasty back, behind former Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco, who is now in Detroit.

A third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson failed to carve out a role in his team's offense as a rookie. Across 10 games played, the 22-year-old recorded just 28 carries for 69 yards. He spent the year buried on the Steelers' running back depth chart behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. While Gainwell departed Pittsburgh in free agency, the team brought in former Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle to replace him. As a result, Johnson appears to remain stuck in the RB3 role in Pittsburgh heading into 2026. While Johnson showed dynasty managers little reason for optimism in 2025, there would be little point in selling him now when his value is at its lowest. Johnson has the advantage of working with an entirely new Steelers coaching staff in 2026, which could provide him with the fresh start he needs. If Johnson can be had for pennies on the dollar, deep-league dynasty managers may want to consider buying very low on him.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson will be given opportunities to establish himself as a key part of the team's offense in 2026, according to head coach Mike McCarthy. "I am aware of their past experiences, but this is like a Catholic operation, and you say three Hail Marys and everybody has a clean slate and let's get to work," McCarthy said regarding Johnson (via Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com). The veteran head coach also explained that he's going to "challenge [Johnson] to be a three-down player and a special teamer" going forward. The former third-round pick mostly played on special teams as a rookie last year, amassing just 29 touches and 78 scrimmage yards on offense. The Steelers already have Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle in their backfield, but it sounds like Johnson will have an opportunity to prove that he deserves more touches in Year 2. Dynasty managers in deeper leagues should hold Johnson for now. In shallower leagues, it's perfectly appropriate to drop him, despite McCarthy's optimistic comments.