Jaylen Warren

Warren is the perfect RB2 for a modern NFL offense because his adeptness on passing downs gives him a sixth-man sort of presence despite playing off the bench, and he can do a good short-term impression of an RB1 if the starter gets injured. The difficulty with Warren in 2025 was that he was forced to work as the RB1 too often, overworking him slightly as he took on more and bigger hits than he was previously accustomed to. Kaleb Johnson proved unable to earn playing time at all and Kenneth Gainwell could only withstand in-space functions, so Warren was forced to do more dirty work and more power running than would normally suit him. Because his rushing workload increased so substantially the Steelers were forced to limit his pass-catching activity, which badly sapped Warren's weekly fantasy upside while Gainwell regularly poached valuable touches, especially as a receiver. Gainwell was targeted at a blistering pace -- 85 times on 514 snaps -- but because Warren was worn out from heavy lifting as a runner Warren was only able to draw 45 targets on 489 snaps. The arrival of free agent Rico Dowdle dictates a reduction in Warren's carry count relative to 2025, but the departure of Gainwell means that Warren could be the heir to Gainwell's heavy receiving workload while striking a happier medium as a runner. Think maybe something like 150 carries instead of the 211 from last year, but with the opportunity to breeze past 60 receptions after catching only 40 in 2025. A workload with fewer carries should ultimately prove more sustainable for Warren. Read Past Outlooks