Can Jaylen Warren Handle the Steelers’ Rising Expectations as Najee Harris Walks Away?

Jaylen Warren is gearing up to step into some seriously big shoes this season for the Steelers. With Najee Harris — last year’s top rusher — off to new pastures via free agency, the burden of carrying the ground game falls squarely on Warren’s shoulders. Back in 2024, Warren was the backup, tallying 120 carries for 511 yards and snagging a touchdown. But this year? The Steelers are counting on him to be the workhorse. When asked if Warren was ready for the uptick in workload, Coach Mike Tomlin didn’t hesitate — “Certainly.” Warren’s offseason prep reflects this shift, focusing on longevity over old-school grit, adapting his training to stay fresh and available — because, as the saying goes, that’s the best ability to have. With nearly half of last season’s 533 carries lost alongside Harris, and new QB Aaron Rodgers not exactly known for rushing, the onus is on Warren to fill a massive void. And from where I stand, the guy’s got exactly what it takes. LEARN MORE

“I approached this offseason differently,” Warren said, via Steelers.com. “I did a lot more things for longevity wise, instead of my old-school training like just getting the cleats on and running 30 hills. I had to adapt. This game is about longevity. And like they say, the best ability is availability.”Warren said he has “no doubt” that he can pick up the slack.Steelers running back Jaylen Warren needs to be ready for a lot of carries this season.Warren said his whole offseason has been about getting ready for a big workload.Last season, the Steelers ran the ball 533 times in 17 games, and Harris had 263 of them, or just under half. Quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson combined for 105, and they’ve been replaced by Aaron Rodgers, who doesn’t run as often. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said when you lose half your carries, a running back needs to step up.

“Generally you’ve got 500-plus carries in a regular season,” Smith said. “You’re talking about 1,100 snaps. You would like to be on the plus side of 500. That means you’re in more four-minute. Let’s leave it at 500 carries to divvy up. That’s kind of where you’re at. Then obviously losing Naj, Naj for four years here, he was very durable, and that’s a lot of missing carries.”Last year’s leading rusher, Najee Harris, left in free agency. Warren was the Steelers’ No. 2 back in 2024, with 120 carries for 511 yards and one touchdown, and this year Pittsburgh plans to let him carry the load. When asked if Warren can handle more touches, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin answered, “Certainly.”