The Pittsburgh Steelers have a dynamic duo in the backfield with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. The two backs are coming off of successful 2023 campaigns where they both eclipsed 1,000 total yards. This upcoming season will see an even more run-heavy offensive scheme under new Offensive Coordinator, Arthur Smith, so Harris and Warren will be even more important now than they've been in past seasons with a heavier workload. Smith's offense will need a strong run game to set quarterback Russell Wilson up to perform in the play-action pass game when they need to push the ball downfield.
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Steelers' Russell Wilson talking with Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith.
Harris has been Pittsburgh's lead back since he was drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Alabama. The expectation was for Harris to be a bell cow from the start, but Warren has since busted onto the scene and demanded more touches with his play. Harris has still been a very productive back through his first three seasons in the Steel City, as he's ran for over 1,000 yards in each season. Harris is getting less carries every season, and it has more to do with Warren's talent than Harris' lack of.
Mike DeFabo of The Athletic wrote about the Steelers' situation in the running back room and how Warren is making a case for more touches.
"For years, the Steelers featured one bell cow back carrying a heavy workload. However, in recent years, that power balance has shifted."
That shift started in 2022 when the undrafted running back Warren showed his skill set and capability to take some of the load off of Harris. DeFabo acknowledged that Harris isn't being pushed out of the lineup, but Warren is pushing the team towards more of a committee.
"With a quick first step and excellent pass protection skills, Warren has continued to make his case for more. In part because of his ascension and in part to preserve Harris for later in the season."
Harris finished the 2023 season on a very strong note. In each of the last three seasons, Harris has made a major impact towards the end of the season and it's super important to keep a big, bruising running back healthy when the road gets tougher. While Harris and Warren are both good backs, they're completely different and complement each other very well. Warren and Harris are both very strong, but Warren has a burst that Harris just doesn't possess.
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris running the ball during a game.
The Steelers' Running Back Duo Will Benefit From An Improved Offensive Line
General Manager Omar Khan was very aggressive to add offensive line help via the NFL Draft. Khan used Pittsburgh's first two selections in 2024 on tackle Troy Fautanu and center Zach Frazier. Both of the rookie offensive linemen have a serious shot to be in the starting lineup Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. The last two seasons, the offensive line play and offensive output in general has been poor for Pittsburgh's standards. Harris and Warren still being able to put up good numbers with that offense says a lot about their talents.
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Steelers' 2024 first round pick, Troy Fautanu gets introduced as a Pittsburgh Steeler by Art Rooney II.
Harris had almost 100 less touches in 2023 than he did in his rookie season, the year before Warren became a Steeler. We don't know if his number of carries will continue to decline, but he might not even have to take a step back to get Warren more touches.
Smith's offense should see an increase in run percentage as opposed to Matt Canada's offense. Even if the run percentage stays similar, the two backs could end up getting more touches just by being a part of a more effective offense. More first downs and points on the board equals more offensive plays and less of a chance to be in a position where the offense is forced to throw the ball because they're losing late in a game.
Do you think Warren will take over as the featured back? Let us know in the comments below!
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