The Pittsburgh Steelers are four games into the 2026 season and are 2-2. So far, the team has been inconsistent, with neither side of the ball complementing the other on a regular basis. With the new coaching staff, early struggles are expected, and the team is still figuring out the offense's focal point. The offense has struggled, but Jaylen Warren has been one of the unit's few bright spots, making plays not only as a runner, but also as a pass catcher.
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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) runs during the first quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium.
In the first two weeks, Warren split touches with free-agent addition Rico Dowdle and had only 22 carries. In the Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots, Dowdle suffered a toe injury and has not played since. Naturally, this caused Warren's snap count to increase dramatically, which brought the offense to life. In their most recent bout, Warren was on the field for 70 out of 72 snaps and had 20 total touches.
Warren has had an injury history in his five years in Pittsburgh and has missed some time. Running back is a physically demanding position, largely because of the wear and tear on the body. He already has a shoulder injury, and with how many snaps he is getting, it likely won't get any better if his volume increases. Jeff Hathhorn recently appeared on 93.7 The Fan, where he said Warren's snap count may work now, but won't be sustainable down the line.
"I don't think this snap count is sustainable for anybody. Back in the day, Earl Campbell to Franco [Harris] to Barry Sanders to I don’t care who you are. If you're playing this amount of snaps over the course of a season, you're probably not gonna be able to physically make it," Hathhorn stated.
The media called for Warren to touch the ball more and get more snaps, and now it appears the Steelers might be overdoing it. Warren was a substantial part of the offense against the Cincinnati Bengals, logging 176 all-purpose yards, and could have done much more if not for penalties. The team is short-handed at running back, but should still consider letting other guys get a shot, giving Warren some much-needed rest.
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Steelers running back Jaylen Warren makes a defender miss during Week 2 defeat against the Patriots in September 2026.
The offensive line has improved each week in the run game, which is a good sign for the young group. The run game has sparked in the past two games, and Warren's usage and better blocking have been a big reason why. Still, if the Steelers want Warren to be this effective down the stretch, they ought to give more snaps to the likes of Travis Homer or Lew Nichols in the backfield.
Dowdle's role upon his return is a mystery, given Warren's emergence. The former Carolina Panthers standout was seeing a fair share of snaps before his injury. Now he could shift to a more true RB2 role. The Steelers did a great job in 2025 of splitting touches between Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. Dowdle hasn't had the burst many had hoped for, but with the season so young, they could need him down the line, as they did with Gainwell last season.
Steelers' Dowdle Still Has A Role To Play
Dowdle signed a two-year, $12,250,000 deal in the offseason after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He knows Mike McCarthy's scheme after a breakout season under the Steelers' head coach in 2024. So far, he has 15 carries for 37 yards and averages 2.5 yards per carry. Warren has clearly been the better back, but Steeler Nation has seen this before.
In 2025, Gainwell didn't start the season well and was taking snaps from Warren. Then, as the season went on, he got better and better until he eventually won Team MVP as the second free-agent signing to earn the honor. It may seem grim now, but don't count out Dowdle coming on down the stretch as a reliable threat in the backfield.
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