The Pittsburgh Steelers delivered a dominant offensive performance in their Week 5 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was connecting with the pass catchers, the offensive line was creating space in the run game, and the wide receivers were running smooth routes to make consistent plays. This was a very refreshing sight for Steelers fans and should give the fan base much-needed confidence in the offensive unit moving forward. Sunday was a huge step in the right direction, as several players delivered efficient performances. The star of the show? Running back Jaylen Warren.
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Steelers' Aaron Rodgers hands the ball off to Jaylen Warren during a home win over the Bengals in 2026.
Warren once again looked like Pittsburgh's best player in Week 5. He recorded 101 rushing yards on 15 carries, including a 50-yard touchdown rush in the third quarter. He added 87 receiving yards on 6 receptions, including a monster 80-yard touchdown catch midway through the first quarter. He had a monster day, delivering some of the most efficient play across the NFL, as he has throughout the last few weeks.
Warren currently ranks third in the NFL in scrimmage yards with 640 on only 89 touches, which equates to a whopping 7.19 yards per touch. He is setting the league on fire, something that Steelers fans have believed he could do for quite some time. Warren has not only been Pittsburgh's best offensive player by a large margin, but he could also be considered the team's best player overall. If he continues to get opportunities and stays healthy, he has a chance to put up huge numbers for the rest of 2026 and be viewed as one of the best running backs in football when the season is all said and done.
During his latest press conference, Head Coach Mike McCarthy spoke about Warren's performance and gave him praise for the work he has done through the first five games.
"Jaylen is our featured player right now, let's make sure we all recognize that," McCarthy said. "He is hot... he is playing great football for us right now and it is important as an offense, for us coaches to continue to put him in a position to make plays. That won't change."
From McCarthy's words, it sounds like the coaching staff has finally realized Warren's capabilities and plans to maximize them. Steelers fans have been calling for Warren to receive the lion's share of touches on offense, and it seems that wish is becoming a reality.
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Steelers running back Jaylen Warren makes a defender miss during a Week 2 loss to the Patriots in September 2026.
The Steelers brought in veteran running back Rico Dowdle during the 2026 offseason to provide the team with another solid weapon in the rushing attack next to Warren. So far, Dowdle has appeared in only two of Pittsburgh's games and has 19 total touches. He has been far less efficient than Warren during his time on the field. Combined with his current toe injury, his workload could be reduced in favor of Warren when he returns to the lineup.
While Dowdle has been a solid player throughout his career, he has not provided the juice to the Steelers' offense that Warren has this season. It feels like Warren is a threat to the defense every time the ball is in his hands, making him deserving of more touches as the 2026 season progresses.
Steelers' Jaylen Warren Scores His First Touchdowns In 2026
While Warren has been extremely effective for Pittsburgh's offense, he did not find the end zone for the first four weeks of the season. It took until Week 5, when Warren found paydirt twice. His numbers would look even more mind-boggling if he had the touchdown production that other premier backs in the NFL do, such as Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson.
It seems very likely that progression is coming for Warren, though. Pittsburgh's offensive performance in Week 5, driven by Warren, resulted in the team scoring a season-high 34 points. The numbers suggest that Pittsburgh's offense is more productive when Warren touches the ball, potentially creating more scoring opportunities for him. It will be interesting to see if the coaching staff continues to feed him, and if it does, watch for Warren to blow his previous career numbers out of the water in every category.
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