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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren flashed with a limited workload in his rookie campaign. The undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State served as Najee Harris' direct backup and added an element of speed to the team's offense.
In 2023, there's a chance he could see an increased role that will make him a weekly fantasy-relevant Flex option – at least in deep leagues.
What is Warren's 2023 fantasy football outlook, and when should you select him in preseason drafts? Let's dive in.
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Jaylen Warren 2022 Season Review
As a rookie, Warren rushed 77 times for 379 yards (4.9 YPC) and one rushing touchdown, adding 28 receptions for 214 yards. He posted three 20-plus yard runs, while Harris had just one rushing play of 20-plus yards.
He outpaced Harris by 1.1 yards per rush attempt and two yards per reception. Obviously, his sample was smaller as he handled 208 fewer touches. However, there was quite a noticeable difference in the explosiveness each Steelers' running back had last season. Ultimately, Warren finished 12th among running backs in True Yards Per Carry (4.7), fifth in Juke Rate (40%), fifth in Yards Created Per Touch (3.82), and 16th in Breakaway Run Rate (6.5%). All data per PlayerProfiler.com.
Jaylen Warren 2023 Fantasy Football Outlook
While Warren has no chance to steal the RB1 job from Harris, he should see his 25.4% opportunity share rise in 2023. The speedster has already flashed this preseason, scoring on an explosive 62-yard run.
Ultimately, the Steelers would be wise to limit Harris' workload to avoid nagging lower-body injuries in 2023. Most organizations have started splitting up workloads for their backs since the injury rate at the position is so high. The Steelers should follow the trend.
Warren is coming off the board outside the top 50 running backs in half-PPR formats. He is a solid handcuff RB and has potential standalone value. He likely won't be worth starting in traditional leagues unless Harris gets injured. However, if his weekly touches ramp up, he'll be at least a shaky Flex consideration in deep leagues.
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