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The Pittsburgh Steelers' backfield didn't undergo many changes this offseason. Outside of a few minor moves, the Steelers are returning the same running back core that they had throughout the 2023 season.
That means Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren will enter 2024 as the Steelers' top two running backs. Harris, a former first-round pick, is the incumbent RB1 in Pittsburgh while Warren, known for his dual-threat ability, continues to trend upward.
Is Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren the fantasy football RB1 for the Steelers in 2024? Let's find out.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Who Is The Pittsburgh Steelers' RB1?
Harris entered 2023 as the Steelers' lead running back. As the season progressed, there was chatter that the Steelers planned to let Warren take over the backfield. The Oklahoma State product did lead the running back room in snaps from Weeks 15 through 17, but only by a slight margin. Harris surpassed Warren in snaps for the final game of the season.
Entering 2024, Warren is dealing with a minor hamstring injury. He should be active for Week 1, but it'll still put him a step behind Harris over the final two weeks of game preparation. Even if Warren were fully healthy, he has ball security issues that could make him difficult to trust in the RB1 role. (He fumbled three times over his last seven games in 2023.)
The Steelers tend to use Harris in early-down situations while Warren is the preferred option on passing downs. The latter also has better yards per carry numbers throughout his career. This points to a truly split backfield in which Harris gets the early downs (and the start, aka RB1) while Warren mixes in, especially in longer-yardage situations.
imo this is the best that Najee Harris has looked as a pro.
Eight preseason touches: pic.twitter.com/JwOCS2HV5u
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 20, 2024
Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?
Nobody should be surprised if the Steelers ride the hot hand this season. Harris may get first dibs on the lead-back role, but Warren will mix in. If Harris struggles in his role, Warren could get the majority of snaps. If, then, Warren starts to struggle, the job will go back to Harris.
With this in mind, both players are reasonable picks at their current price tags.
Harris owns an ADP of 65, which makes him the 23rd running back off the board in fantasy drafts. That draft capital equates to the low-end RB2 range. Harris has the talent to be a matchup-based RB1, but he'll also have dud games where he finishes outside the top 50 running backs. Therefore, he's adequately priced on the fringe between RB2 and RB3/FLEX.
Warren sports an ADP of 87, making him the 31st running back off the board. That puts him in the RB3/FLEX range. Managers can't trust Warren every week, but he's a solid matchup-based play whose value would soar even further if Harris misses time or relinquishes his lead role. Warren, too, is adequately priced. His pass-catching ability makes him particularly appealing in PPR leagues.
DAMN. #STEELERS RB JAYLEN WARREN DOMINATING DEFENDERS IN PASS BLOCKING DRILLS AT CAMP
😳
(Via @matthewluciow92)
pic.twitter.com/KNsdDCRdbr— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) July 23, 2024
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