Steelers Urged to Make RB Change

It might be time for the Pittsburgh Steelers to make a change in their backfield.

Sep 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers hit a stride during Week's 6,7, and 8 this season when Najee Harris totaled over 100 yards in each outing. But since then, the running game has struggled, and their starting running back has started to go backward in a dramatic fashion late in the season.

Since averaging 7.6, 4.9 and 6.0 yards per carry in his three-consecutive 100-yard games, Harris' best outing has come against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he totaled 70 yards and averaged 4.7 yards per run. Outside of that one game, his best YPC has been 3.5, with three of the six performances being under 3.0 YPC.

Team insider Ray Fittipaldo believes the team needs to make a change. While he doesn't believe they would be willing to make a depth chart alteration, he says it's time for Jaylen Warren to start taking over the bulk of the runs moving forward, leaving Harris as the RB2 heading into the postseason.

"At this point in the season, I know [the Steelers] probably not gonna start Jaylen Warren," Fittipaldo said on 93.7 The Fan. "But I think Jaylen Warren needs to start seeing the bulk of the carries and the bulk of the snaps here. It just seems like Najee's lost a step or two, maybe just because of wear and tear. I think it's time for Jaylen to step up and take over as RB1."

In a much smaller role this season, Warren has averaged 4.1 yards per carry on 91 rushing attempts, totaling 371 yards and a touchdown.

It's believed that Warren is the team's top candidate to be the starting running back next season anyways, with their commitment to Harris being the reason he's waiting for the opportunity. The first round pick does hold high value when on a roll, but Harris' play and the lack of executive from the running game is only hurting the Steelers offense.

It's certainly not all the runner's fault, as the play-calling has been questionable throughout the season. But if the team isn't willing to adjust to try and create better opportunities for their players, testing out a different runner might be their best shot at finding success.

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