With one of the top defenses in the NFL in place, there is a ton of anticipation around the Pittsburgh Steelers offense at training camp. Year two of Kenny Pickett at quarterback, a slew of athletic skill players and an improved offense line add up to what could be a very dynamic group.
But who steps up and has a breakout campaign in 2023? The obvious answer is Pickett or maybe freakish wide receiver George Pickens. But CBS Sports went outside the box a bit and opted for running back Jaylen Warren. Here’s what they had to say
Najee Harris simply has not been efficient enough to justify his workloads through the first two years of his career. Warren averaged 4.9 yards per carry and more than two targets per game last season despite playing only 31% of Pittsburgh’s offensive snaps. Warren also bested Harris in yards after contact per attempt, avoided tackle rate, explosive run rate, negative run rate and success rate. If he remains the more efficient back than Harris, the Steelers should make this more of a committee backfield.
There’s no denying when Warren was on the field, he was more efficient in most areas over Harris. But this would be a bombshell if Warren ended up being the top back in 2023. We expect to see more of a shared load between Harris and Warren with Warren improving on his 593 yards of total offense.
