May 5, 2026

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has outperformed ADP in three of his first four seasons in the league, and coming into 2026 as RotoBaller's RB32, he has a solid chance of improving upon that trend. Since signing on with Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Warren has proven himself to be one of the most well-rounded, underrated backs in the league. In two of his three seasons sharing the backfield with former first-round pick Najee Harris, he topped 160 opportunities, and he never fell below 5.2 yards per touch. Last year, as Kenneth Gainwell racked up the fourth most running back receptions in the league, Warren was not far behind with 40 of his own, while his 1.58 yards per route run ranked sixth among qualified backs. The Steelers added Rico Dowdle in free agency, and while he was able to top 1,000 yards at each of his last two stops in Carolina and Dallas, he has never handled a bellcow role for an extended stretch. He also doesn't possess any single trait to justify Warren's fall to the back of the seventh round after an RB16 finish in 2025. At 215 pounds, Dowdle's 236 carries in 2025 do not come close to the workload of a prime Harris, and his career-high 39 receptions came while sharing the backfield with one of the league's most inefficient pass catchers in Chuba Hubbard. Warren has fended off larger threats while finishing as a top-25 back in two of his last three seasons. While he may not offer the league-winning upside that some drafters prefer to swing for from the later rounds, Warren is a safe bet to return value, and he has a proven track record of thriving under similar circumstances.--Patrick McGrath