Pittsburgh Steelers Running Back Depth Chart — 2026

A handcuff is the backup who inherits the starter's workload if the starter gets hurt — so the Steelers handcuff is whoever sits directly behind Jaylen Warren on the depth chart above. Rostering him is how you protect a starting back you have already spent a pick on. More on what a handcuff is.

Neither Pittsburgh back is a passing-down specialist and both catch: Rico Dowdle drew 50 targets in Carolina, 2.94 a game, and Jaylen Warren 45, 2.81. Kaleb Johnson played 18 pass snaps, under the 100-snap reporting line.

The other one is already here, which is what makes this room unusual — the contingency and the competition are the same person.

Warren has been the more durable, 64 of 68 team games across 4 seasons against Rico Dowdle's 51 of 68, the last of them in Carolina — 4 games missed against 17.

Dowdle carried the larger workload last season, 236 carries at 55.0% of his offence's snaps, 16th among running backs, against Warren's 211 and 48.1%. Neither is a backup by record, and the reporting below notes this is the only room in the league with two top-20 rushers from last season.

Both, and the split is the live question rather than a settled arrangement.

Warren was the more efficient runner at +0.86 yards over expected per carry, 8th of 49 qualifying backs, against Rico Dowdle's +0.63 and 16th in Carolina. Dowdle carried it more often, and his +146 season total against Warren's +181 closes most of that gap.

Kaleb Johnson is the third name in the room. His 18 pass snaps — under the 100-snap reporting line — and 2 targets in 10 games are all the professional record there is to read.

No specialist, and a share of the work is unclaimed.

Both backs caught passes at nearly the same rate — 2.94 targets a game for Rico Dowdle in Carolina and 2.81 for Warren, 39 receptions for 297 yards against 40 for 333. Neither stayed on the field for passing downs: Warren tilted -7.4 and Dowdle -4.4, both toward fewer.

Warren was the more productive of the two when out there, at 1.38 receiving yards per pass snap against Rico Dowdle's 1.00.

The reporting below explains the shape: a third back was taking pass-game snaps last season and has since left. That volume has to go somewhere, and no one in this room has an established claim on it.

What the beat is reporting, last refreshed 2026-08-25. Nothing here is measured — it is reporting, attributed and dated.

Jaylen Warren took over the lead role after Najee Harris left in free agency, and posted 211 carries for 958 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns and 1,291 scrimmage yards with zero lost fumbles (Steelers.com, 2026-07-09).

Rico Dowdle rushed for 1,076 yards last season and is described as more pure power, where Warren has the burst and shiftiness to break off big gains (Steelers.com, 2026-07-09).

Kenneth Gainwell's emergence reduced Warren's pass-catching volume last season, though Warren had just one drop for the second season in a row (Steelers.com, 2026-07-09).

Pittsburgh is the only team in the league with two players who finished top 20 in rushing yards last season (Steelers.com, 2026-07-09).