Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has been one of the biggest values in fantasy football over the first three weeks of the season, but a knee injury could sideline him for Week 4. While the running back is expected to play “as of now,” he’s officially questionable and missed parts of the past few practices.
Third-round rookie Kaleb Johnson entered the league with some hype but has not played well in his limited professional opportunities. Can he improve if Warren misses time, or will Kenneth Gainwell earn a massive workload?
Fantasy Football: Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell Outlook If Jaylen Warren Misses Time
When Jaylen Warren is healthy, the Pittsburgh Steelers backfield is remarkably easy to predict. To date, Warren has received 43 carries. Gainwell, meanwhile, has received 16, and Johnson has received two. No other player (outside of quarterback Aaron Rodgers) has recorded a rushing attempt on the season.
If Jaylen Warren misses time, Kenneth Gainwell will inherit the starting job and effectively be the workhorse back in this offense. While he is far from an ideal starter, Gainwell is good enough to handle RB1 duties over a short period of time. So far this season, the 26-year-old leads the team in yards per carry and rushing touchdowns despite his limited workload.
Seeing as Warren himself is the RB15 on the season, nobody should expect Gainwell to be anything more than a low-end RB2 or high-end flex play. However, could the more talented but inexperienced Kaleb Johnson leapfrog Gainwell now that more snaps are available?
Johnson’s Struggles
While anything is possible, it’s hard to envision Kaleb Johnson earning a large role in fantasy football any time soon, with or without Jaylen Warren in the equation. As mentioned earlier, the rookie has only two carries this season. However, he’s turned those two opportunities into -1 yards and a fumble, which is pretty terrible. Additionally, he also made a horrific mental error on a kickoff that cost the Steelers a touchdown.
In a recent interview, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that “sometimes when you have mistakes, you gotta take a step back,” if reference to Johnson’s subpar play. While he added that the rookie could be a “contributor this week,” it’s hard to envision Tomlin trusting the rookie with anything more than a backup role.
If Jaylen Warren plays, then Kaleb Johnson may be a healthy scratch for the second straight game. However, if he doesn’t, he’ll probably receive around five touches while Gainwell handles starting duties. This isn’t enough for fantasy football relevance, so there is no situation where you should have him in your lineup.
Main Photo: Brian Fluharty – Imagn Images
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