The Pittsburgh Steelers have a good problem. With Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren both performing well in the Steelers backfield, Mike Tomlin and Matt Canada have a tough decision to make -- who should get more carries?
Harris is the lead back for now, as he should be. Najee is a former first-round pick out of Alabama and this is the first competent offensive line he's played behind as an NFL running back. Najee's YPC is used against him, as he's under four in that regard, but all of the blame for that should not be placed on the Crimson Tide product.
Najee was forced to carry the load in his first two seasons. Whether it be Ben Roethlisberger's last season, or Kenny Pickett's first, Harris hasn't been able to rely on legitimate quarterback play. Should Pickett take a step forward this season, opposing defenses won't be able to stack the box as often.
Steelers: Will Najee Harris lose his starting job?
The odds of Harris losing out on his job to Jaylen Warren this season appear slim, at least at the start. However, ESPN's Dan Graziano would have us believe otherwise:
"Harris is still firmly in the Steelers' plan and opens the season as their top back," Graziano wrote. "But Warren's performance in practice and games has demanded a larger role for him than what Pittsburgh had planned a year ago. He has shown the ability to spell Harris whenever asked, and he has actually looked more explosive in some areas. Unless Harris looks more like the 2021 version of himself than the 2022 version, Warren's opportunity could increase dramatically as the year goes on. Warren, a 2022 undrafted free agent, took 77 carries for 379 yards last season."
Warren is an explosive back, and having a two-man system benefits the Steelers as a whole, even if it makes Harris uncomfortable.
