The Steelers' Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren dynamic may take a drastic turn

No matter which way you slice it, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been putrid in their rushing attack through two weeks. Gaining a pedestrian 98 yards through two games, the inability to stay on schedule has reached a boiling point. Something needs to change, and according to Mike Tomlin, it may be the man toting the […]

Rob Gregson — NFL News Writer

Sep 20, 2023 12:04 PM EDT

No matter which way you slice it, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been putrid in their rushing attack through two weeks.

Gaining a pedestrian 98 yards through two games, the inability to stay on schedule has reached a boiling point.

Something needs to change, and according to Mike Tomlin, it may be the man toting the rock:

"I Think That's A Reasonable Expectation"

"You know, he's just making plays when given the opportunity. And I think that's a reasonable expectation, said Coach Tomlin on whether or not Warren would receive more snaps vs. the Raiders. "There's a guy that did similar things as a young guy a year ago and as a rookie and has done some really good things in the team development process. And so, it's probably a natural maturation process for it to transpire in stadium, and it's probably a natural maturation process for us to give him more opportunities for it to transpire in stadium."

Sure, maybe it's all part of the maturation process, and Warren will garner more of the workload now that he has a full year under his belt. But in my opinion, the rise of Warren is not mutually exclusive of Najee's struggles.

Yes, Harris only has 16 carries on the season, and yes the line is underperforming once again, but there is a notiecevblae difference in "juice" intensity, and vigor when Warren carries the ball, something that is likely creeping into the minds of the coaching staff:

"We acknowledge that Jaylen is a significant player, and the guy that's capable of being a significant component of what we do, as is Naj … We'll make decisions about how we divvy up the labor based on what's most advantageous," Coach Tomlin told reporters.

Frankly, it doesn't matter who's running the ball right now. The Steelers need answers everywhere. Playcalling, quarterback play, protection, you name it, they likely struggle with it on offense.

But while there are issues far greater than who's getting the lion's share of the carries, it's a development that must be monitored.