Jaylen Warren
vs RJ Harvey

“Jaylen Warren Has a Ceiling Warren entered Sunday with 150 scrimmage yards through two games, then delivered 176 against CIN. His 49 receiving yards remind us he has multiple ways to produce when PIT cooperates. Even ole’ A A Ron looked like a HOF QB.”

“Jaylen Warren, who was limited in practice, is listed as questionable but is expected to play. With Dowdle out, Warren is set to be a bell cow in the Steelers offense. He has only seen a 56.4% opportunity share thus far, which likely climbs toward the 75% threshold with Dowdle out.”

“Warren’s matchup this week is against an improved Cincy run defense that, at best, is a neutral matchup, but I’m more worried about the matchup. Warren will need volume to overcome it, and he’ll likely get the touch count to do so. Cincy has allowed the 13th-lowest explosive run rate while having the second-highest rate of contacting backs at or behind the line of scrimmage.”

“The Pittsburgh offense has been dysfunctional this season, but Warren could be a frequent checkdown option for immobile 42-year-old QB Aaron Rodgers . Warren would also get the vast majority of Pittsburgh’s rushing attempts, and he’s been an efficient, underrated runner throughout his career. Quinshon Judkins has had 12 carries in each of his first two games and hasn’t had a run of 10 or more yards.”

““ Jaylen Warren has potential to be a full-on bust this upcoming Sunday. The Steelers offense looks horrendous, and the Bengals look like the real deal with a much improved defensive front line with the addition of Dexter Lawrence this offseason.”

“Meanwhile, Warren was far more efficient with his limited time on the field, leading the backfield in carries (10 to 8), rushing yards (46 to 15), and total opportunities (16 to 13). However, the broader concern here is the environment. Pittsburgh looks poised to remain a low-scoring offense.”

“I don’t know if Jaylen Warren is the handcuff in Pittsburgh, but he is a better fit for the offense than Rico Dowdle . He earned more touches, and until the Steelers get their offensive line issues straightened out, they won’t be able to run inside. Warren gives Pittsburgh more in the passing game, and his outside runs are where the Steelers need to attack at the moment.”

“Warren played 36.8% of the snaps, got 55.2% of the backfield opportunities, and had a 15% target share, scoring 10.3 PPR points with a lost fumble.”

“Warren already has three seasons under his belt with 300+ receiving yards, a threshold Dowdle has never touched. The Verdict: In Full PPR, fire up Jaylen Warren for the pass-catching floor. In Half-PPR / Standard fantasy leagues, I lean Rico Dowdle for the early-down volume and TD potential.”

“Jaylen Warren is my pick to be a league-winning running back in 2026. He finished as the RB18 in fantasy points per game last season while ranking sixth in missed-tackle rate, ninth in yards after contact per attempt, and third among running backs in yards per route run.”

“Jonah Coleman (RB – DEN) | ADP: 131 Overall (RB49) RJ Harvey is being drafted as the RB32 while J.K. Dobbins is being selected one slot later at RB33.”

“In Weeks 1-10, Harvey was the RB29 in fantasy points per game, averaging 29.1% of the snaps played with 7.5 touches and 38.9 total yards per game. In Weeks 11-18, with Dobbins out, he was the RB13 in fantasy points per game with 16.8 touches and 72.5 total yards per game while averaging 60.7% of the snaps played.”

“RJ Harvey (DEN) — RB32, Overall RK89, Bye: 10 R.J. Harvey’s rookie season was a tale of two seasons centered around J.K. Dobbins being in the lineup and out of it.”

“Harvey is recovering from a torn labrum suffered in the playoff loss to the Patriots, but before then, he was the less impressive running back in the backfield. His best skill is as a pass catcher, and he could slide into a J.D. McKissic/Theo Riddick role as a pass-catching specialist, but the idea that he could take over the backfield is complete bunk.”

“Sticking with the running back position, I’m just not sure RJ Harvey is a back I’d be willing to trust. Last season, Harvey played 17 games and ran 146 times for 540 yards (3.7 yards per carry) and seven touchdowns. He also caught 47 passes for 356 yards and five touchdowns on 58 targets.”

“RJ Harvey has seen a steady decline in dynasty value since the NFL Draft, where the Broncos selected Jonah Coleman in the fourth round. With J.K. Dobbins back and Coleman having one of the better production profiles in this class, it's tough to see a path where Harvey sees a ton of volume. This feels like a three-man committee by midseason, assuming all three stay healthy.”

“Harvey is a decent overall running back, but not a great runner (ranking 41st in juke rate and 65th in true yards per touch), instead getting his yardage through the air (ranking sixth in yards per route run and seventeenth in yards per reception).”

“Harvey is a dynamic receiver and big-play threat in space, but he averaged only 3.7 yards per carry and ranked near the bottom in yards after contact per attempt. When Dobbins was healthy, Harvey was clearly the change-of-pace back.”

“RJ Harvey is a major overpay on Sleeper. Drafters are grabbing him around pick 48 as a high-end RB2 with huge PPR upside, but his 83 ECR is much closer to reality. That 35-pick gap reflects a market that is buying upside over certainty.”

“RJ Harvey finished as the RB21 during his rookie season and truly blossomed in the spotlight after J.K. Dobbins was injured. The Denver Post's Luca Evans reported that Harvey underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum sustained in the AFC Conference Championship loss to New England, and that he "didn't do much in OTAs but was practicing."”