Steelers Now
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ running back duo of Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle continues to be overlooked. The staff at Sharp Football ranked the Steelers RBs incredibly low, at No. 20.
“The Steelers have depth in the backfield, but do they have enough juice to scare anybody? When avoiding contact in the backfield, Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle only ranked 23rd and 25th, respectively, out of 49 qualifiers in the rate of gaining 10 or more yards,” Sharp Football wrote.
Dowdle played under Mike McCarthy with the Dallas Cowboys from 2020-24, getting his first shot to prove himself as a legitimate pro ball carrier. He went for 1,079 yards and two touchdowns on 235 carries during their last year together with America’s Team, then joined the Carolina Panthers for last season.
Dowdle and Warren both went undrafted before their play demanded solid roles in an offense. Steelers running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung believes the pair will take on a “thunder and lightning” sort of identity. Warren slimmed down some this offseason — he weights 208 pounds right now, he said — and Dowdle showed up looking tough to drag down.
Warren, who was listed at 215 pounds in 2025, said at OTAs he weighs 208 pounds. Shedding weight was a priority for the fifth-year RB out of Oklahoma State.
“I’ve definitely been taking this offseason seriously,” Warren said. “We’re going into Year 5. I know the ins and outs of everything, so we’re moving it.”
Warren added that he feels faster and more explosive.
“Quicker, just more explosive muscle. I feel good,” he said.
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report recently compiled a list of the top-10 running back duos in the NFL, and Warren and Dowdle came in at No. 7.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers have two proven three-down playmakers in their backfield, and they can both rack up yards in chunks,” Moton wrote.
“Dowdle has logged 1,000-plus rushing yards in back-to-back campaigns, showing he can produce in the featured role. McCarthy may trust him to lead Pittsburgh’s ground attack in carries this year,” Moton wrote.
“Jaylen Warren doesn’t have a 1,000-yard rushing season on his resume, but he’s accumulated 1,154-plus scrimmage yards in two of the last three years.Warren struggled to find the end zone in his first three terms, though he scored eight touchdowns last season.
“The Steelers don’t have a star running back, which keeps them out of the top six. That said, Dowdle and Warren are a well-rounded, interchangeable duo that can finish the 2026 term with 1,100 scrimmage yards apiece.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers RB Duo Continues to Be Disrespected
