The Pittsburgh Steelers will host the San Francisco 49ers in the first week of the 2023 NFL season. Within that matchup, we’ll take a close look at Steelers RB Jaylen Warren to determine whether or not he’s worthy of starting in your PPR or standard leagues for Week 1.
Fantasy Football analysis: Steelers RB Jaylen Warren
Warren had limited opportunities last year with the Steelers, but he looked good while averaging 4.9 yards per carry in 2022. He’s expected to serve as the Steelers’ RB2 behind Najee Harris once again this season, but there’s a chance Warren has earned more touches. In the preseason, Warren did see some work alongside the other starters.
Start or sit in Week 1 PPR leagues?
No, you should not start Warren in Week 1 PPR leagues.
Warren is a fine sleeper pick to draft in the later rounds of fantasy drafts. However, he probably won’t see enough volume on a week-to-week basis to start with confidence. Warren has plenty of fantasy upside, especially if Harris gets hurt. However, Harris is healthy and ready to go for Week 1, so Warren will take a backseat to him in this matchup.
Start or sit in Week 1 standard leagues?
No, you should not start Warren in Week 1 standard leagues.
As mentioned earlier, it’s tough to start Warren as long as Harris is healthy. On top of that, the matchup against the 49ers is brutal, as San Francisco allowed the fewest fantasy points to the running back position last year.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Jaylen Warren
If you are desperate for a deep running back option, I would start players like Rashaad Penny of the Philadelphia Eagles or roll the dice with Damien Harris of the Buffalo Bills instead of starting Warren.