Through the first three weeks of the NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers are 2-1, but they have far more questions than answers. 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers looks his age, and only the Cincinnati Bengals have rushed for fewer yards. The already bleak running back room got even bleaker when Jaylen Warren, who leads the team in both rushing and receiving yards, was limited in practice with a knee injury. Warren is questionable for Sunday’s 9:30 a.m. ET clash against the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin, Ireland, the first-ever NFL game held on the Emerald Isle.
Warren has been solid but unspectacular in his first season as an undisputed number one back, turning 43 carries into 132 yards on the ground and 11 catches for 142 yards in the air, including a 65-yard catch-and-run that has been the season’s longest catch so far this season. He’s been by far the most trusted back on Pittsburgh’s roster, as no other player has more than 16 carries. Overall, despite his inefficiency, his 53.5% rushing success rate actually ranks 16th among 45 qualified ball-carriers and his 69.6 PFF offensive grade ranks 18th of 57 running backs.
Gainwell should be able to handle some additional workload if Warren can’t go. Rodgers isn’t a running option and the Steelers don’t have a lot of wide receiver depth behind DK Metcalf, and tight end Jonnu Smith, who leads the team with 12 catches, is also questionable. This season, Gainwell has turned his 16 carries into 55 yards and a score, good for a respectable 43.8% success rate, and he’s brought in seven catches for 30 yards after posting receiving success rates in the 40s in each of his four seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Rodgers has historically gotten his running backs involved in the passing game, so Gainwell could have some value. Johnson won’t; the rookie has played just four offensive snaps.
The matchup should help. While the Vikings have been solid against the run, high volume means that they’ve allowed the 11th-most rushing yards to running backs, as well as a not-insignificant 69 more through the air. Minnesota has also recorded the league’s seventh-most missed tackles, which could help a guy who isn’t known for his power. Plus, the Vikings have the league’s best cornerback, Isaiah Rodgers, which could dissuade Aaron Rodgers from throwing. Aaron Rodgers, in fact, might be best suited throwing check-downs to his running back, given that Minnesota has gotten pressure at the league’s second-highest rate.
