Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers, Round Three, Pick 83
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson with the 19th pick of the third round.
Fantasy Football Impact for Kaleb Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers weren't shy about it; they wanted a running back in this class. They met with nine running backs ahead of the draft and pulled the trigger on Kaleb Johnson. The history of third-round running backs is fairly hit or miss, with this group only hitting top 24 numbers about a quarter of the time.
But as the dynasty show has talked about throughout the offseason, this class is unique. With a surplus of talent available at the running back position, teams were incentivized to play chicken and wait for someone else to take the leap. The Steelers took the sixth running back, but they have a clear need for someone alongside Jaylen Warren.
The Steelers' running back depth chart was pretty barren before the Johnson pick. Don't be surprised if they add another option before the season kicks off, but as it stands now, it's:
Warren has been far from a bellcow back in his time in the league, and the team has him on a one-year deal. Najee Harris was the volume king, but now that he's moved to the Los Angeles Chargers, 300 touches need to be sorted between the backs on the roster. Fortunately enough, Kaleb Johnson's player comp in the rookie guide is Najee Harris. He's built to handle volume, wear a defense down, and establish his presence between the tackles.
The Steelers historically run the ball around 500 times in a season. With Arthur Smith as the OC, no answer at quarterback yet, and no running back on the roster who has ever had more than 200 carries in a season, there's a pretty nice opportunity here for Johnson. He likely enters the season as the 1b behind Jaylen Warren, and will become a must-start option if he ever misses time. Kaleb Johnson profiles as a handcuff with upside in early 2025 fantasy football drafts.
The Fantasy Football Fallout
Jaylen Warren's RB1 hype season was a fun two months. This draft pick creates a muddied backfield in an expected bad offense in one of the toughest divisions in football. The Steelers want to win games through strong defense, ball control, and a couple of deep shots to George Pickens or D.K. Metcalf. This lowers the excitement for almost everyone on the offense, especially considering the quarterback looks like it's Mason Rudolph or a last-minute Aaron Rodgers decision. Whoever the quarterback is for Pittsburgh is in a pretty friendly ecosystem and will have some appeal in superflex leagues.
The running backs not named Warren or Johnson become undraftable except in the deepest of formats. There won't be many touches floating around to Kenneth Gainwell or Cordarrelle Patterson, and those touches project to be breathers or emergency checkdowns, not predictable, usable fantasy weeks.
It's a classic Pittsburgh move, committing to the run game before addressing some glaring needs on both sides of the ball. They want to control the clock, which will result in fewer possessions for opposing offenses and give the Steelers' D/ST a slight boost in 2025. Kaleb Johnson is an exciting prospect, but until this offense has a reason for hope or a clear picture of volume to one back, the entire offense is a land mine for fantasy managers.
Stock Watch
Risers
- Steelers D/ST
- TBD Steelers Quarterback
- Arthur Smith Memes
Fallers
Overview
It's a great landing spot for Johnson from a dynasty perspective, but the current offense in Pittsburgh still hasn't answered the most important question: Will they have a quarterback that can keep the offense moving?
For more information on the 2025 NFL Draft, check out the Footballguys Rookie Draft Guide, where you can read all about Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson and other rookie team fits.
