Second-Year Scouting Report: Jaylen Warren

August is underway, and we’re getting closer and closer to the 2023 regular season. Best ball leagues have been drafting for months now, and they are getting more popular now that we understand landing spots for veteran free agents and rookies.

Every year, rookie fever emerges, and the previous class gets pushed aside by the shiny new NFL toys. This usually results in a rookie surge of ADP, which opens up pockets of value, especially with players from the previous class who may not be as established as some long-time veterans in the league. This happens even though most fantasy analysts (and players) understand the largest leap occurs from Year 1 to Year 2. Throughout the summer, FTN will be releasing second-year scouting reports to keep these players fresh in fantasy managers’ minds. We continue our second-year scouting report series today with Steelers’ running back, Rashid Shaheed, and his outlook in 2023 and beyond. 

Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Jaylen Warren made the Steelers roster as an undrafted free agent out of Snow College, immediately becoming a fixture of the offense. He vaulted his way up the depth chart in year one, serving as the primary backup to Najee Harris. 

What Went Wrong 

Despite playing through a Lisfranc injury with horrendous efficiency, Najee Harris continued to be used in a workhorse role, without much meat on the bone for Warren. Although Warren was on the field for 29.5% of the offensive snaps last season, he only handled 15.4% of the team’s rushing attempts. Warren saw more than five carries in just seven out of 17 games last season, surpassing 40 rushing yards twice. 

What Went Right 

Jaylen Warren saw sparing usage as a rusher, handling 77 carries for 379 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Even in a limited sample, Warren posted a 45.5% success rate, the third-highest mark at the position. Warren also carved out a significant role as a receiver, catching 28 passes on 33 targets for 214 receiving yards. Warren’s role continued to increase throughout the season, playing 40%-plus of the team’s offensive snaps in the last two regular-season games. He hit that mark just twice in Weeks 1-16. 

Prognosis Entering 2023

Warren has continued to receive praise throughout the training, with reports suggesting he’ll see a lot more work in his second season. Mark Koby of The Athletic said Warren looks like a “beast” and appears to have gotten much bigger. If the last two games of the 2022 season are any inclination of what to expect this upcoming year, Warren could force himself into a committee possessing stand-alone value. He’s also one of the premium handcuffs in fantasy with a three-down upside if Najee Harris were to go down. 

Dynasty Outlook 

It is unlikely Warren will be anything more than a high-end handcuff as long as Harris is healthy. Still only 24 years old, and playing for a team that prefers to use a bell cow back in a run-centric offense, makes Warren a coveted asset in dynasty. Although Najee Harris has yet to miss a single game in his career, no position carries a greater risk of games missed than running backs. If Warren continues to outproduce Harris in nearly every efficiency metric, it’s hard to envision a scenario where he doesn’t see more playing time and at least provide flex value.