🔥 HOT NEWS: Pittsburgh breathes a sigh of relief as the Steelers offense avoids a significant loss just before the Dolphins game ⚡. DH
The Pittsburgh Steelers side-stepped a major loss with a key piece of their offense for their Week 15 primetime matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
Running back Jaylen Warren (illness) will be active, meaning he won’t miss his second game of the season.
The 27-year-old was a late addition to the injury report on the morning of the game after waking up sick. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported earlier in the day that he had been receiving fluids and was optimistic about his chances of playing.
Warren’s Recent Injury History
Warren has largely remained healthy throughout his four-year NFL career up to this point, appearing in 48 of Pittsburgh’s 51 regular season contests between the 2022 and 2024 campaigns.
His lone missed game this year came in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, as he sustained a knee injury ahead of that contest.
Warren also went down with a knee ailment vs. the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11, though he was back in action for the Steelers‘ following game against the Chicago Bears.
How Steelers Could Use RBs. vs. Miami
In the cold against a Dolphins defense that has struggled mightily against the run this season, allowing the sixth-most yards per game in the league at 131.9, Pittsburgh has a prime opportunity to pound the rock.
Though Warren is active, it’s worth pondering whether or not he’s able to operate at 100%. He’s served as the Steelers’ workhorse, racking up 652 yards and four touchdowns on 159 carries, but the team could rely more heavily on Kenneth Gainwell and even rookie Kaleb Johnson as a result of the former’s illness.
Gainwell has stepped up time and time again when Warren’s being dealing with injuries this season while Johnson has had a tough time getting going in his first professional campaign.
The 26-year-old, who signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh in free agency this past offseason, recorded 134 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage against the Vikings while also posting 105 yards from scrimmage with two receiving scores vs. Cincinnati in Week 12. Additionally, Gainwell logged 122 yards on 16 touches against Chicago in Week 13
Johnson has been unproductive when he’s gotten the ball, rushing 26 times for 65 yards and catching one pass for two yards. If Warren doesn’t garner his usual workload, however, there’s a chance that the rookie will receive a few more touches and thus could make an impact against the Dolphins under the bright lights on the North Shore.
