May 28, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rico Dowdle (13) participates in OTA drills at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Steelers Duo Will Shock NFL in 2026

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Jun 28, 2026 4:41 PM ET

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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2026 season with an exciting, new tandem at running back. Jaylen Warren, coming off a season where he posted over 1,200 all-purpose yards, is paired with newcomer Rico Dowdle.

The Steelers’ new duo is facing a has the tough task of following the impressive campaign Warren and Kenneth Gainwell produced in 2025. Gainwell emerged as a dual-threat running back, while Warren finally became the bell cow runner that he was always supposed to be.

Despite the roster and coaching turnover, there is plenty of reason for optimism that the new tandem will exceed what the last pair did.

Two Sides of the Same Coin

What made Warren and Gainwell such a great partnership last year was the balance that they struck. Gainwell became the top receiving threat while Warren became a physical force working between the tackles.

What will make Warren and Dowdle such a great duo is that they are more similar than many realize. Despite having obviously different physical builds, the two played a very similar game in 2025. Dowdle posted his second-straight 1,000-yard rushing season, while Warren posted 955 yards on the ground.

What I expect to see in the 2026 season under Mike McCarthy is a bit of a role reversal for Warren. Dowdle, who has previous experience with McCarthy, will become the physical force working between the tackles while Warren becomes the primary passing threat out of the backfield.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Warren’s Time to Shine in Passing Game

If that is the case, Warren is in for a huge season. The athletic back took a backseat to Gainwell in 2025, but his numbers were still so impressive. Especially when you compare them to how Dowdle is used in the passing game, and it’s clear that Warren will become the receiving back in this new offense.

Warren ran a total of 211 routes in 2025, receiving 42 targets. Meanwhile, Dowdle received 46 targets on 251 routes run. Warren was considerably more effective than Dowdle, however, as he posted more receiving yards (333 to 297)and more yards after the catch (440 to 350).

Most impressive was Warren's forced missed tackles. According to data from Pro Football Focus, Warren forced 24 missed tackles. That figure ranked fourth amongst all NFL running backs. Dowdle only produced seven, for the record.

McCarthy knows all of this myself, and he will use it to his advantage. With the stout Dowdle working the interior and Warren controlling things on the outside and in the passing game, the run game could finally become a balanced part of a complete offense.

At the least, it’s reason enough to be optimistic that this duo can outperform the tandem last year.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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