Kaleb Johnson Poised To Lead Steelers Backfield After Najee Harris Departure

With Najee Harris gone, third-round rookie Kaleb Johnson brings power and upside to Pittsburgh’s ground game in 2025.

Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson (RB16) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers filled a major backfield void by drafting Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, a powerful runner coming off a breakout 1,500-yard, 21-touchdown season. While he lacks elite speed, Johnson's size, vision, and short-yardage prowess make him a strong bet to lead the team in rushing and deliver RB2 value in fantasy leagues.

Kaleb Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers

After a productive freshman season (151/779/6 with four catches for 21 yards), Johnson suffered an ankle injury in 2023, costing him three games with underwhelming results (117/463/3 – 4.0 yards per carry with three catches for 25 yards). His play was significantly improved last season, resulting in career highs in rushing attempts (240), rushing yards (1,537), and touchdowns (21). He gained 6.0 yards per carry with an uptick in value as a receiver (22/188/2).

Johnson is a power runner with size (6’1” and 225 Lbs.). His 40-yard dash time (4.57) was well below that of the best running backs in this year’s draft class. He projects as an early-down runner with minimal value on passing downs. His pass protection isn’t ready to handle a third-down role. 

Surprisingly, Johnson is more of a rhythm runner than an inside banger. He runs with patience and vision while having wide holes in college to finish some of his carries with big plays. His style appears confident, and he possesses the tools to excel in short-yardage situations and at the goal line. Over the long field, defenders have a significant edge over him in terms of speed.

Kaleb Johnson Fantasy Football Outlook

The Steelers should be a good match for Johnson after losing Najee Harris to free agency in the offseason. Pittsburgh added him in the third round of last year’s draft, with a goal of leading their team in rushing attempts and scoring. Johnson ranked 26th at running back in late May. The Steelers should give him 250 rushing attempts and about 20 catches. I’ll set his bar at 1,200 yards with about seven scores, which will translate to about 200.00 fantasy points in PPR formats.