Rico Dowdle vs Jaylen Warren: One Steelers RB Could Be a League Winner

The Pittsburgh Steelers backfield will be one of the biggest fantasy football debates of 2026, as managers decide whether to draft Rico Dowdle or Jaylen Warren after offseason changes.

Former Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle (5) runs with the ball in the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Kenneth Gainwell moved on from the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, so they brought in Rico Dowdle to pair with Jaylen Warren in their backfield. This is going to be a polarizing backfield all offseason. Fantasy owners are going to have to decide if they should invest in Dowdle or Warren. You can make a strong case for both backs, but which one should you be drafting for 2026?

RB Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers

We have signed RB Rico Dowdle to a two-year contract. @BordasLaw

📝: https://t.co/ZKVU7YvHxs pic.twitter.com/Cv3ujH7ZF0

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) March 13, 2026

The Case For Rico Dowdle

Dowdle projects as more of a true RB1. He's coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons. He's also totaled 546 yards and 12 total touchdowns during that span while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. When he got his shot to start last season with the Carolina Panthers after Chuba Hubbard went down with an injury, Dowdle responded with a 32.4-point fantasy outing and outdid it in the following game with 33.9 fantasy points. He has proven he can handle a full workload and bang between the tackles, while also contributing in the passing game. We have seen his upside, and it was league-winning.  

The Case Against Rico Dowdle

Even with multiple huge outings last season, he still finished as just the RB18 overall in fantasy football. You can chalk that up to him being part of a committee, but he will once again be part of a committee in 2026. In three games, he totaled 519 rushing yards and four touchdowns. In his other 14 games, only once did he clear 60 yards, and he totaled three touchdowns. Consistency could be a major concern for him in Pittsburgh. 

RB Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) rushes the ball against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Case For Jaylen Warren

While he may not have had as high of highs last season, Warren still averaged 13.6 fantasy points per game to Dowdle's 12.7, and finished one spot ahead of him overall as the RB17. That's with him finishing behind his teammate Kenneth Gainwell. We don't expect Dowdle to cut into Warren's passing-down work nearly as much as Gainwell did. He should see plenty of targets next season and has a shot to lead the backfield in snaps. There is little doubt that he will have more PPR value even if he doesn't lead the team in carries.  

The Case Against Jaylen Warren

After last season, the Steelers may have realized that Warren is better served as a complementary piece, and primarily as a passing-down back. We'd expect that Dowdle sees the bulk of the early down carries. That could relegate Warren to his role prior to 2025. Dowdle could step into the role Najee Harris had in Pittsburgh, while Warren falls back into his old role after getting his shot at the RB1 job last year. 

Rico Dowdle vs. Jaylen Warren 2026 Fantasy Football Verdict

We are going with Dowdle here. He will likely lead the team in carries and get the majority of the goal-line work. While Warren should see plenty of work in the passing attack, Dowdle is both the safer option and has more upside.