Who Should I Start? James Cook III or Kaleb Johnson

Tuesday, June 9, 5:49 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson was a third-round pick in a 2025 NFL Draft billed for its running back talent, and while several players from his class were able to deliver promising rookie campaigns, Johnson's was one to forget. The most memorable moment of his first season was arguably a kickoff return blunder early in the year that gifted the Seahawks a touchdown and landed Johnson in Mike Tomlin's doghouse. With an entirely new coaching staff in Pittsburgh for 2026, Johnson will look to put a disappointing rookie season, in which he touched the ball fewer than 30 times on offense and averaged only 2.5 yards per carry, squarely behind him. However, the Steelers also replaced leading pass-catching back Kenneth Gainwell with the more well-rounded Rico Dowdle, forming a formidable pair of do-everything backs with fifth-year veteran Jaylen Warren and further obscuring Johnson's path to playing time. Still yet to turn 23 years old, Johnson remains a hold at least throughout training camp, but barring an injury ahead of him or an unexpected new home, RotoBaller's dynasty RB57 will need to be seriously looked at as a cut candidate only one year after coming off the board in the first round of many rookie drafts.