Who Should I Start? Jaylen Warren or Ricky Pearsall

Friday, July 25, 8:20 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren was going through first-team reps during the beginning of Thursday's practice. It would make sense that Warren would get the first chance at the starting job in Pittsburgh. He has earned that opportunity after putting in solid work as the backup over the last few seasons. Most notably, Warren rushed for 784 yards with four touchdowns while earning a 5.26 yards per carry during the 2023 season. The departure of Najee Harris will give Warren a chance to earn full-time reps this upcoming season. However, third-round pick Kaleb Johnson figures to be breathing down his neck. The Iowa product should immediately be in the mix in what many believe will be a co-starter role. It's hard to imagine either back running away with the job, so a co-starter type of situation seems likely.

Sunday, July 27, 1:51 PM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) was activated from the Physically Unable to Perform list on Sunday, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. Pearsall is on the field and in uniform with the rest of the team. The 24-year-old hasn't had great luck with injuries after the Niners took him 31st overall in the first round in 2024. However, he does have a couple things going for him in 2025 if he can stay on the field. First of all, Deebo Samuel Sr. is gone. Secondly, Brandon Aiyuk (knee) probably won't be ready for the start of the season and could miss a good chunk of time. In his first three games, Pearsall had 132 receiving yards and 39 rushing yards. He also finished off the year strong as a prominent member of the passing attack. The opportunity alone makes Pearsall an intriguing WR4/flex target in fantasy drafts.