Who Should I Start? Kaleb Johnson or Riley Nowakowski

Wednesday, June 17, 8:58 AM

A third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson was unable to carve out a meaningful role in his team's offense as a rookie. Johnson spent the season stuck behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell on the Steelers' running back depth chart and finished the year with just 28 carries across 10 games played. While Gainwell departed Pittsburgh in free agency, the team replaced him with former Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle. As a result, Johnson once again appears likely to be limited to RB3 duties for the Steelers in 2026. However, he'll get a chance to work with a new coaching staff in his second NFL season, which could be the clean slate that Johnson needs to revitalize his pro career. The 22-year-old recorded over 1,500 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns across 12 games in his final collegiate season at Iowa, so he has some untapped rushing potential. For dynasty managers in the midst of a rebuild, Johnson could be worth targeting as a buy-low trade candidate.