- Kaleb Johnson
- #20
- Team PIT
- Pos RB
- Status AActive
-
Healthy scratch again
Johnson (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Browns.
Analysis: Johnson finds himself a healthy scratch yet again. The Steelers have elected to ride with just two active running backs yet again, relying on Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell. It seems that Johnson has been fully phased out, and he may remain a game-day scratch for the rest of the season.
Published: Sun, Dec 28 at 8:47am by Rotowire.com
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Sitting out Week 16
Johnson (coach's decision) is a healthy scratch for Sunday's clash against the Lions.
Analysis: Johnson has been getting very little work on offense with just eight snaps over his past three games. He'll be entirely out of the picture Sunday, representing his fifth missed contest this season. Pittsburgh has just two running backs -- Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell -- active against Detroit.
Published: Sun, Dec 21 at 12:29pm by Rotowire.com
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Sees limited involvement once again
Johnson gained four yards on two carries during Monday's 28-15 win over the Dolphins.
Analysis: Although Jaylen Warren was questionable for Monday's matchup due to an illness, he was able to suit up, and Johnson saw a minimal workload once again. He was on the field for just two offensive snaps and was limited to two carries for a third consecutive week. Kenneth Gainwell has been the primary beneficiary when Warren has been limited this year, and that's unlikely to change over the final few weeks of the regular season.
Published: Tue, Dec 16 at 9:46am by Rotowire.com
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Another minimal workload in Week 14
Johnson rushed twice for four yards during Sunday's 27-22 win over the Ravens.
Analysis: The Steelers' running game failed to make much of an impact in Week 14, as Kenneth Gainwell led the team with four carries for 15 yards and a touchdown, while Jaylen Warren produced an inefficient 13 yards on eight carries. However, those two backs saw a nearly even split of playing time, with Warren playing 50 percent of the offensive snaps and Gainwell playing 48 percent. Johnson was once again the clear No. 3 back, as he was on the field for just three offensive snaps against Baltimore. The…read more
Published: Mon, Dec 8 at 8:46am by Rotowire.com
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Two carries in Week 13
Johnson rushed twice for three yards during Sunday's 26-7 loss to Buffalo.
Analysis: Johnson didn't take the field during last week's loss to Chicago, and he played just three offensive snaps during Sunday's Week 13 matchup. The Steelers have continued to deploy Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell as their top two running backs, and Johnson is unlikely to have a fantasy-relevant role late in the year as long as those two remain healthy. Johnson has appeared in just eight games this season, rushing 24 times for 61 yards while securing one of two targets for nine yards.
Published: Mon, Dec 1 at 9:50am by Rotowire.com
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Doesn't see field against Chicago
Johnson didn't take the field during Sunday's 31-28 loss to Chicago.
Analysis: Johnson had been limited to single-digit offensive snaps in each of Pittsburgh's last three games, but he didn't log a play Week 12. Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell continue to serve as the Steelers' top two running backs, and Johnson has been unable to carve out a fantasy-relevant role to begin his rookie year.
Published: Mon, Nov 24 at 10:07am by Rotowire.com
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Plays eight snaps in Week 11
Johnson rushed five times for 15 yards during Sunday's 34-12 win over the Bengals.
Analysis: Despite Sunday's lopsided score, the Steelers sustained several prominent injuries, including a wrist injury for Aaron Rodgers and an ankle injury that Jaylen Warren sustained in the third quarter. The latter's health concern led to a slightly increased role for Johnson, although Kenneth Gainwell saw the biggest uptick in usage. However, Warren said after the matchup that he could have returned to the game, so it seems likely that he'll be available for Pittsburgh's Week 12 tilt in Chicago.…read more
Published: Mon, Nov 17 at 9:04am by Rotowire.com
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Minimal production in Week 10
Johnson rushed twice for three yards during Sunday's 25-10 loss to the Chargers.
Analysis: Johnson was on the field for just four offensive snaps Sunday, and he didn't generate much production during the blowout loss. The rookie third-round pick has totaled just nine offensive snaps over the last four weeks, and he's been a non-factor in fantasy over the first half of the season, rushing 17 times for 43 yards while securing one of two targets for nine yards over six appearances.
Published: Mon, Nov 10 at 9:32am by Rotowire.com
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Limited to two touches in win
Johnson rushed once for four yards while securing his lone target for nine yards during Sunday's 27-20 win over Indianapolis.
Analysis: Johnson didn't see any playing time in the Steelers' last two games, but he was on the field for five offensive snaps against the Colts. While it was encouraging to see him record a couple of touches, he remains firmly behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell on the depth chart.
Published: Mon, Nov 3 at 10:21am by Rotowire.com
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Doesn't play in Week 8 loss
Johnson didn't take the field in Sunday's 35-25 loss to the Packers.
Analysis: Johnson's lack of usage continued during Sunday's primetime matchup, as he was held off the field for a second consecutive matchup. The rookie entered the season with intriguing potential, but Jaylen Warren has continued to operate as Pittsburgh's primary running back in 2025, while Kenneth Gainwell has consistently served as the No. 2 option. Johnson has appeared in just four games, rushing 14 times for 36 yards while failing to secure his lone target.
Published: Mon, Oct 27 at 11:51am by Rotowire.com
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Doesn't see field in primetime
Johnson was active but wasn't on the field for any snaps during Thursday's 33-31 loss to the Bengals.
Analysis: Johnson recorded six carries in each of the Steelers' last two games, but he was held off the field Thursday night despite being active. Jaylen Warren was dominant in Thursday's loss, racking up 158 yards from scrimmage, while Kenneth Gainwell was on the field for 39 percent of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps, so work likely will continue to be hard to come by for Johnson as long as the team's top two running backs are healthy.
Published: Fri, Oct 17 at 7:49am by Rotowire.com
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Records another six carries in win
Johnson rushed six times for 15 yards during Sunday's 23-9 win over the Browns.
Analysis: Johnson saw six carries during the Steelers' Week 4 win over the Vikings, and he saw a similar workload following Pittsburgh's Week 5 bye. Jaylen Warren continues to serve as the team's clear lead back, but Johnson has seen slightly more opportunities over the past two games. The 22-year-old's 11 offensive snaps still lagged behind Warren (31) and Kenneth Gainwell (20), and Johnson's fantasy value will likely remain limited as long as those two remain healthy.
Published: Mon, Oct 13 at 7:33am by Rotowire.com
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Gets involved in offense
Johnson rushed the ball six times for 22 yards in Sunday's 24-21 win over the Vikings.
Analysis: Jaylen Warren's (knee) absence opened up a lot of opportunity in the Pittsburgh backfield. Kenneth Gainwell was the primary back and performed well, though Johnson did see the most significant opportunity of his rookie season. He was servicable in the role, picking up 14 yards on the ground on a drive early in the fourth quarter to help the Steelers to a field goal. Johnson isn't likely to see much of a role when Pittsburgh returns to the field in Week 6, but it was a small step forward after…read more
Published: Sun, Sep 28 at 11:59am by Rotowire.com
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Doesn't play in Week 3
Johnson didn't take the field during Sunday's 21-14 win over the Patriots.
Analysis: Johnson saw minimal snaps over the first two weeks of the regular season, but he was held out Sunday following last week's error on special teams that led to a Seattle touchdown. Jaylen Warren continued to serve as the lead back against New England, playing 80 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps, while Kenneth Gainwell was on the field for 26 percent. The Steelers invested a third-round pick in Johnson, but the rookie has some work to do if he hopes to carve out a fantasy-relevant role.
Published: Mon, Sep 22 at 8:19am by Rotowire.com
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Relieved of return duties
Head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Johnson "probably" won't be returning kickoffs against the Patriots in Week 3, Brooke Pryor of ESPN reports.
Analysis: Johnson saw just six snaps (two on offense, four on special teams) during the Steelers' 31-17 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday. Despite the limited playing time, he made a big impact in a bad way by failing to retrieve a kickoff return into the end zone, which led to George Holani recovering the ball for a Seattle touchdown. Johnson has turned two carries into minus-1 yard over the first two games of the regular season, and depsite plenty of preseason hype, the 2025 third-round pick is far from…read more
Published: Tue, Sep 16 at 2:36pm by Rotowire.com
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Commits blunder on special teams
Johnson rushed once for one yard during Sunday's 31-17 loss to the Seahawks.
Analysis: Johnson was on the field for just two offensive snaps for a second consecutive week. He played four snaps on special teams, but he didn't pursue a ball that bounced past him on a kickoff in the fourth quarter, which allowed Seattle to recover in the end zone for a touchdown. The 22-year-old showcased some promise during the preseason after being selected in the third round of this year's draft, but he hasn't had a role in Pittsburgh's offense behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, and…read more
Published: Mon, Sep 15 at 7:17am by Rotowire.com
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Minimal involvement in debut
Johnson rushed the ball once for minus-2 yards in Sunday's 34-32 win over the Jets. He also returned five kickoffs for 132 yards.
Analysis: Johnson clearly served as Pittsburgh's third running back, with his only rushing attempt coming late in the third quarter. His primary contribution came as a kick returner, though he narrowly escaped disaster when a teammate recovered his fumble on a return late in the first quarter. Johnson had an uneven training camp due to his work as a pass blocker and receiver, so he'll likely continue to be brought along slowly behind Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.
Published: Sun, Sep 7 at 9:24pm by Rotowire.com
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Ends preseason on high note
Johnson took five carries for 24 yards and one catch for two yards in Thursday's 19-10 preseason win over the Panthers.
Analysis: Johnson came in at the start of the third drive, after Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell were done playing (but before the first-string offensive linemen were removed). The rookie had gains of seven and eight yards on his carries behind the starting O-line, and he didn't play at all after halftime. It was a nice finish to the preseason, with back-to-back solid outings after struggling in Pittsburgh's opener, but Johnson won't necessarily have a large role come Week 1 against the Jets. That…read more
Published: Thu, Aug 21 at 8:34pm by Rotowire.com
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Plays behind Gainwell
Johnson rushed the ball 11 times for 50 yards in Saturday's 17-14 preseason loss to the Buccaneers. He made one reception on one target for nine yards.
Analysis: Johnson entered the game after Kenneth Gainwell and played deep into the third quarter, while Jaylen Warren rested. Johnson found running room difficult to come by for much of the contest, though he did rip off gains of 14 and nine yards on the ground. While his usage behind Gainwell suggests there is still plenty of room for Johnson to improve, he did seemingly take a step forward relative to his first preseason contest.
Published: Sat, Aug 16 at 8:37pm by Rotowire.com
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Little production in pro debut
Johnson rushed the ball eight times for 20 yards in Saturday's 31-25 preseason win over the Jaguars. He recorded one reception on two targets for six yards.
Analysis: Jaylen Warren was rested for the game, giving Johnson the chance to work as Pittsburgh's lead back early into the third quarter. Johnson found running room hard to come by -- his longest gain on the ground went for seven yards -- but he was able to pick up tough yardage on a few occasions. His work both in pass protection and as a pass catcher remains in question, but it was a decent pro debut for Johnson.
Published: Sat, Aug 9 at 8:07pm by Rotowire.com
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Getting some first-team reps
Johnson was the second running back in with the first-team offense at Thursday's practice, after Jaylen Warren, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Analysis: It's just one practice, but nonetheless a good sign that offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is preparing Johnson to replace Najee Harris. The Steelers don't have Cordarrelle Patterson (undisclosed) available at the start of training camp, leaving free-agent signings Kenneth Gainwell and Trey Sermon as the veterans for competing for backup roles. The Steelers hope Johnson will end up pushing Warren for more first-team snaps, rather than struggling during camp and worrying about…read more
Published: Fri, Jul 25 at 10:06am by Rotowire.com
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