The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of questions on the offensive side of the ball. The team still doesn’t have a starting-caliber quarterback on the roster, and Pittsburgh just traded wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. With the offense in such a concerning state, fans are convinced the team will have to win games 12-9 in 2025.
For that style of football, teams need more than just an elite defense, they need a really good run game as well. With the addition of third-round running back Kaleb Johnson, a lot of analysts believe the Steelers will be able to run the ball next season. This was revealed in a recent ESPN piece where several analysts were asked which mid-round selection will have fantasy value in 2025.
Of the 15 analysts polled, three named Johnson as their answer, making him the most commonly selected mid-round rookie.
Kaleb Johnson named as a valuable rookie in fantasy football
NFL analyst Matt Bowen detailed how Johnson’s acceleration and vision make him the perfect running back for the outside zone scheme the Steelers run. Aaron Schatz argued that Johnson has the best path to playing time of any players selected after the first two rounds, and Field Yates pointed out how Pittsburgh wants to run the ball, and Johnson will be a big part of that.
For whatever reason, analysts think he’ll be a good fantasy player, which bodes well for the Steelers, because a good fantasy player is someone who’s productive on the field. Production is exactly what the offense needs. If Johnson can get rolling alongside Jaylen Warren, they will open up the offense.
A good run game makes everyone’s job easier. Establishing the run will help whoever the quarterback is find open receivers. While everyone waits to see who that quarterback will be and what receivers he’ll be throwing to, there should be some comfort about the Steelers’ backfield.