Johnson, who struggled in his first game against the Jaguars by being too tense by his own admission, said he played freely and stopped overthinking. There are still things on the field that he wants to improve, but his decision making is one area he felt took a leap.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- With no Jaylen Warren playing, the Pittsburgh Steelers threw rookie Kaleb Johnson to the wolves and allowed him to shoulder most of the workload in the first half of the team’s first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Is Jaylen Warren or Kaleb Johnson the RB1 for the Steelers? Should you draft Warren or Johnson in 2025 fantasy football drafts? Joey's expert draft analysis and advice.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have big expectations for third-round runner Kaleb Johnson, but he still has hurdles to clear before making a big impact.

True believers bleat loudly about the “Steeler way.” But some of that preferred method is stupid. Like rewarding veterans who “wait their turn.” Like making rookies “earn it.” Those two notions may conspire to stifle the Steelers’ running game.