Fantasy Alert: Steelers' Jaylen Warren Expects to Play Week 1 amid Hamstring Injury

Fantasy football managers hoping Jaylen Warren provides sleeper value this season should be pleased with Monday's developments.

The Pittsburgh Steelers running back has been dealing with a hamstring injury but said he participated in individual drills Monday and plans on joining team periods Wednesday, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor.

As a result, he expects to be on the field for Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons.

It wasn't always clear whether Warren would play in the season opener, as NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on Aug. 18 he could miss "a few weeks" with the injury he suffered in a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills, which left his Week 1 status "unclear."

Yet he has progressed enough that the plan is for him to play.

There is still inherent risk in relying on Warren from a fantasy perspective, even if he is healthy enough to face the Falcons.

After all, he is expected to share the backfield with Najee Harris. Harris tallied 255 carries to Warren's 149 last season even though the latter was better from a yards-per-attempt standpoint at 5.3 to 4.1.

Harris will likely see plenty of action once again this season, and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin also teased a package with backup quarterback Justin Fields. Such a package would surely feature Fields using his legs to make plays as a runner, which could cut into opportunities for Warren near the goal line.

A glass-half-full approach to Warren would suggest he is trending toward more usage after seeing his 77 carries and 28 catches as a rookie in 2022 improve to 149 carries and 61 catches as a second-year playmaker. He was also more explosive than Harris last season, and a continuation of that trend would surely increase his opportunities.

Still, there is reason for fantasy football managers to be worried given the presence of Harris, Fields and the hamstring injury that limited Warren during the preseason.

Until he proves he is being used enough and healthy enough, it may be wise to keep him on the bench for later in the campaign.