I'm going to give a slight edge to Johnson since he should have the chance to lead the Steelers in carries, and he's a physical runner. At Iowa, the 6-foot-1, 224-pound Johnson was dominant in 2024.

Steelers rookie RB Kaleb Johnson recently spoke on his versatility — comparing himself to one of the best RBs in the NFL today.

The Steelers will have some big decisions to make, but a lot of that stems from how well the rookie learns. If Johnson can be a threat out of the backfield like Mixon, Warren is more expendable.

Johnson, who won’t turn 22 until toward the end of training camp at Saint Vincent College, speaks with a maturity beyond his years that figures to make him popular in the Steelers locker room.

"I never really watched Kaleb Johnson and was like, 'Man, poor guy's going to have to run at Indy and show everyone how slow he is,' explained Palazzolo. "He plays fast, so I don't care about his ...