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A lot has been made about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ potential position battle for the No. 3 running back spot between Kaleb Johnson and Eli Heidenreich.
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Whoever ultimately wins that job won’t be in line for a ton of carries considering Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle’s presence at the top of the depth chart, but it’s still an important role in the long run.
Travis Homer has been lurking in the shadows as a real threat to come out on top as well, and both Johnson and Heidenreich must prove more valuable than him or else he could crush their dreams of making the 53-man roster.
Why Homer Is a Dark Horse to Win No. 3 RB Job
Because the Steelers have the luxury of two starting-caliber running backs who combined for 2,664 yards from scrimmage last season with Warren and Dowdle, they don’t necessarily need a third player at the position who can consistently produce offensively.
While that would be preferred, rostering another running back who thrives in another area of the game, such as in pass protection or on special teams, is more paramount.
That’s where Johnson could run into some issues during training camp and the preseason. The 2025 third-rounder still has promise as a pure runner despite his disappointing rookie campaign given his power and vision, but he does not profile as a special teams contributor and hasn’t shown the ability to make an impact in the passing game.
Heidenreich is more of a Swiss Army knife who can move around the offense and make a few splash plays on designed touches, though he was work to do in pass protection while also being far from a traditional running back who is a real factor in the run game.
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Homer, on the other hand, has set himself apart and carved out a long career due to his prowess as a special teamer. The 27-year-old hasn’t recorded more than nine touches in a single season since 2022 and posted -2 yards from scrimmage for the Chicago Bears last year, but he played 62 percent of the team’s special teams snaps as a staple on that side of the ball.
He has limited experience as a kick returner too with 19 attempts for 473 yards and a touchdown throughout his seven seasons in the league up to this point. Furthermore, Homer was efficient in the early stages of his career on offense with an average of 5.3 yards per carry on 90 attempts while also having 55 receptions for 475 yards.
It’s possible the Steelers could keep four running backs and have Homer stick around alongside either Johnson or Heidenreich. Still, both of the team’s young options at the position have to be on their A-game in order to beat out Homer.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/steelers/onsi as Steelers Veteran Could Crush Kaleb Johnson and Eli Heidenreich’s Dreams.
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This story was originally published July 12, 2026 at 8:15 AM.