When the Steelers take on the Cincinnati Bengals today they will be without running back Rico Dowdle. Dowdle is inactive after he suffered a toe injury last week against the New England Patriots and missed practice all week.
In addition, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is inactive.
With Dowdle inactive, it will be Jaylen Warren who will be relied upon heavily today. Warren and Dowdle had been sharing snaps through the first two games of the season.
Warren said he is ready for whatever workload comes his way today.
"I'm always taking advantage of my opportunities," said Warren. "However it shakes out, whatever plan they have for us, I'll be ready."
Warren won't be the only one asked to step up though.
Without Dowdle being available, the Steelers signed running back Travis Homer to the active roster from the practice squad. The team also elevated running back Lew Nichols from the practice squad to the Active/Inactive roster for the game.
Warren has the utmost confidence in them.
"Unfortunately, Rico is down, but it's no setback like shake back with them coming up," said Warren. "Lew is a spectacular player as you've seen in the preseason. As far as Homer, you saw his run last week. So yeah, I'm excited for them."
Homer, who was also elevated for last week's game against the Patriots, was signed by the Steelers in the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. Homer was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth-round of the 2019 NFL Draft, the 204th overall pick.
He spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Seahawks (2019-22) and the last three with the Chicago Bears (2023-25).
Homer said he prepared this week the way he does every week, knowing an opportunity might arise.
"Being in this league now for going on eight years, you just learn that you've got to prepare for everything," said Homer. "So, my preparation doesn't change.
"I'm here to do whatever I can for the team. Whatever role that is, I want to play that part. So, if it is on offense, I make sure I do my best to know what I've got to do and how to do it, so that the team can trust me."
When asked what he brings to the running game, Homer couldn't help but smile.
"I like to be physical," said Homer. "I from South Florida, so they say I'm fast.
"Just speed, physicality."
Nichols spent the 2025 season on the Steelers practice squad and was signed to a Reserve/Future contract at the end of the 2025 season. Nichols was elevated for the Steelers-Colts game in Week 9, playing on special teams.
Nichols was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft, spending most of the season on the Reserve/Injured List. He has since spent time on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad.
Nichols played college football at Central Michigan where he rushed for 1,710 yards in 2021, leading the nation. He was the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2021.
The team also elevated defensive back Doneiko Slaughter from the practice squad to the Active/Inactive Roster. Slaughter was also activated for the Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons and the Week 2 game against the New England Patriots.
Slaughter was first signed to a Reserve/Future contract by the Steelers following the 2025 season. Slaughter originally signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft.
Slaughter played his final college season at Arkansas where he started 13 games. He recorded 80 tackles, including 44 solo stops, three tackles for a loss, seven passes defensed, a sack and a forced fumble.
He began his college career at Tennessee, playing four seasons and finishing with three sacks, one interception and eight passes defensed. In five college seasons, he appeared in 56 games, starting 28. He had 167 tackles, 110 of them solo stops, eight and a half tackles for a loss, four sacks, and 15 passes defensed.
The full list of inactives is below.
Steelers Inactives
No. 13 RB Rico Dowdle
No. 16 QB Drew Allar
No. 18 QB Will Howard (3rd QB)
No. 24 CB Joey Porter Jr.
No. 29 RB Eli Heidenreich
No. 92 DL Kevin Jobity Jr.
No. 96 DE Gabriel Rubio
Bengals Inactives
No. 28 CB Josh Newton
No. 65 C Connor Lew
No. 77 OT Myles Hinton
No. 84 TE Jack Endries
No. 92 DT B.J. Hill
No. 96 DT Landon Robinson
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