Unable to find a long-term solution to the QB position, Pittsburgh
has once again turned to a fading veteran to plug a hole that’s
been leaking since Big Ben retired. Exit Russell Wilson, and enter
Aaron Rodgers, who after a disastrous two-year stint with the
Jets, looks to close out his enigmatic career in black and gold.
Despite being a 41-year-old coming off an Achilles injury, and
playing for a dysfunctional franchise, Rodgers had a strong statistical
season in 2024. His yardage and touchdown totals were his best
since 2021, and his throws still had plenty of zip and accuracy.
Unfortunately, he never seemed to get his timing right, and the
Jets thoroughly lacked any offensive identity, which negatively
affected the outcome of games.
Understandably, he can’t avoid the rush and scramble as well
as he used to, so it’s imperative that Pittsburgh plays well up
front, and gets a consistent running game established. Say what
you will about his propensity for drama, or how he conducts himself
off the field, but the grizzled vet with the salt and pepper beard
should have enough left to get the Steelers into the playoffs
yet again. With few passing game threats outside of DK Metcalf,
it’s hard to envision a scenario where Rodgers improves on his
numbers from last season, making him a fringe fantasy option at
the very best.
After a major breakout in his second season, Warren fell off
significantly last year. In addition to missing two games, his
touch total dipped from 210 to 158, and his yards-per-carry average
went from 5.3 to 4.3. Through his time in Pittsburgh, he was never
able to unseat Najee Harris in any significant way, and despite
being re-signed by the Steelers this offseason, the drafting of
Kaleb Williams in the 3rd round signifies that Warren will once
again be relegated to committee work. If he can return to being
healthy and explosive like he was in 2023, and the efficiency
numbers return, then there is a direct path to fantasy relevance.
Remember though, that this offense is still designed by Arthur
Smith, and while he wants to make the run game the focal point,
he’s willing to use three, and sometimes even four running
backs to do it. Besides the drafting of Johnson, former Eagle
Kenneth Gainwell was signed in the offseason, and he’s a
Warren clone. Arthur Smith favorite Cordarrelle Patterson still
remains on the roster as well, meaning that this backfield could
potentially be a mess to untangle. Despite his talent, and flashes
of electricity, there just won’t be the volume to support
Warren as anything more than a RB3.
Using his stout 6’1’’ 224-pound frame, Johnson
was a productive workhorse in his final season at Iowa. What he
lacks in acceleration and lateral quickness, he makes up for in
vision, and tackle busting ability. Johnson should provide the
Steelers with a running back who is capable of doing the heavy
lifting in the backfield, especially near the goal line, where
if everything breaks right for the offense, could approach double-digit
touchdowns. While he should be a solid ground gainer, according
to his pre-draft profiles, Johnson can struggle in pass protection
and has little experience as a pass catcher. There is no bigger
roadblock to playing time for a rookie runner than that, especially
with Aaron Rodgers at QB. Unless he makes significant strides
in the passing game, Johnson is mostly going to be a two-down
back. If the line can open holes, and Rodgers makes the passing
game respectable, Johnson could be a reliable RB2 option at some
points this season.
After a monster start to the season, Metcalf all but vanished
after Week 4, languishing on an offense that was undergoing an
identity shift. By midseason Jaxson Smith-Njigba had taken over
the WR1 role, and Metcalf finished the season with some of the
lowest numbers of his career. But after a blockbuster offseason
trade, and equally eye-popping contract extension, Metcalf becomes
the undisputed alpha among Steelers pass catchers.
For bad or for worse he’ll have absolutely no significant
challengers for targets, so he should easily blow by his career
high of 141. The biggest roadblocks to WR1 status come from offensive
philosophy, and his soon-to-be 42-year-old quarterback, who can
still sling with the best of them, but is a far cry from the bouncy,
elusive passer he used to be. It’s vitally important that
the two build trust and chemistry in camp. Their situation is
very similar to last season between Rodgers and Garrett Wilson,
who despite some strong final numbers, never seemed to build a
consistent connection with each other.
Metcalf is one of the most physically gifted athletes to ever
play the position, but there are doubts he can take his game to
a different level at this point in his career. Wilson's stats
from a year ago is a great starting point for Metcalf, with 1,000
yards and 8 touchdowns making him a trustworthy WR2.
It didn’t take a deep dive into the roster to come to the
conclusion that there isn’t much fantasy value in the receiver
room outside of Metcalf. With the jettisoning of George Pickens,
third-year receiver Calvin Austin becomes the longest tenured
Pittsburgh receiver. Locked into the starting slot receiver role,
Austin’s firecracker frame is good for a few splash plays
each season, but consistent volume or scoring opportunities will
be hard to come by. Rodgers' quick release and accuracy should
be a boon for Austin, who is incredibly dangerous with the ball
in his hands, but the backs and tight ends are going to soak up
most of the leftovers in this offense, giving Austin fringe fantasy
value.
Coming off a career year in Miami and united (for the 3rd time)
with his former coach, Smith lands in the catbird seat this season.
The Steelers failed to upgrade the receiver room outside of adding
Metcalf, so they added the next best thing, a tight end who moonlights
as a receiver, as Smith slides right into a primary pass-catcher
role. His 88-884-8 line from a year ago came out of nowhere, as
they smashed previous career highs. Smith’s other best seasons
came with Arthur Smith designing the offense, so you know he’s
been handpicked to play a significant role. Aaron Rogers loves
to utilize his tight ends, especially to pepper the middle of
the field, and down the seam, as he made Tyler Conklin relevant
at times last year. There is almost no chance Smith comes close
to his numbers from last season simply because the Steelers won’t
be as pass heavy, and the presence of Pat Freiermuth means less
redzone chances, but if you are fading or streaming the position,
Smith is certainly a worthy option.
