Pittsburgh Steelers

Eli Heidenreich

RB

Heidenreich excelled as both a wideout and running back in college with Navy, and Steelers running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. has fittingly referred to the rookie as a "Swiss Navy knife." That seemingly boosts Heidenreich's chances of making the opening 53-man roster, but DeFabo still sees the seventh-round draft pick as more likely to begin his NFL career on the practice squad. Still, Heidenreich is an intriguing young player due to his unique skill set, which also includes the ability to return kicks. Should Pittsburgh decide to open up the playbook more, Heidenreich could fit in as a change-of-pace weapon, though he's probably going to need to prove capable in pass protection -- something he was rarely asked to do while at Navy.

Germie Bernard

WR

DeFabo notes that Wilson got almost all of the first-team reps in such sets this spring, but the competition between the 2024 third-rounder and Bernard should heat up during training camp. Of the two, Bernard -- who the Steelers took 47th overall in the 2026 NFL Draft -- brings more fantasy upside down the road, but it remains to be seen how much work he'll see out of the gate in the team's Aaron Rodgers-helmed offense. With that in mind, DeFabo suggests that while the 6-foot-1, 206-pound Alabama product has the versatility to line up everywhere, he "probably will carve out his niche as a big slot" as a rookie.

DK Metcalf

WR

Beyond the aforementioned trio, Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek and Kaden Wetjen are in line to compete for depth-chart slotting this summer, while Kaboly suggests it's still possible the Steelers could add a veteran WR at some point during training camp. In any case, on the heels of a 2025 regular season in which he recorded 59 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns on 99 targets to go with two carries for 12 yards and another score in 15 contests, Metcalf will continue to be a key target for returning QB Aaron Rodgers, who will be reunited with head coach Mike McCarthy, in the wake of Mike Tomlin's decision to step away from the team in January. With added competition for targets on board, however, Metcalf's fantasy ceiling in 2026 hinges largely on how Pittsburgh's passing game, still helmed by its 42-year-old signal caller, progresses under the guidance of McCarthy.

Rico Dowdle

RB

On the heels of back-to-back seasons (one with Dallas and one with Carolina) during which he topped 1,000 rushing yards, Dowdle bolsters a Steelers backfield that saw Kenneth Gainwell depart via free agency this offseason. It remains to be seen how the carries/targets will be divided between Warren and Dowdle in 2026, but the two players' different skill sets could lead to a "thunder and lightning" approach utilizing Warren's shiftiness and quickness and Dowdle's bruising style. Also in the mix for complementary touches are 2025 third-rounder Kaleb Johnson and versatile rookie Eli Heidenreich, with added context regarding Pittsburgh's backfield approach set to arrive once team drills commence in training camp.

Kaleb Johnson

RB

Johnson, whom the Steelers took in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, recorded just 28 carries for 69 yards and one catch for nine yards over 10 regular-season games as a rookie. With Warren and Dowdle clearly atop the team's RB depth chart in 2026, Johnson doesn't have a clear path to steady carries in his second year as a pro. Also in the backfield mix are Travis Homer, Lew Nichols and rookie seventh-rounder Eli Heidenreich, but in any case Johnson will be off the fantasy lineup radar as long as Warren and Dowdle are available.