Pittsburgh Steelers

Kaleb Johnson

RB

"Cutting a third-round pick one year after he's drafted would be a tough look for the Steelers, but it sure seems to be trending that direction based on the way the carries have been split in practices and in the first preseason game," DeFabo wrote Wednesday. While Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle rested, Johnson played behind both Travis Homer and Lew Nichols in the preseason opener last week and didn't see his first carry until the third quarter. He's buried on the depth chart and continues to make mistakes on special teams, as Johnson was seen getting chewed out on the sideline by special teams coordinator Danny Crossman against Green Bay last Thursday. Considering Johnson doesn't excel on special teams, and Homer does as the person protector on the punt team, the 2025 third-rounder Johnson may be on the outs with the new coaching staff. It might be best for Johnson to get a fresh start elsewhere after playing just 51 offensive snaps across 10 regular-season appearances as a rookie last season.

Drew Allar

QB

Allar will check into the game at an undetermined time after starter Will Howard finishes his reps. Allar and Howard are likely battling for a roster spot, with Allar's three-touchdown performance and 154.8 passer rating in last Thursday's preseason opener against the Packers being the standard Howard will likely need to match to keep up on the depth chart.

Will Howard

QB

Howard will start the contest before eventually handing the reins off to rookie Drew Allar. The 2025 sixth-round pick appears to be competing with Allar for a 53-man roster spot, meaning Friday's game should be important for both young quarterbacks.

Mason Rudolph

QB

Coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday that he "saw what I need to see from Mason last week," implying the veteran quarterback has a place on the team for 2026. Friday's game will be dominated by Will Howard and Drew Allar, one of whom is presumably the Steelers' quarterback of the future once Aaron Rodgers retires.

Michael Pittman Jr.

WR

Pittman left practice Saturday, Aug. 8, with some sort of right leg injury and has been sidelined in the meantime, but the nature of the issue wasn't clarified until this week. Meanwhile, fellow WR DK Metcalf also has been tending to an undisclosed health concern during most of that stretch. Pittsburgh likely will continue to take a cautious approach with its top two receivers with a Week 1 matchup against the Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 13, in mind. Per Farabaugh, there's no concern regarding Pittman's status for that contest.

DK Metcalf

WR

Metcalf has missed more than a week of practice due to an undisclosed injury, a stretch that included the Steelers' preseason opener against the Packers last Thursday. At the same time, fellow WR Michael Pittman also has been sidelined with a hamstring issue. Pittsburgh likely will continue to take a cautious approach with its top two pass catchers with the Sept. 13 Week 1 matchup with the Falcons in mind.

Aaron Rodgers

QB

McCarthy relayed that neither of Pittsburgh's veteran quarterbacks will take the field Friday, with the coach noting that he "saw what I need to see" from backup Mason Rudolph during the team's preseason opener versus the Packers last week. Second-year signal-caller Will Howard will draw the start Friday, and rookie third-round pick Drew Allar will receive snaps once Howard exits the game.

Israel Mukuamu

S

questionable

Brandon Smith

WR

questionable

Max Iheanachor

OT

questionable

Logan Lee

DT

ir

Jaquan Brisker

S

questionable

Cole Burgess

WR

ir

Brandin Echols

CB

questionable

Kaden Wetjen

WR

Wetjen missed Saturday's session with an undisclosed issue. The projected kick and punt returner seems to have quickly recovered from whatever injury he sustained during Thursday's preseason opener against the Packers. Wetjen caught both of his targets for 79 yards and a touchdown while also returning three kicks for 61 yards during Thursday's contest. The wide receiver also returned two punts for 10 yards. The fourth-round rookie's versatility and production could be a catalyst that quickly moves him up the depth chart in the coming weeks.

Keeanu Benton

DT

The deal makes Benton the highest-paid defensive lineman in franchise history. The 2023 second-rounder put together a solid 2025 campaign, finishing the regular season with 51 tackles (25 solo), including 5.5 sacks, one pass defense and one forced fumble across 17 regular-season games. Benton should see a heavy workload on the defensive line while working in rotation with veteran Cameron Heyward and 2025 first-rounder Derrick Harmon.

Rico Dowdle

RB

Neither Dowdle nor Jaylen Warren suited up for Thursday's game, which saw Lew Nichols and rookie seventh-rounder Eli Heidenreich handle the bulk of the carries. Warren is listed as the Steelers' RB1 on the first unofficial depth chart that was released Aug. 5, but head coach Mike McCarthy wants to balance the workload between Warren and Dowdle, per Brian Batko of the team's official site. Dowdle has rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of his last two seasons, but he saw his usage dip over the last few weeks of the 2025 season while with the Panthers.

Jaylen Warren

RB

Both Warren and Rico Dowdle observed Thursday's game from the sidelines while depth backfield options Lew Nichols and Eli Heidenreich combined for 19 of the Steelers' 28 carries. Warren is listed ahead of Dowdle on the Steelers' first unofficial depth chart that was released Aug. 5, but the duo could see similar workloads in a balanced backfield, per Brian Batko of the team's official site.

Germie Bernard

WR

'The rookie wideout tied tight end Robert Tonyan for the Steelers' lead in receptions, but that production came with Mason Rudolph under center as Aaron Rodgers got the night off, and the team's top two wideouts DK Metcalf (undisclosed) and Michael Pittman (leg) sidelined. While it's encouraging that Bernard took advantage of his opportunity, and he did out-produce his main competition for the WR3 role in Roman Wilson, he still has a lot to prove to land on the fantasy radar in most formats.

Darnell Washington

TE

QB Aaron Rodgers wasn't under center in the Steelers' exhibition opener, while the team's top two wideouts DK Metcalf (undisclosed) and Michael Pittman (leg) were sidelined, but top tight ends Washington and Pat Freiermuth both made cameos in the contest. Washington's receiving numbers took a step forward in his third NFL season, and with Jonnu Smith no longer on the roster, the 2023 third-round pick could see his volume tick up a little further after he caught 31 of 43 targets for 364 yards and a touchdown over 16 regular-season contests last year.

Pat Freiermuth

TE

QB Aaron Rodgers wasn't under center in the Steelers' exhibition opener, while the team's top two wideouts DK Metcalf (undisclosed) and Michael Pittman (leg) were sidelined, but top tight ends Freiermuth and Darnell Washington both made cameos in the contest. Freiermuth's lone catch came just short of the goal line, as Mason Rudolph found him on a 4th-and-3 early in the second quarter. The 27-year-old saw his receiving numbers decline in 2025, and while significant competition for targets went out the door this offseason in Jonnu Smith and Kenny Gainwell, the addition of Pittman as a possession receiver could put a ceiling on how much Freiermuth is able to bounce back.

Elandon Roberts

LB

Roberts will return to the Steelers after spending the 2023 and 2024 campaigns with the team before recording 90 total tackles (42 solo), a fumble recovery and a pass defensed over 17 regular-season contests with Las Vegas last season. The 32-year-old will provide Pittsburgh with another veteran reserve option behind Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen at inside linebacker in 2026.

Roman Wilson

WR

The 2024 third-round pick has just 12 catches on 258 career snaps, but he's apparently making a strong case to stay ahead of rookie second-round pick Germie Bernard on the depth chart. With DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman locked in as the top two wide receivers, Wilson probably won't see many targets even if he has a steady role in three-wide sets.

Cornell Powell

WR

Powell spent some time on the Steelers' practice squad last season before being cut back in December, but he's now getting a fresh start with the club. His last regular-season snaps at the NFL level came back in 2022 with Kansas City -- where he played predominantly on special teams -- but Powell produced a combined 63-909-8 line on 116 targets across 18 regular-season games with the UFL's DC Defenders over the last two springs.

Isaiah Winstead

WR

Winstead is coming off of a strong spring season with the Louisville Kings of the UFL, reeling in 29 of 46 targets for 474 yards and three touchdowns. The wide receiver spent the majority of the 2023 campaign with the 49ers' practice squad, but he has yet to make his NFL debut, and he'll look to compete for a spot on Pittsburgh's practice squad ahead of the 2026 season.