Pittsburgh Steelers News

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson will be given opportunities to establish himself as a key part of the team's offense in 2026, according to head coach Mike McCarthy. "I am aware of their past experiences, but this is like a Catholic operation, and you say three Hail Marys and everybody has a clean slate and let's get to work," McCarthy said regarding Johnson (via Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com). The veteran head coach also explained that he's going to "challenge [Johnson] to be a three-down player and a special teamer" going forward. The former third-round pick mostly played on special teams as a rookie last year, amassing just 29 touches and 78 scrimmage yards on offense. The Steelers already have Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle in their backfield, but it sounds like Johnson will have an opportunity to prove that he deserves more touches in Year 2. Dynasty managers in deeper leagues should hold Johnson for now. In shallower leagues, it's perfectly appropriate to drop him, despite McCarthy's optimistic comments.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf is coming off a productive but inconsistent season, scoring single-digit fantasy points in six of his 15 games. Managers shouldn't panic sell, but it's fair to start having some second thoughts about his dynasty outlook because of the inconsistency. Metcalf finished his first season as a Steeler with 59 catches, 850 yards, and six touchdowns, ranking as the WR26 in PPR leagues. Even with Michael Pittman Jr. on the team going forward, we can expect Metcalf to have a similar fantasy finish in 2026 if quarterback Aaron Rodgers returns. However, if Rodgers doesn't return, Metcalf's fantasy outlook could suffer. There aren't many appealing quarterback options left in free agency, and the Steelers don't have the draft capital to select a premium rookie. Therefore, unless Rodgers re-signs with the Steelers, Metcalf could be paired with a subpar quarterback next season (and beyond). Dynasty managers should hold Metcalf for now before deciding how to proceed in trade talks once the Steelers have more clarity under center.

ESPN's Adam Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday that "it does sound like Aaron Rodgers back in Pittsburgh is happening." "That would be my guess right now," Schefter added. Rodgers technically is still a free agent, but the fact that he's been speaking with new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy frequently is a hint that the future Hall of Fame signal-caller is leaning toward re-signing with the team for a 22nd season in the NFL. The 42-year-old has become notorious for taking his time in the offseason to decide on his playing future, but owner and president Art Rooney II recently said the organization is hoping that Rodgers will make his decision by the NFL draft at the end of April. If Rodgers returns for a second season in Pittsburgh, he'll have a new weapon in receiver Michael Pittman Jr., but for fantasy purposes, he'd still be a low-end QB2 with limited upside in what will very likely be his final year in the league. The four-time MVP finished as the QB19 in fantasy in 2025 with 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 16 regular-season games. A reunion with McCarthy won't suddenly make Rodgers a QB1 in fantasy again.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy said that he talked to veteran free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Monday night, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show. There has been no resolution on the Rodgers front yet this offseason, but owner and president Art Rooney II said recently that the organization expects the future Hall of Famer to decide whether he wants to re-sign with the team before the NFL draft at the end of April. Right now, the only QBs on Pittsburgh's roster are Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. The Steelers are very high on Howard, but if Rodgers decides he wants to run it back in the Steel City in 2026, he'll obviously be the team's QB1 this fall. The 42-year-old four-time MVP and 10-time Pro Bowler has stayed healthy the last two years after tearing his ACL with the Jets in 2023, but he's been very mediocre for fantasy football managers. Last year, Rodgers threw for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions to finish as the QB19. He'll have a new receiver in Michael Pittman Jr. if he returns, but even so, Rodgers would still be more of a low-end QB2 with limited upside at the end of his illustrious career.

Across 16 games in 2025, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren recorded a career-high 1,291 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns on 251 touches. Warren began the year as the featured back in Pittsburgh before gradually moving into more of a timeshare with former Steelers back Kenneth Gainwell. While Gainwell departed Pittsburgh in free agency, the Steelers brought in former Carolina Panthers back Rico Dowdle to replace him. Dowdle is known for his ability to run between the tackles on early downs and in short-yardage situations, which could mean Warren will be siloed to a third-down role in 2026. While Warren has been an efficient player (career average of 5.3 yards per touch) throughout his time in the NFL, Pittsburgh has never quite trusted him to take on a full RB1 workload. As a result, Warren's fantasy value has traditionally been limited to low-end RB2/flex status. With Dowdle now in Pittsburgh, Warren's upside in dynasty formats remains capped.

Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. finished the 2025 season valued as a low-end WR3 in consensus dynasty rankings, but since the offseason trade that moved him from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh, he has fallen to the low WR4 range. Pittman will be viewed by most as the clear second option behind D.K. Metcalf in a Steelers offense whose current quarterback situation would have to be graded as incomplete, so the dip is understandable, but he will still play the entirety of the 2026 season before turning 30, and he has finished as the WR23 or better in four of the past five seasons. He has become a go-to option for a revolving door of Colts quarterbacks by being a big-bodied target who runs precise routes and is rarely out of place against zone coverage. Whether his next signal caller is an unproven first-round rookie or a surly veteran who expects things to be done in a very particular way, nothing about Pittman's game suggests he will not continue to be a reliable target-earner.

Pittsburgh Steelers owner and president Art Rooney II said on Sunday that he expects veteran free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers to decide on whether he wants to re-sign with the team before next month's NFL draft, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Although the future Hall of Famer hasn't been rumored to be talking to any other teams since the start of the new league year in March, it remains unclear whether he wants to return for a 22nd NFL season under old head coach Mike McCarthy. The 42-year-old four-time MVP and 10-time Pro Bowler threw for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 16 regular-season starts to help lead Pittsburgh to the playoffs, but he was demolished in the Wild-Card round of the postseason and finished as the QB19 in fantasy scoring. If Rodgers returns to run it back with McCarthy, he'll have more receiving help in Michael Pittman Jr., but he'd still be more of a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues with limited upside at the end of his illustrious career. The risk of injury is as high as ever with Rodgers, although he missed just one game in the last two seasons after tearing his Achilles in 2023 with the Jets.

After injuries limited him to only five offensive snaps as a rookie, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson saw the field more in Year 2, but was still unable to take advantage of his limited opportunities, finishing 2026 with only two touchdowns and 166 yards on 12 receptions. A third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Wilson has been a popular dynasty stash following a productive National Championship-winning senior season at Michigan, but having shown little to warrant the roster spot, he figures to be heavily dropped as dynasty managers clear space for the incoming rookie class. With the Steelers trading for Michael Pittman Jr. to pair with last season's prized acquisition, D.K. Metcalf, the Steelers now boast arguably their most potent receiving duo since Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, leaving Wilson fighting with a handful of capable pass-catching running backs and tight ends for any remaining targets. And with the quarterback position still unsettled heading into April, the quality of those sporadic looks will likely be incapable of sustaining fantasy relevance in the immediate future.

Across 17 games with the Carolina Panthers in 2025, running back Rico Dowdle racked up 1,373 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns on 275 touches. After recording just 83 rushing yards over Carolina's first four games of the season, Dowdle took advantage of a mid-season injury to fellow Panthers back Chuba Hubbard and emerged as the team's RB1 through the remainder of the year. Dowdle's emergence in Carolina was enough to earn him a two-year, $12.25 million contract from the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. In Pittsburgh, Dowdle will likely split touches with incumbent Steelers back Jaylen Warren. Warren's presence limits Dowdle's fantasy upside, particularly as a receiver. However, Dowdle is the more physical of the two backs and could be the team's preferred early-down and red zone rusher. Overall, Dowdle profiles as a fringe starting running back option for fantasy managers in a split backfield in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth's dynasty/keeper fantasy value is on the rise with Jonnu Smith no longer in town, but there's also the looming question this offseason surrounding the team's quarterback situation. Freiermuth put up a career-high 65 receptions for 653 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns on 78 targets in 17 regular-season games in 2024, but he fell to a disappointing 41-486-4 line in 17 regular-season games with Smith in town in 2025. For fantasy football purposes, the 27-year-old was the TE24 in half-PPR scoring in his fifth year in the NFL. As long as veteran Aaron Rodgers returns for another season in the Steel City, Freiermuth will have clear bounce-back potential with a higher target floor in what should be a more pass-happy offense under new head coach Mike McCarthy. The recent addition of receiver Michael Pittman Jr. creates additional target competition for the former second-round selection in 2021 out of Penn State.

While 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers remains unsigned two weeks into the start of the 2026 league year, new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy would seem to welcome a reunion with the player he coached for 13 seasons and with whom he won a Super Bowl in 2010. At an event honoring late Packers president Bob Harlan, McCarthy was asked about the potential reunion and offered that, "It'd be a great story." A four-time MVP, Rodgers has been noncommittal about his future in the league following a 2025 campaign with the Steelers that saw him throw for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns, both among the lowest totals of his 20-year career. If he does choose to return for a 21st season, Pittsburgh would be the most obvious fit. A playoff team in 2025, the hiring of McCarthy suggests they still view their competitive window as open, but they head into 2026 with Mason Rudolph and Will Howard atop the depth chart.

Former Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks running back Travis Homer signed an undisclosed deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN. In the last three seasons in Chicago, Homer only had seven rushing attempts for 21 yards while catching three of his four targets for 11 yards in the passing game in 36 games (zero starts). The 27-year-old will strictly serve as RB depth in Pittsburgh and can continue to be ignored in both single-year and dynasty/keeper leagues in 2026. Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, and Kaleb Johnson will be ahead of him on the RB depth chart this fall. The 5-foot-10, 211-pounder will most likely factor in more on special teams for the Steelers in a kick-return role. Homer was drafted in the sixth round in 2019 out of the University of Miami by the Seahawks. He has a healthy 5.3 yard-per-carry average in his seven NFL seasons, but he's had just 90 carries for 474 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington has officially jumped to No. 2 on the depth chart after the team released Jonnu Smith. Washington has never finished higher than TE39 in his three NFL seasons, but that could change next year as he takes on a larger role. He's technically listed behind Pat Freiermuth, but given how often the Steelers deployed two-tight end sets in 2025, we wouldn't be surprised to see Washington consistently get on the field for more than two-thirds of the offensive snaps. A physical specimen at 6-foot-7 and 265 pounds, Washington has shown a tendency to get open and make plays with the ball in his hands. He averaged 2.3 catches and 5.3 fantasy points per game from Weeks 11 through 17 last year, starting to trend up in dynasty leagues. The next big step for Washington is taking on a larger role around the goal line. For someone as tall and large as Washington, we'd expect him to have more than two touchdowns through three seasons. If he can take on a bigger role and get more looks around the end zone in new offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio's system, then Washington could become one of the more intriguing handcuffs in his role alongside Freiermuth. Tight end-needy managers in deep dynasty leagues should consider offering a late-round draft pick for Washington, because he has the potential to offer streaming appeal at times next year.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson had an incredibly disheartening rookie season in 2025, tallying just 69 rushing yards and nine receiving yards. He was a healthy scratch seven times, and he didn't register a single return on special teams after Week 2. The Iowa product quickly became a non-factor on the Steelers' roster, which was somewhat surprising since the team drafted him in the third round of last year's draft. Johnson's outlook with the Steelers could be dissipating as quickly as it was ignited. Between his subpar 2025 season and the arrival of a new coaching staff that has no pre-existing ties to him, Johnson seems like he could be the odd man out in Pittsburgh's backfield next year. The Steelers signed Rico Dowdle to pair with Jaylen Warren, so at best, Johnson will be the team's No. 3 running back. It's only been a year, but he's already droppable in most dynasty leagues.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf suddenly finds himself facing plenty of competition for targets on offense. The 28-year-old entered this offseason as the Steelers' clear No. 1 receiver, and it initially seemed like he was due for even more targets with Calvin Austin III slated for free agency. While Austin did indeed sign elsewhere (the New York Giants, to be exact), Pittsburgh brought in a major pass-catching threat by trading for Michael Pittman Jr. Not only is the former Indianapolis Colts receiver a huge contributor on offense, but he could push to take over as the Steelers' No. 1 receiver in front of Metcalf. That's not bad news for the Steelers -- two top receivers is a nice luxury to have -- but it's potentially concerning for Metcalf's dynasty managers. Pittsburgh's offense wasn't great by any means last year, and they could go run-heavy in 2026 with Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle in tow. If Metcalf can't even separate himself from Pittman, he might have trouble improving on his 2025 stat line, which included 59 catches, 850 yards, and six touchdowns. Metcalf should be viewed as a mid-to-high WR3 with WR2 upside.

Former Tennessee Titans free-agent defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday, agent Drew Rosenhaus told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The deal includes $6 million in 2026. Joseph-Day will head to the fifth team in his career after spending the last two seasons with the Titans. The 30-year-old veteran interior defensive lineman had 85 tackles (40 solo), 4.5 sacks, nine tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, and a fumble recovery in 34 games (22 starts) in his two years in Nashville. While Joseph-Day isn't really relevant in IDP fantasy leagues, he could become a key rotational piece at defensive tackle in the Steel City behind stalwarts Cameron Heyward and Derrick Harmon. The former sixth-rounder by the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 out of Rutgers has 15.5 sacks in his seven seasons while also steadily racking up 314 combined tackles.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed free-agent safety Jaquan Brisker, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com. Terms and duration of the contract were not immediately reported. Brisker, a former second-round pick, impressed while playing out his four-year rookie deal in Chicago. Now, the Pittsburgh native is heading home. It's a bit unclear what his role will be, as the Steelers already have a capable strong safety in Deshon Elliott. With that said, this is still an encouraging addition for Pittsburgh. Brisker started every game he played across four seasons in Chicago, including all 17 contests in 2025. He finished the season with one sack, one interception, eight passes defended, and 93 total tackles.

The Pittsburgh Steelers could make linebacker Patrick Queen available for trade this offseason, according to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Harris explains that a "handful of teams," including the Philadelphia Eagles, have inquired about trading for Queen. At this point, Pittsburgh isn't actively shopping the defender, but it appears that they're at least interested in making a deal. Specifically, Harris reports that the Steelers would like to acquire a mid-round draft pick in any trade for Queen. The former first-round pick has spent six seasons in the AFC North -- four with Baltimore and two with Pittsburgh. He's a two-time Pro Bowler and has recorded at least 117 tackles in each of the last four years. While the Eagles have already been linked to Queen, Harris also raises the idea of a potential trade with the Dallas Cowboys, who are actively seeking linebacker upgrades despite already adding Rashan Gary.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward have agreed to a new two-year contract worth $32.25 million, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. The deal guarantees Heyward's 2026 salary and keeps him under contract with the team through 2027. He'll now enter the 2026 season without the stress of marketing himself for a new contract, and given that Heyward is 37 years old, it's possible that this deal will take him through the end of his NFL career. The lifetime Steeler has spent all 15 of his NFL seasons in Pittsburgh. Most recently in 2025, he made 17 starts with one forced fumble, 3.5 sacks, nine quarterback hits, and 78 tackles. He provides the Steelers with defensive line continuity alongside pass-rushing star T.J. Watt.

The Athletic's Saad Yousuf, Dianna Russini, and Mike DeFabo believe that with the addition of new running back Rico Dowdle in free agency, "there's a good shot" that Dowdle will be in the 1A role, and Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jaylen Warren will be the "change-of-pace" back. The 5-foot-8 Warren has been "at his best in a third-down role and out of the shotgun." It means that the 27-year-old will likely take over the pass-catching duties that Kenneth Gainwell had in 2025, when he caught a career-high 73 passes for 486 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Warren was the RB17 in half-PPR scoring last year, going for a career-high 958 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground on 211 carries in 16 games, adding 40 catches for 333 yards and two TDs as a pass-catcher. The addition of Dowdle is definitely a big hit to Warren's overall fantasy value going into 2026, but his role as a pass-catcher shouldn't be taken lightly in PPR formats, especially if veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers returns.