2026 Team Outlook: Pittsburgh Steelers
TE Darnell Washington, PIT - Deep-league Only
Pittsburgh selected Washington in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, adding a tight end with an imposing combination of size (6'7" and 265 pounds) and athleticism (4.64 forty at the combine). His blocking technique needed refinement, but his raw strength already gives him an edge as a run-game contributor. In the passing game, he's unlikely to see high volume, but his speed creates a legitimate deep threat, and his hands make him a natural target in red zone situations. At Georgia, Washington saw limited action in his first two seasons with modest receiving totals before breaking out in his final year with 28 catches for 454 yards and two touchdowns on 41 targets. His 17.2 yards per catch average in college underscores his ability to win down the field rather than underneath. At the NFL level, he figures to see the field primarily as a run-game presence, with his most meaningful offensive contributions coming on play-action shots near the goal line. In his rookie season, Washington caught seven of his 10 targets for 61 yards. The Steelers gave him 25 targets last year, leading to 19 catches for 200 yards and one score. In 2025. Pittsburgh showed more confidence in him as a receiver, highlighted by his career highs in catches (31), receiving yards (364), and targets (43). Washington worked closer to the line of scrimmage (11.7 yards per catch) with only one score. The Steelers had him on the field for 50.2% of their plays while missing almost all of their final three games with a forearm injury. Fantasy Outlook: Washington is a mountain of a man, and his overall tight end profile should creep higher this year. The change in coaching staff may hurt his playing time, but his talent is high enough to have a further progression in his fourth year with Pittsburgh.
RB Rico Dowdle, PIT - Sleeper (undervalued)
Dowdle managed just 24 yards on seven carries in his rookie season, then missed the following two years entirely due to a broken hip and ankle injury. He returned in 2023 to claim the RB2 role in Dallas, finishing with 505 combined yards, four touchdowns, and 17 catches on 106 touches. Dowdle twice reached 12 rushing attempts in a game and posted his best fantasy performances in Week 3 (46 combined yards, a touchdown, and three catches) and Week 18 (nine carries for 46 yards and three catches for 100 yards), though he did miss one game with an ankle issue. 2024 brought a full-featured opportunity, and Dowdle delivered. He handled 274 touches for 1,328 combined yards, five touchdowns, and 39 catches, missing only Week 8 due to illness. His year started quietly; he posted fantasy scores of 4.20, 9.90, and 8.60 in his first three games before breaking out in Week 5 with 87 rushing yards on 20 carries, two catches for 27 yards, and a score. From there, Dallas leaned on him heavily down the stretch. Over the final 10 games, he saw 199 touches (176 carries, 833 rushing yards,
two touchdowns, 23 catches, 118 receiving yards, and one receiving score), averaging 13.61 fantasy points per game. He topped 100 rushing yards four times and peaked in Weeks 9 and 13 with fantasy outputs of 21.70 and 21.30, respectively. Carolina took notice, rewarding him with a one-year, $2.7 million deal last season. The Panthers gave Dowdle almost the same opportunity in 2025, leading to 1,373 combined yards with seven touchdowns and 39 catches on 275 touches. Unfortunately, much of his fantasy value came across three matchups (23/206/1 with three catches for 28 yards, 239 combined yards with one score and four catches, and 25/130/2 with two catches for 11 yards). The Panthers phased him out over their final seven matchups (73/252/1 with 17 catches for 106 yards) due to finding smaller running lanes (3.5 yards per rush and 6.2 yards per catch). Fantasy Outlook: Based on his recent direction and his ability to make plays in space, Dowdle projects to have another active role, with most of his chances coming in the run game. The Steelers should give him the advantage in goal-line chances, while still working as a rotational receiving option. His ADP (90) in the NFFC ranks Dowdle 32nd at running back in June. Let's go 200 touches for 850 combined yards with about seven touchdowns and 25 catches, painting him as a rotational RB3 in PPR formats.
WR Michael Pittman, PIT - Solid/Safe Pick
Pittman set new personal bests in catches (99) and targets (141) in 2022, but he averaged just 9.3 yards per catch. His two best outings (9/121/1 and 13/134) came over the first six weeks, and he recorded at least seven catches in seven starts. He finished 20th among wide receivers in PPR scoring with 217.50 fantasy points, a slight step back from 18th and 238.60 points the year prior. He entered 2023 as an undervalued draft asset and rewarded those who took a shot on him. Pittman came out strong in Week 1 and never really cooled off, setting career highs for the third straight year in catches (109), targets (156), and receiving yards (1,152). He reached eight catches or more in 10 of his 17 starts, including a dominant six- game stretch (53/495/2 on 73 targets). Three of his four touchdowns came at home. A concussion cost him Week 16. 2024 was a sharp disappointment by comparison. Outside of a big Week 4 (six catches for 113 yards) and a strong Week 17 (nine catches, 109 yards, and a touchdown), Pittman offered little for fantasy managers who invested in him. He dealt with a lingering back issue for much of the year, finishing with just 46 catches for 550 yards and two touchdowns on 79 targets through his first 14 games. Indianapolis did feed him more in the final stretch, giving him nine to 10 targets in three of his last four starts and yielding 23 catches for 258 yards and a score, but it was too little, too late for most fantasy rosters. Pittman was trending higher over his first nine games last season (52 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns on 68 targets) with Daniel Jones behind center. He offered only two playable games (5/27/1 and 9/79) over his final eight contests (28/233/1 on 43 targets) due to separation issues (8.0 yards per catch). Fantasy Outlook: The Steelers acquired Pittman and a 2026 seventh- round draft pick in March for a 2026 sixth-round selection. He
immediately moved to the second option in their passing game. In 2025, only two players (Kenneth Gainwell – 73 and DK Metcalf – 59) had more than 41 catches. Pittman signed a three-year deal for $59 million after arriving in Pittsburgh, which should show their trust in him. His ADP (77) in the NFFC in June paints him as a WR4, which requires him to average over 10.00 fantasy points per game in PPR formats to be a winning selection. A 60/700/6 year would pay the fantasy bills. Pittman has beaten that level of stats in five consecutive years.
QB Will Howard, PIT - Not Draft Worthy
Howard is another college quarterback who found his footing within a premier offensive system after an inconsistent start to his career. In four seasons at Kansas State, he posted a 15-12 record, throwing for 5,786 yards, 48 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions while also proving to be a capable runner, carrying 226 times for 921 yards and 19 scores.
His final college season at Ohio State was a breakout in every sense. Howard set personal bests across the board (309 completions on 423 attempts, 4,010 passing yards, 35 touchdown passes, and a 73.0% completion rate), while capping the year with a National Championship, a 14-2 record, and an MVP performance of 288 combined yards and two scores. He added 226 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 105 carries, and across the three college playoff games, Howard threw for 919 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions in the postseason. Ohio State's supporting cast undeniably elevated his numbers, but winning a title at that level still demands talent and composure under pressure, qualities Howard showed in abundance throughout 2024. As a prospect, he brings solid pocket awareness and the mobility to extend plays and pick up yards when the passing game stalls. His concerns are real: his arm strength is a legitimate question mark, and there are doubts about his ability to process defenses beyond his initial reads and work through third and fourth receiving options. Outside throws and drive passes will face scrutiny at the NFL level. One telling detail is his sack numbers. Over 16 starts at Ohio State, Howard was brought down just 16 times (compared to 33 times across 34 games at Kansas State), a gap that speaks as much to the Buckeyes' offensive line as it does to his quick release and ability to buy time with his legs. That said, his tendency to rely on early reads was partly a product of his receivers winning so consistently. In the NFL, where that margin shrinks considerably, he'll need to show he can do more. Howard didn't take a snap in his rookie season. Fantasy Outlook: For the second year in a row, the Steelers have been playing patty-cake in the offseason with Aaron Rodgers. He signed in May, putting Howard in a quarterback holding pattern for another year.
RB Kaleb Johnson, PIT - Dynasty Only
Johnson burst onto the scene as a freshman with 779 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 151 carries, adding four catches for 21 yards. A 2023 ankle injury slowed his development, limiting him to a pedestrian 4.0 yards per carry across a shortened season. He rebounded emphatically in 2024, setting career highs across the board with 240 carries, 1,537 rushing yards, and 21 touchdowns at 6.0 yards per carry,
while also showing more as a receiver with 22 catches for 188 yards and two scores. At 6'1" and 225 pounds, Johnson has the frame of an early-down thumper, though his 4.57 forty time places him well behind the top backs in this class. He projects as a between-the-tackles option with limited utility on passing downs, and his pass protection isn't polished enough to handle a third-down role at the NFL level. What makes him interesting is that he's less of a pure power back than his size suggests. Johnson is a patient, vision-based runner who reads his blocks well and capitalizes when given room to operate. He has a natural feel for the game and the physicality to thrive near the goal line and in short-yardage situations. The concern is his lack of top-end speed; once defenders have angles on him in the open field, he doesn't have the gear to pull away. Pittsburgh only had Johnson on the field for 51 plays in his rookie season, resulting in 28 carries for 69 yards with one catch for nine yards. Fantasy Outlook: Kenneth Gainwell deemed Johnson a wasted fantasy roster spot in 2025, and the addition of Rico Dowdle makes him less challenging to trust this season. He will be found in the free agent pool until his success improves on the field.
WR Germie Bernard, PIT - Deep-league Only
Bernard's college career spanned three programs (Michigan State, Washington, and Alabama). Across his first 39 games, he scored just six touchdowns while compiling 91 catches for 1,341 yards. His final season with the Crimson Tide was his most productive, setting career highs in catches (64), receiving yards (862), and touchdowns (7) in 2025. His lone 100-yard game came in their opener (eight catches and 146 yards), and he found the end zone only twice over his final nine starts. At the NFL level, Bernard projects as a middle-of-the-field option. Defenders should be able to contest him at the line and limit him in the deep passing game, but he does his best work in between, where his route running and hands (both graded as legitimate strengths) allow him to create separation and make plays. Bernard has the versatility to line up across multiple spots in a receiver corps. At 6'1" and 205 pounds with a 4.48 forty, his size and speed are both near league average for the position. To push toward a higher fantasy ceiling, he'll need to add strength and become a more consistent threat over the first 20 yards of his routes. Fantasy Outlook: The addition of Bernard should allow Metcalf to work deeper downfield on more plays. He’ll compete for targets with tight
ends and Michael Pittman over the short areas of the field, but his target share should rate low in many matchups. Bernard has a waiver wire ADP (247) in the early draft season.
