This article is part of our Team Previews series.
Pittsburgh Steelers 
The Steelers earned a wild-card spot in the playoffs last year, but their pass-heavy attack likely will look slightly different following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement. However, young offensive threats like Najee Harris and Diontae Johnson still should have plenty of chances to thrive this season.
2022 Offseason Moves – Pittsburgh Steelers
Key Acquisitions
- Mitch Trubisky – QB (from Bills)
Will compete for a starting job after one season as a backup for the Bills.
- Kenny Pickett – QB (Rd. 1, No. 20 – Pittsburgh)
Ended up being the only QB taken in Round 1 of this year's draft.
- George Pickens – WR (Rd. 2, No. 52 – Georgia)
Set to compete for targets behind Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool.
- Miles Boykin – WR (from Ravens)
Remains in the AFC North after an injury-plagued season in 2021.
Key Departures
- Ben Roethlisberger – QB (retired)
Ends his career ranked fifth all-time in passing yards and completions.
- JuJu Smith-Schuster – WR (to Chiefs)
Topped 100 targets in two of his five campaigns with the Steelers.
- James Washington – WR (to Cowboys)
After requesting a trade last year, he lands in Dallas via free agency.
- Ray-Ray McCloud – WR (to 49ers)
Was the team's primary returner in 2021 and drew a career-high 66 targets.
Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (Year 16)
Offensive Coordinator: Matt Canada (Year 2) – Erhardt-Perkins scheme
Defensive Coordinator: Teryl Austin (Year 1) – 3-4 scheme
Stats to Know for the Pittsburgh Steelers
2022 Vegas Projected Wins: 7.5 (T-22nd)
2021 Record: 9-7-1
2021 Points Scored: 343 (21st)
2021 Points Allowed: 398 (20th)
2021 Point Differential: -55 (22nd)
2021 Run-Play Rate: 36.6 percent (21st)
2021 Offensive Snaps: 1,113 (9th)
2021 PFF O-Line Ranking: No. 26
2022 Pittsburgh Steelers Depth Chart
QB: Mitch Trubisky / Kenny Pickett / Mason Rudolph
RB: Najee Harris / Benny Snell / Anthony McFarland / Jeremy McNichols
WR1: Diontae Johnson / Calvin Austin / Anthony Miller
WR2: Chase Claypool / Miles Boykin
WR3: George Pickens / Gunner Olszewski / Cody White
TE: Pat Freiermuth / Zach Gentry / Kevin Rader
O-Line: LT Dan Moore / LG Kevin Dotson / C Mason Cole / RG James Daniels / RT Chukwuma Okorafor (RotoWire Rank: No. 29)
Kicker: Chris Boswell / Nick Sciba
2022 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Kickoff (ET) |
| 1 | Sep 11 | @ Cincinnati Bengals | 1:00 PM |
| 2 | Sep 18 | New England Patriots | 1:00 PM |
| 3 | Sep 22 | @ Cleveland Browns | 8:15 PM |
| 4 | Oct 2 | New York Jets | 1:00 PM |
| 5 | Oct 9 | @ Buffalo Bills | 1:00 PM |
| 6 | Oct 16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 PM |
| 7 | Oct 23 | @ Miami Dolphins | 8:20 PM |
| 8 | Oct 30 | @ Philadelphia Eagles | 1:00 PM |
| 9 | Bye | ||
| 10 | Nov 13 | New Orleans Saints | 1:00 PM |
| 11 | Nov 20 | Cincinnati Bengals | 8:20 PM |
| 12 | Nov 28 | @ Indianapolis Colts | 8:15 PM |
| 13 | Dec 4 | @ Atlanta Falcons | 1:00 PM |
| 14 | Dec 11 | Baltimore Ravens | 1:00 PM |
| 15 | Dec 18 | @ Carolina Panthers | 1:00 PM |
| 16 | Dec 24 | Las Vegas Raiders | 8:15 PM |
| 17 | Jan 1 | @ Baltimore Ravens | 1:00 PM |
| 18 | TBD | Cleveland Browns | TBD |
Pittsburgh Steelers Storylines for 2022
Replacing Big Ben
For the first time since 2005, the Steelers are preparing for a season with someone other than Ben Roethlisberger under center. The team still rosters Mason Rudolph, who appeared in 17 games over the last three seasons, but it appears more likely that the Week 1 starter will be either veteran Mitch Trubisky or rookie Kenny Pickett.
Trubisky had a tumultuous four seasons in Chicago but will attempt to right the ship after spending a year as Josh Allen's backup in Buffalo. Pickett's hand size was under scrutiny during the pre-draft process, but he was the first quarterback off the board when the Steelers selected him at No. 20 overall, and he'll suit up in a familiar environment after playing collegiately at Pittsburgh. The 24-year-old had a breakout effort in 2021, completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing 98 times for 233 yards and five more scores.
It remains to be seen whether the team's eventual starting signal-caller will have a chance to stretch the field in offensive coordinator Matt Canada's system, but regardless of which player wins the job, there should be a decent amount of passing opportunities in Pittsburgh's offense as it transitions from Roethlisberger, whose arm strength and yards per attempt waned late in his career.
Spotlight on the Pass Catchers
Apart from 2019, when Ben Roethlisberger was limited to action in just two games, the Steelers ranked among the top teams in pass attempts in recent years, so the team's receivers should see plenty of targets with offensive coordinator Matt Canada again calling the plays this season.
JuJu Smith-Schuster missed most of last year due to injury, which allowed Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool to take on leading roles. Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Ray-Ray McCloud all left via free agency, so Johnson and Claypool once again are poised to lead the way in 2022.
The duo combined for 274 targets last season, but Johnson was the only pass catcher to top 100 receptions and 1,000 yards while also securing a team-high eight touchdowns. Claypool relied more on his big-play ability, leading the team with 14.6 yards per catch.
The Steelers drafted George Pickens in the second round in April, and the physical player, who missed a good chunk of last season with a knee injury, should have a chance to carve out a role ahead of Miles Boykin and Anthony Miller out of the gate.
Pat Freiermuth was a key contributor as a 2021 second-rounder, and with Eric Ebron gone, the former enters the coming campaign as the team's undisputed top tight end, with Zach Gentry, Kevin Rader and Connor Heyward on hand in reserve.
Running through Harris
Najee Harris was the first running back selected in the 2021 Draft, and the Alabama product provided an immediate spark to Pittsburgh's offense with 1,667 yards from scrimmage (second among NFL RBs behind only Jonathan Taylor) and 10 total touchdowns.
Although the 6-1, 232-pounder saw plenty of touches, the Steelers' 3.9 yards-per-carry average ranked fourth-worst in the league behind the team's lackluster offensive line, which didn't make significant improvements during the offseason. Despite Harris' lack of efficiency, fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned about his rate of volume in his second pro season.
He ranked second in the league with 307 carries last year, while fellow backs Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland and Kalen Ballage combined for just 51. Harris also led all running backs with 74 catches, racking up 467 receiving yards in the process. Part of the 24-year-old's success in the passing game was due to Ben Roethlisberger averaging just 6.2 yards per attempt in 2021, thanks to plenty of checkdowns.
While the Steelers offense is bound to look somewhat different with Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett or Mason Rudolph at the helm, Harris will remain a safety net for his new signal-caller, and, given his clear-cut lead role, he should rank among the top fantasy players at his position this season.
Fantasy Football Stock Watch
⬆️ Rising: TE Pat Freiermuth
After a slow start, Freiermuth was relatively consistent over the second half of the 2021 season, securing 60 of 79 targets for 497 yards and seven TDs. He'll be Pittsburgh's top tight end following the departure of Eric Ebron.
⬇️ Falling: QB Mason Rudolph
The 27-year-old appeared to be a candidate to start under center after Ben Roethlisberger retired, but following the additions of Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett, Rudolph will have to compete for a roster spot in camp.
😴 Sleeper: WR George Pickens
Pickens was productive as a freshman at Georgia, but an ACL tear limited him to four games last season. He'll try to carve out targets as a rookie after the Steelers lost several pass catchers during the offseason.
🌟 Pivotal Player: Diontae Johnson
Johnson previewed his role as Pittsburgh's No. 1 receiver in 2021, with JuJu Smith-Schuster appearing in just five games. The 2019 third-rounder finished tied for second in the NFL with 169 targets, logging 107 catches for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns. Johnson lowered his drop total to seven last year and will continue to see plenty of looks.
Pittsburgh Steelers Injury Report
RB Najee Harris
Harris appeared in every game for the Steelers last season and took on a major role in the team's offense. Over 17 regular-season appearances, the 2021 first-rounder logged 307 carries for 1,200 yards and seven TDs while hauling in 74 of 94 targets. However, the running back dealt with an elbow issue ahead of Pittsburgh's wild-card game at Kansas City. While he played through the injury, Harris was on the field for a season-low 30 offensive snaps and was limited to 12 carries for 29 yards. The issue hasn't hampered him this offseason, and Harris again is in line to see a healthy workload in 2022.
LB T.J. Watt
Watt sustained a groin injury Week 2 but ultimately was forced to miss just one game as a result. The 27-year-old, who has dealt with various concerns over the last several campaigns, also managed a hip injury last year and sat out the team's Week 11 matchup after testing positive for COVID-19. The games missed and the sporadic plays off to preserve him didn't hinder his production much, as Watt was named the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year while racking up 22.5 sacks. Despite the aforementioned issues with health, none of them – or anything else – has followed the pass rusher into training camp.
DT Tyson Alualu
Alualu appeared in just two games in 2021 before he sustained a fractured ankle that forced him to miss the remainder of the campaign. The 35-year-old didn't have major injury concerns prior to that, as he played in at least 14 games in each of his first 11 seasons. Alualu opened camp on the PUP list for an undisclosed reason, which may mean his ankle still is an issue. Fortunately, he's on the active version of the list, meaning he can practice once he's medically cleared.
Training Camp Battle 2022 – Pittsburgh Steelers
With Ben Roethlisberger no longer in the mix, the Steelers are slated to have a training camp competition between Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph for the team's starting QB job. Though Rudolph has the most experience in the offense as a 2018 third-round pick of the team, he soon may find himself on the way out off Pittsburgh with either Trubisky or Pickett expected to draw the Week 1 nod.
Trubisky, who was drafted second overall by the Bears in 2017, has an obvious edge in terms of NFL experience, but Pickett, a first-round pick this year, presumably is viewed as a potential long-term option for the franchise. While the rookie worked with the Steelers' third-team offense during minicamp and OTAs, he conceivably could overtake both Rudolph and Trubisky with a strong effort in training camp and the preseason.
