2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Preview: Roster Moves, Depth Chart, Schedule, Storylines and More

2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Preview: Roster Moves, Depth Chart, Schedule, Storylines and More

This article is part of our Team Previews series.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers were in rebuilding mode in 2022 but still finished with a 9-8 mark. The team didn't make many flashy offseason acquisitions ahead of the coming campaign but did acquire Allen Robinson from the Rams after trading Chase Claypool to the Bears last year. The Steelers will be in contention for at least a winning record as long as Mike Tomlin is coaching the team, but they'll have their hands full this season in the talented AFC North.

2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Room

  • Veteran Additions: None
  • Draft Picks: None
  • Departures: None

The Steelers had to seek out a new quarterback last season after Ben Roethlisberger retired, and Mitch Trubisky, who turns 29 in August, won the Week 1 starting job. Trubisky wasn't very effective over the first three weeks, though, so Pittsburgh turned to 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett midway through the team's Week 4 game.

The rookie started, when healthy, down the stretch and completed 63.0 percent of his passes for 2,404 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing 55 times for 237 yards and three scores. Pickett ranked second-worst among quarterbacks who played at least 10 games with 6.2 YPA, but he didn't get much help from his receivers, who were last in the league with a 4.3 average YAC.

Although Trubisky signed a two-year extension in May, Pickett is in line to continue to serve as the starter. However, the Steelers had a less pass-happy offense last year than they had under Roethlisberger, and Matt Canada again will serve as the offensive coordinator in 2023.

2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Backfield

The Steelers indicated ahead of the 2022 season that they planned to give Najee Harris more plays off to rest, but he still ranked fifth in the league in regular-season carries. The Alabama product's 2022 YPC (3.8) was nearly the same as 2021 (3.9), as he rushed 272 times for 1,074 yards and seven touchdowns, but he had just 41 receptions last year compared to 74 as a rookie. Harris' decrease in playing time led to a role for undrafted first-year pro Jaylen Warren, who rushed 77 times for 379 yards and a touchdown while securing 28 of 33 targets for 214 yards.

Harris topped 100 rushing yards just once last year, but his usage increased following the Steelers' Week 9 bye, as he had at least 16 carries in seven of the last nine games of the campaign while reaching the end zone seven times across that span. It's unclear whether Harris' workload will bounce back to the marks from his rookie campaign, but his efficiency at least remained consistent in 2022, while his playing time down the stretch was encouraging.

2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Receiving Corps

The Steelers entered 2022 with a crowded wide receiver room that included Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Chase Claypool, but Claypool was traded to the Bears in November. Johnson led the team in receiving yards for a third straight year, securing 86 of 147 targets for 882 yards while rushing seven times for 25 yards. However, he failed to reach the end zone for the first time in his career, despite drawing 18 red-zone targets.

Pickens impressed as a rookie by securing 52 of 84 targets for 801 yards and four touchdowns. The Georgia product led the team with 15.4 YPC, ranking 10th in the league among players with at least 30 catches. Tight end Pat Freiermuth had career-high marks of 63 receptions and 732 yards, but he scored just twice and was held without a catch in two of the final four weeks of the season.

Several new pass catchers will be in the fold in 2023, as the Steelers acquired Robinson from the Rams during the offseason following back-to-back disappointing campaigns, while the team also drafted Washington in the third round. Additionally, wideout Calvin Austin will try to carve out a role after missing his entire rookie season due to injury.

2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Sleepers

⬆️  Sleeper: George Pickens

Pickens drew rave reviews during training camp ahead of his rookie campaign in 2022, and he didn't disappoint, leading the Steelers' pass catchers with four touchdowns while playing 76 percent of the team's snaps. The 22-year-old was more boom-and-bust than teammate Diontae Johnson, who drew 147 targets compared to Pickens' 84, but Pickens has the potential to outperform his ADP if he can take another step during his second season as a pro.

😴  Super Sleeper: Darnell Washington

The Steelers have had trouble getting production from more than one tight end in recent seasons, but the team selected Washington in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft after he slid due to medical concerns. The Georgia product, who turns 22 in August, seems to have moved past those concerns, and he's turned heads during the offseason. The Steelers placed an emphasis on red-zone production in minicamp, which could help Washington's fantasy upside if he's able to carve out playing time as a rookie.

2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (Year 17)

Offensive Coordinator: Matt Canada (Year 3) – Erhardt-Perkins scheme

Defensive Coordinator: Teryl Austin (Year 2) – 3-4 scheme

2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Depth Chart

QB: Kenny Pickett / Mitch Trubisky / Mason Rudolph

RB: Najee Harris / Jaylen Warren / Anthony McFarland / Jason Huntley

WR1: Diontae Johnson

WR2: George Pickens / Miles Boykin

WR3: Allen Robinson / Calvin Austin / Gunner Olszewski

TE: Pat Freiermuth / Darnell Washington / Zach Gentry / Connor Heyward

O-Line: LT Broderick Jones / LG Isaac Seumalo / C Mason Cole / RG James Daniels / RT Chukwuma Okorafor (RotoWire Rank: No. 25)

Kicker: Chris Boswell

Full 2023 Depth Chart

Stats to Know for the Pittsburgh Steelers

2023 Projected Wins via FanDuel Sportsbook: 8.5 (T-15th)

2022 Record: 9-8

2022 Points Scored: 308 (26th)

2022 Points Allowed: 346 (10th)

2022 Point Differential: -38 (24th)

2022 Run-Play Rate: 45.1 percent (13th)

2022 Offensive Snaps: 1,109 (9th)

2022 PFF O-Line Ranking: No. 16

Full 2022 Team Stats

2023 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule

WeekDateOpponentKickoff (ET)
1Sep 10San Francisco 49ers1:00 PM
2Sep 18Cleveland Browns8:15 PM
3Sep 24at Las Vegas Raiders8:20 PM
4Oct 1at Houston Texans1:00 PM
5Oct 8Baltimore Ravens1:00 PM
6Bye  
7Oct 22at Los Angeles Rams4:05 PM
8Oct 29Jacksonville Jaguars1:00 PM
9Nov 2Tennessee Titans8:15 PM
10Nov 12Green Bay Packers1:00 PM
11Nov 19at Cleveland Browns1:00 PM
12Nov 26at Cincinnati Bengals1:00 PM
13Dec 3Arizona Cardinals1:00 PM
14Dec 7New England Patriots8:15 PM
15TBDat Indianapolis ColtsTBD
16Dec 23Cincinnati Bengals4:30 PM
17Dec 31at Seattle Seahawks4:05 PM
18TBDat Baltimore RavensTBD

Pittsburgh Steelers Odds To Win Super Bowl LVIII

  • Steelers Super Bowl 58 Odds: 50-1

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 11:00 PM ET on July 31, 2023.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason Shebilske
Jason joined RotoWire in 2019. In 2023, he was named the FSWA Player Notes Writer of the Year. In addition to RotoWire, Jason writes for the Sports Broadcast Journal. In 2024, he was dubbed "The Polish Parlay" for his WNBA hot betting streak.
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