Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris, who had his fifth-year option declined by the team last month, attended mandatory minicamp this week but didn't participate at all. Harris also declined every interview request and hasn't done interviews since January. He said he'd talk to the media next month at training camp. Harris isn't believed to be dealing with an injury this offseason, and head coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the fact that the RB didn't take part in minicamp workouts this week. In a contract year now, the 26-year-old has slimmed down as he looks to show out before hitting the free-agent market next March. The former first-rounder will probably never be as productive as he was in his rookie campaign in 2021, but he's been durable and reliable in Pittsburgh's backfield. Jaylen Warren's emergence has capped Harris' fantasy upside, although the Steelers should remain heavily committed to the run in 2024 under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth enjoyed immediate success when he entered the NFL as a second-round pick out of Penn State in 2021. As a rookie, he caught 60 of his 79 targets for 467 yards and seven touchdowns. In Year 2, he hauled in 63 passes for 732 yards and two scores and looked the part of an emerging high-floor fantasy tight end. Unfortunately, he was limited to just 12 games in 2023 and tallied just 308 yards and two touchdowns. However, with Russell Wilson at quarterback and Arthur Smith running the Pittsburgh offense, he could be headed toward a bounce-back campaign in 2024. Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly said Freiermuth was not only targeted heavily in OTAs, but he has looked like a "legitimate playmaker," and the team might extend his contract before Week 1. The Atlanta Falcons ranked among the top five teams in total tight end targets in two of Smith's three seasons as head coach, and in his final season as the Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator in 2020, they ranked seventh in total tight end targets. Given the weak group of wide receivers behind George Pickens, it would not be a surprise if Freiermuth is the No. 2 option in the revamped passing game. He could be a solid value pick at his mid-range TE2 cost in early fantasy drafts.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Van Jefferson signed a one-year, $1.29 million contract to join the organization this offseason, and Mark Kaboly of the Athletic said he looks like the team's No. 2 wide receiver after OTAs. After moving on from Diontae Johnson, third-year wideout George Pickens is the unquestioned No. 1 wide receiver, but the depth chart behind him is weak on paper. Rookie Roman Wilson and veterans Calvin Austin III, Quez Watkins, and Scotty Miller are also likely to compete for targets behind Pickens, but Jefferson could have more fantasy football value than expected. The former second-round pick out of Florida has tallied 113 receptions for 1,600 yards and 10 touchdowns in 61 games with the Rams and Atlanta Falcons. The Pittsburgh offense is tough to navigate for fantasy football in 2024, especially since many expect Russell Wilson to eventually be benched for Justin Fields. Ultimately, fantasy managers in shallow setups should likely opt to focus on acquiring Pickens or tight end Pat Freiermuth and the Steelers' running back tandem of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the offense will likely remain a run-heavy attack.

Pittsburgh Steelers second-year tight end Darnell Washington got put into a box as a blocking tight end as a rookie in 2023 and rarely had opportunities to showcase his potential as a pass-catching mismatch, catching just seven of 10 targets for 61 yards. But 6-foot-7, 265-pound monster of a tight end said there's a "strong possibility" he'll become more of a receiving threat in new offensive coordinator's tight end-friendly system. The 22-year-old is an intriguing mismatch if sent out on routes, but as long as Pat Freiermuth remains healthy as the team's top pass-catching TE, it's going to be hard for Washington to stand out in fantasy.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields said he won't return kicks this season. "Nah, I think everybody kind of interpreted it wrong," said Fields when asked about the rumor. "It's funny how serious social media takes everything." The signal-caller was traded in March after spending the last three years in Chicago. He finished his most recent season in 2023-24 by throwing for 2,562 yards, 16 touchdowns, and nine picks while running for 657 yards and four touchdowns off 124 attempts. Fields hopes to compete with Russell Wilson for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart. However, unless he's starting come Week 1, he won't offer much to fantasy managers.