Pittsburgh Steelers

Free-agent tight end MyCole Pruitt agreed to terms on an undisclosed deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, according to a source. Pruitt will reunite with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith after working with him in both Tennessee and Atlanta. The 32-year-old veteran had 25 receptions on 33 targets for 260 yards and five touchdowns in 30 games (12 starts) in the last two years with the Falcons. The former fifth-round pick (143rd overall) by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015 out of Southern Illinois has mostly been a blocking tight end in his nine years in the NFL and has never really been on the fantasy radar. In Pittsburgh, both Pruitt and Darnell Washington will pair to provide blocking for the team's running game, with Pat Freiermuth to continue his role as the primary pass-catching tight end.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth said on the Around the 412 podcast on Wednesday that he wants "to be in Pittsburgh for the rest of my career" as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract in 2024. He missed five games in 2023 due to a hamstring injury, but overall his numbers declined from the previous two seasons. Subpar quarterback play didn't help, and the 25-year-old former second-round pick in 2021 out of Penn State caught a career-low 32 passes for 308 yards and only two touchdowns in 12 regular season games (nine starts). In new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's offense, Freiermuth could have a bounce-back campaign in 2024 and will be a nice sleeper target in fantasy drafts this fall.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Patterson enjoyed the best season of his career under current Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in Atlanta, so the move gives the veteran a smidge of fantasy relevance in 2024. In 2021, Patterson rushed 153 times for 618 yards and six touchdowns and caught 52 passes for 548 yards and five scores. He finished that campaign as the RB9 in PPR leagues. However, he posted just 219 yards of offense last season and turned 33 years old on March 17. In all likelihood, he will primarily be used on special teams and as a gadget player in the new-look Pittsburgh offense. Patterson holds the NFL record for kick return touchdowns (nine), and this move was made on the same day the league approved a revised kickoff.

Free-agent wide receiver Quez Watkins is signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. The 25-year-old was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, but he has not made much of an impact playing behind star wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith over the last two seasons. However, he adds a much-needed element of speed to the Steelers' wide receiver room, and he can be utilized as a field-stretcher for Russell Wilson in 2024. Watkins has just 98 receptions for 1,249 yards and six touchdowns through his first 49 NFL games. Expect him to serve as the team's WR3 or WR4 this season. Although Diontae Johnson was traded to the Carolina Panthers, the Steelers will likely heavily target the wideout spot in next month's NFL Draft.

Free-agent quarterback Kyle Allen signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team. Allen, a six-year NFL veteran, has thrown for 4,734 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions through his first 30 NFL games with the Commanders, Panthers, Texans, and Bills. With Russell Wilson and Justin Fields now on the roster, Allen is likely competing to be the team's emergency quarterback and scout team signal-caller. The Steelers carried three quarterbacks on the roster last season, so he has a path to sticking around beyond the offseason and training camp. However, he can be safely ignored in fantasy football, regardless of format.