Pittsburgh Steelers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II said the team still believes in quarterback Kenny Pickett, but they need better QB play moving forward and want to re-sign impending free-agent QB Mason Rudolph, who took over the starting job late in the 2023 season. The Steelers are looking to hire a new offensive coordinator that will bring a "fresh approach" after they ranked 28th in total offense. The Steelers went 3-0 with Rudolph as the starter to close out the regular season to squeak into the AFC postseason picture before losing to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round. Rudolph threw for 716 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the final three games of the regular season. He was more efficient than Pickett was, but Rudolph has proven he's nothing more than a low-ceiling game manager for fantasy purposes.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph is set to hit free agency heading into the 2024-25 campaign. However, several of Pittsburgh's prominent offensive options, specifically Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, seemingly want Rudolph to remain the team's starting signal-caller moving ahead. It's no secret Kenny Pickett has struggled since entering the league. But after Pickett didn't start late in the year, Rudolph played well enough to lead the Steelers to three consecutive wins and an AFC Wild Card appearance. At any rate, dynasty managers should keep the 28-year-old on the roster, considering there's a chance he'll remain in Pittsburgh. If Rudolph inks a new deal, Pickens and Johnson could also benefit, mainly since the duo played better after Pickett wasn't in the picture.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III hauled in one of his two targets for a seven-yard touchdown in the team's wild-card round loss to the Buffalo Bills. The 24-year-old did not see much utilization on Monday but made the most of his opportunities. His score came early in the fourth quarter on a short pass from quarterback Mason Rudolph to pull the Steelers within seven points of Buffalo's lead. Although Austin did not make an impact for fantasy purposes this season, he flashed at times and could be given an expanded role in his second professional campaign. Austin is worth a look as a stash in deep dynasty formats.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth hauled in five of his eight targets for 76 yards in a 31-17 playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. Following a quiet end to the regular season, Freiermuth was involved early and often on Monday. The 25-year-old was responsible for Pittsburgh's longest play of the contest, a 33-yard catch and run on a deep pass from quarterback Mason Rudolph in the first quarter. He suffered an ankle injury late in the loss that limited his snaps on Pittsburgh's final possessions. It was a disappointing third professional campaign for Freiermuth, who dealt with multiple injuries in 2023, most notably a hamstring strain that kept him sidelined for five games. He will head into the offseason with one year left on his contract and will likely be the subject of extension negotiations.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens caught five of his 11 targets for 50 yards and picked up 15 rushing yards on his lone carry of a wild-card round loss to the Buffalo Bills. Pickens came down with a few impressive grabs in the contest but also made a costly mistake when he lost a fumble on Pittsburgh's third offensive possession. Buffalo had already held a 7-0 lead and quickly went up by two touchdowns following the fumble recovery. The 22-year-old managed to bounce back and operated as a go-to guy for Mason Rudolph down the stretch. Despite dealing with inconsistent quarterback play all season, Pickens turned in an incredibly productive campaign and will look to further establish himself as one of the league's most exciting young receivers next season.