Behind the Steel Curtain

Positioned as the No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver ahead of Roman Wilson on the Steelers' depth chart in the 2026 season.

Positioned as the No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver ahead of Roman Wilson on the Steelers' depth chart in the 2026 season.

Round-two draft pick competing for the slot receiver role against Roman Wilson. Has generated considerable buzz throughout preseason and represents the most obvious threat to Wilson's playing time. If Wilson cannot turn his opportunities into consistent production, Bernard could force his way into the rotation sooner rather than later.

Third-year receiver holds the No. 3 wide receiver role behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., but his position is increasingly competitive. Inconsistent first two seasons marked by attention-to-detail issues and poor chemistry development with Aaron Rodgers have created vulnerability. Round-two pick Germie Bernard represents a direct threat to his playing time if Wilson cannot convert opportunities into consistent production. Against Atlanta, Wilson must demonstrate he can execute assignments, win routes, and avoid mental mistakes that erode quarterback trust.

Starting quarterback for the Steelers entering the 2026 season; his protection depends critically on right tackle Dylan Cook's performance. Cook's ability to consistently handle assignments is essential for the team's contention hopes, making the Week 1 matchup against Atlanta particularly important for establishing offensive line stability.

The source predicts Pat Freiermuth will be the star performer on the Steelers' offensive side of the ball in Week 1, despite the team's slow start and uninspiring execution overall.

The source expresses concern about Michael Pittman Jr.'s limited preseason reps heading into Week 1, citing this as a potential readiness issue for the Steelers' offense in the opener.

The source expresses concern about DK Metcalf's limited preseason reps heading into Week 1, citing this as a potential readiness issue for the Steelers' offense in the opener.

Bijan Robinson is identified as one of the league's top players; the source notes that stopping him is 'much easier said than done' and that his presence creates upside for the Falcons despite their overall roster weakness and third-string quarterback situation.

Cooper Rush is starting for the Falcons in Week 1 after Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury in practice; multiple sources characterize Rush as a liability—described as a 'statue' and part of 'one of the worst quarterback rooms in the league,' with the Steelers' pass rush expected to exploit his immobility.

The source predicts Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense will generate enough production to hold off the Falcons' third-string quarterback situation; the source expects the offense to start slow but click in the second half, with Rodgers leading a mission-accomplished performance despite uninspiring execution.

2015 regular season: 907 rushing yards in 10 starts; led the Steelers' run game alongside Le'Veon Bell, contributing to the team's fourth-best scoring offense.

2015 regular season: 535 receiving yards; solid tight end production contributing to the Steelers' fourth-best scoring offense.

2015 regular season: well over 700 receiving yards; strong secondary receiver production supporting the Steelers' fourth-best scoring offense.

2015 regular season: well over 700 receiving yards; strong secondary receiver production supporting the Steelers' fourth-best scoring offense.

2015 regular season: 556 rushing yards in 6 starts; elite per-game production as the Steelers' No. 1 running back, anchoring a run game that also featured DeAngelo Williams.

Missed the 2015 Divisional Round playoff game against Denver due to injury; the source notes Pittsburgh played that day without Le'Veon Bell, and Tomlin emphasized the team went into that stadium without their No. 1 running back, suffering the consequences in a 23-16 loss to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Broncos.

2015 season in 11 starts: 3,938 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, 16 interceptions; strong efficiency despite limited games played, supporting the Steelers' fourth-best scoring offense.

2015 regular season: 136 catches, 1,834 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns; elite production that anchored the Steelers' fourth-best scoring offense averaging 26.4 points per game.

Missed the 2015 Divisional Round playoff game against Denver due to injury; the source notes Pittsburgh played that day without Antonio Brown, and Tomlin emphasized the team went into that stadium without their No. 1 wideout, suffering the consequences in a 23-16 loss to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Broncos.

Backup quarterback set to start for the Falcons against the Steelers on Sunday due to injuries to primary quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr.

Falcons quarterback listed as out for Week 1 against the Steelers, leaving backup Cooper Rush to start the season opener.

Falcons quarterback listed as out with an oblique injury for Week 1 against the Steelers, clearing the path for backup Cooper Rush to start.

Tua Tagovailoa is out of the Falcons' lineup due to an oblique injury suffered during individual drills on Thursday, forcing Cooper Rush into the starting role for Week 1 against the Steelers. This comes after Tagovailoa had a disappointing preseason performance.

Cooper Rush is now the starting QB for the Falcons in Week 1 vs. the Steelers after Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury during individual drills. Kevin Knight notes that Rush "may not be any worse than Tua based on the aforementioned preseason." For the Falcons to have a shot at victory, Rush must play efficient, mistake-free football, even if it's not particularly flashy.

Robinson is central to the Falcons' offensive game plan under new coach Kevin Stefanski. Kevin Knight emphasizes that the team will deploy "a lot of quick game, and as much Bijan Robinson as the team can muster," with the strategy being to run the ball well and get Robinson going to score points. Robinson's workload and role are expected to be heavy as the passing game takes a complementary role until Michael Penix Jr. returns.

Elevated to starting QB for Falcons in Week 1 vs. Steelers due to Tagovailoa's oblique injury; former Dallas backup with prior starting experience when Dak Prescott was injured. Steelers RB Rico Dowdle, who played with Rush in Dallas in 2024, endorsed his capabilities: 'He's going to take what the defense give him, and he can go out there and win games. I think he showed that in Dallas, so expect a decent quarterback to come in there.'

Falcons starting QB ruled out for Week 1 season opener due to oblique injury suffered during practice Thursday; directly cedes starting role to Cooper Rush.

Cooper Rush is elevated to starting quarterback for the Dolphins against Pittsburgh after Tua Tagovailoa's back injury in practice; the source notes this doesn't materially change the Steelers' defensive outlook, as the Steelers are expected to dominate and the Dolphins' pass rush will face a 'tee off session' from Pittsburgh's defense.

Tua Tagovailoa injured his back in practice, opening the door for Cooper Rush to start against Pittsburgh in Week 1; this elevates a career backup into the starting role for the Dolphins' season opener.

Steelers quarterback facing Falcons secondary in Week 1; if kept clean, will target rookie cornerback Avieon Terrell in his first career start; Rodgers has historically excelled at limiting turnovers, which is relevant against Falcons' interception-happy secondary.

Dotson is on his third team in five seasons and has struggled to match the promise of his rookie season when he scored seven touchdowns for Washington. He was held under 20 receptions and under 275 yards in each of the past two seasons while playing for the Eagles, indicating a significant decline from his rookie production.

Rush took all first-team reps with the Falcons on Thursday and is familiar to Mike McCarthy from his time coaching him in Dallas. With Michael Penix Jr. inactive and Tua Tagovailoa's availability in question due to an oblique injury, Rush may be forced to start Week 1. He has a spotty track record throwing deep, with a career completion percentage of just 33.3% on throws 20+ yards downfield.

Branch is a rookie third-rounder (5'10, 180 pounds) with a limited route tree but a reputation for creating yards after the catch on designed touches near the line of scrimmage. In 2025, he had 81 receptions, 811 yards, and 6 touchdowns. Whether it's Tagovailoa or Rush—who has a spotty track record throwing deep with a career completion percentage of just 33.3% on throws 20+ yards downfield—the source expects to see a few plays designed for Branch to try to create easy-button looks that might still result in explosive gains.

Pitts had a return to form in 2025 after battling injuries and inconsistent quarterback play in the three seasons following his rookie year. Last year, he looked fully healthy again, totaling 928 yards and setting career highs in receptions (88), touchdowns (5), and yards after the catch (399). Given Stefanski's proclivity for featuring tight ends in his offense, Pitts should be circled as the player the Steelers should be most focused on stopping after Robinson.

London is a traditional possession receiver who primarily lines up outside but also moonlights as a power slot, with 30.7% of his career snaps coming inside. He isn't a player who creates a ton of separation with his routes, but he knows how to box out opposing defensive backs to secure the ball and has a 52% conversion rate on contested balls. He may be more effective with backup Cooper Rush under center than he might have been with Tagovailoa.

Tua had a brutal preseason and suffered an oblique injury Thursday that has put his availability into question for Week 1. Miami is paying him $52.8 million. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that backup Michael Penix Jr. would be inactive Sunday, leaving the Falcons potentially forced to start Cooper Rush if Tua cannot play.

Robinson is the engine of the Falcons' offense and the most talented player on the team. In three seasons, he has produced 3,910 rushing yards, 198 receptions for 1,738 yards, and 34 total touchdowns. In 2025, Robinson was second in the league in average yards after contact (3.9 YAC), and he is ranked No. 3 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026. With a backup quarterback likely starting, Robinson is expected to lead both the Falcons' rushing and passing attack on Sunday.

Cooper Rush took first-team reps Thursday after Tagovailoa's back discomfort, positioning him as a potential Week 1 starter against the Steelers. At 32 years old, Rush is one of the NFL's longest-tenured backups with 39 games in eight seasons (20 TDs, 14 INTs). Should he start, the source notes it gives a huge advantage to the Steelers defensively.

Tagovailoa suffered back discomfort on Thursday and was officially listed as a limited participant in practice, raising concerns about his physical readiness for Week 1 against Pittsburgh. The source notes he struggled in the preseason and may not be ready to play physically as much as mentally, leading to speculation that starting him could be 'impossible' per Ian Rapoport.