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Kaden Wetjen fantasy football news and podcast insights

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WRPIT40 insightsLatest Aug 23, 2026
28
Positive signals
7
Negative signals
5
Sources
Aug 23, 2026
Latest update
NegativeRoleAug 23, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Rookie return specialist Kaden Wetjen fumbled on one punt return and bobbled another against the Jets. The source notes the excuse of it being his second-ever NFL game is fair, but less so for a rookie drafted primarily for special teams where it's imperative to impress even in small sample sizes. Another mistake next week could lead to legitimate concerns over what the Steelers do at returner entering September. However, Wetjen's high-end burst was obvious on a 13-yard return in the third quarter, and the source wouldn't be too worried given expected NFL jitters for a rookie.
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NegativeRoleAug 23, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain
The source notes that rookie return specialist Kaden Wetjen fumbled on one punt return and bobbled another. While the source acknowledges the excuse of it being his second-ever NFL game is fair, it's less so for a rookie drafted primarily for special teams where it's imperative to impress even in small sample sizes. The source notes another mistake next week could lead to legitimate concerns over what the Steelers do at returner entering September, though the source wouldn't be too worried given expected NFL jitters and Wetjen's high-end burst evident on a 13-yard return in the third quarter.
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NegativeDepth ChartAug 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Fourth-round pick Kaden Wetjen is described as 'on the bubble' to make the Steelers' 53-man roster, according to Steelers insider Mark Kaboly. Despite impressive return skills and a dominant preseason debut against Green Bay (two catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, including a 74-yard reception; 61 yards on three kickoff returns and 10 yards on two punt returns), his second preseason outing against the Jets was quiet—he averaged just 7.2 yards on four punt returns, lost a fumble, and did not catch a pass. Kaboly's assessment highlights that one explosive preseason performance does not automatically guarantee a roster spot.
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NegativeDepth ChartAug 22, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain
Fourth-round rookie receiver/return specialist is 'on the bubble' to make the 53-man roster according to Steelers insider Mark Kaboly, despite impressive preseason debut against Green Bay (2 catches, 79 yards, 1 TD including 74-yard reception; 61 yards on 3 kickoff returns, 10 yards on 2 punt returns). His second preseason outing against the Jets was far quieter—he averaged just 7.2 yards on 4 punt returns, lost a fumble in the third quarter, and did not catch a pass. Kaboly's assessment is that one explosive preseason performance does not automatically guarantee a roster spot; Wetjen has one more preseason game against Buffalo to strengthen his case before final roster decisions.
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NegativeRoleAug 22, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Wetjen, the fourth-round pick in April's draft, was brought in primarily for his return skills after averaging nearly 30 yards per punt return during his final season at Iowa. Friday night, he returned four kicks for a total of just 29 yards and nearly committed a costly turnover with a fumble on one of them (originally ruled a Jets recovery before being overturned by replay assist). His two catches for 79 yards against the Packers were encouraging, but he had fewer than 200 receiving yards for the Hawkeyes in his final season. He's probably not a serious threat to crack the return rotation consistently. To justify a roster spot longer term, he needs to show improved explosiveness on kicks.
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PositiveBreakoutAug 16, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain
Rookie receiver made explosive play on Allar's first NFL pass attempt; Allar ripped a fastball to Wetjen on a Levels concept, and Wetjen got away with a push-off before turning on the jets for a big gain. Source calls this 'the big highlight of the night' and notes Wetjen created explosive yards after the catch despite the play not being spectacular from Allar's perspective—good velocity and placement allowed the rookie receiver to take it to the house.
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PositiveBreakoutAug 15, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Steelers rookie WR and return specialist Kaden Wetjen caught 2 passes for 79 yards and a TD in preseason debut vs. Green Bay, including a 74-yard catch-and-run from Drew Allar and a 5-yard TD reception. ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit called him "a freak" and expressed excitement about his potential. Wetjen was drafted 121st overall in the fourth round primarily for special-teams ability, but his offensive production in preseason suggests he could become a legitimate receiving contributor beyond return duties, making his draft investment more valuable than initially expected.
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PositiveBreakoutAug 15, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain
Rookie WR/return specialist impressed in preseason debut against Green Bay with 2 catches for 79 yards and 1 TD, including a 74-yard catch-and-run and 5-yard TD pass from fellow rookie Drew Allar. Selected 121st overall (4th round) primarily for special-teams ability, but his offensive production in preseason—combined with his college pedigree as a two-time Jet Award winner and consensus All-American—suggests his value to Pittsburgh may extend well beyond return duties. Kirk Herbstreit called him "a freak" and expressed excitement about his potential with the Steelers.
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PositiveBreakoutAug 14, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
The fourth-round draft pick from Iowa, selected for his elite return skills (26.8 yards per punt return average in 2025, dwarfing any team's best production in the NFL), showed passing game utility in his preseason debut. He caught a 74-yard pass from Allar to set up the quarterback's rushing touchdown, then scored his own touchdown on a five-yard pass reception to give the Steelers a 21-9 lead in the fourth quarter. The source suggests that adding passing game utility to his return game skills could make him a fixture for the team for years to come.
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PositiveBreakoutAug 14, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Fourth-round rookie WR Kaden Wetjen, drafted as the Steelers' return specialist, emerged as the team's leading receiver in his preseason debut. Wetjen's highlight came on a 10-yard completion from Drew Allar that he turned into a 74-yard catch that nearly went for a touchdown, showcasing the breakaway speed the Steelers were betting on in the draft. On the following drive, Allar found Wetjen in the end zone for a touchdown after the rookie created serious separation for himself. While Wetjen did not produce big gains in the return game, his receiving performance was impressive.
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PositiveBreakoutAug 14, 2026Behind the Steel Curtain
Fourth-round rookie WR/return specialist emerged as the Steelers' leading receiver in his first preseason game despite being drafted primarily for return duties. Wetjen took a 10-yard completion from Drew Allar and turned it into a 74-yard catch that nearly went for a touchdown, showcasing the breakaway speed the Steelers were betting on. On the following drive, Allar found Wetjen in the end zone for a touchdown after the rookie created serious separation for himself.
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PositiveNewsAug 14, 2026Underdog NFL
Underdog NFLon X

Notable rookie performances Fernando Mendoza: 102 total yards, 1 TD Drew Allar: 3 total TDs, 154.8 passer rating Jeremiyah Love: 72 total yards Mike Washington Jr.: 63 total yards De'Zhaun Stribling: 7/62/0 Carnell Tate: 0/0/0 Kaden Wetjen: 2/79/1 Germie Bernard: 4/51/0 <https://play.underdogsports.com/vgwg/npt4c4xv>

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NegativeRoleAug 13, 2026Yahoo Sports NFL
Iowa receiver selected by the Steelers with a fourth-round pick in the April draft; scouts don't think highly of his ability to contribute at his position (caught just 20 passes for 151 yards for the Hawkeyes in 2025), but the Steelers seem to have drafted him out of renewed focus on special teams amid revisions to the NFL's kickoff rules. Wetjen was a statistical monster in special teams in college, returning a kickoff and three punts for touchdowns in 2025 while averaging 29.8 yards per punt return and 26.8 yards per kick return; the Steelers ranked 21st in punt return average last season at 8.7 yards compared to the Patriots' league-leading 17.3 yards.
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