Look, being a fan of the Black and Gold usually means you're used to a certain "standard." But honestly, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver depth chart in early 2026 feels like a fever dream. If you told a fan two years ago that George Pickens would be out-gaining everyone in a Dallas Cowboys jersey while a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers was trying to find Adam Thielen in the end zone at Acrisure Stadium, they would've laughed you out of the South Side.
Yet, here we are.
The room is basically a mix of high-priced veteran rentals, a disgruntled superstar who spent part of the season in the league's doghouse, and a handful of young guys who are still trying to prove they belong in the NFL. It's messy. It's confusing. And frankly, it’s the most debated part of the roster as we head into another long offseason after a disappointing Wild Card exit.
The Real Look at the Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver Depth Chart
Right now, the depth chart is top-heavy but thin on reliable volume. Mike Tomlin has spent the last few months trying to find a rhythm, but between suspensions and age, the consistency just wasn't there.
DK Metcalf is the unquestioned Alpha, but even that comes with a "sorta" attached to it. The Steelers traded for him to fill the massive void left by Pickens, and while he’s got the $132 million contract to prove he’s the man, his 2025 season was a roller coaster. He was suspended for two games late in December for "conduct detrimental to the team" before being reinstated just in time for the playoffs. When he's on, he's a physical freak who catches everything. When he's off, he's basically a decoy who gets frustrated and draws flags.
Behind him, it gets weird. Calvin Austin III has somehow survived the roster churn to become the steady hand. He’s small, fast, and does a lot of the dirty work in the slot. He’s currently listed as a starter alongside Metcalf.
📖 Related: Lou Saban and Nick Saban: The Real Connection Between Football's Two Biggest Names
The "veteran presence" was supposed to be Adam Thielen. He signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal to be the security blanket for Rodgers. It worked in spurts, but let’s be real: he’s 35. As of January 14, 2026, the word on the street—and the official transaction wire—is that Thielen has officially retired. That leaves a massive hole in the "guys who know where to stand" category.
Then you have the deep-threat specialists. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (MVS) is the guy Rodgers trusts from their Green Bay days. He’s still got the wheels, but he’s 31 and mostly a "take the top off the defense" kind of player. He isn't going to catch 10 balls a game.
The Rotation and Reserve Names
If you look at the guys fighting for snaps in the 2025-2026 campaign, it looks something like this:
- DK Metcalf: The WR1. High ceiling, high drama.
- Calvin Austin III: The WR2/Punt Returner. Reliable but limited by size.
- Marquez Valdes-Scantling: The WR3. Deep threat, Rodgers’ old friend.
- Scotty Miller: The WR4. A "glue guy" who plays special teams and fills in for MVS.
- Ben Skowronek: The WR5. He's the guy they use when they need a receiver who can actually block someone.
- Roman Wilson: The second-year pro. He was a healthy scratch for a lot of the late season. Tomlin basically said he sat Wilson because they preferred the veterans. That's a tough pill for a young guy to swallow.
Why the George Pickens Trade Still Stings
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver depth chart exists in its current state because George Pickens is gone.
💡 You might also like: A qué hora juega el Atlético de Madrid: Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre el calendario colchonero
Pickens went to Dallas and absolutely exploded. In 2025, he put up 93 catches for over 1,400 yards and 9 touchdowns. Meanwhile, DK Metcalf struggled to crack 650 yards in the same timeframe. Yahoo Sports and other experts have pointed out that Pickens actually had more receiving yards than almost the entire Steelers WR room combined at various points in the season.
The trade was supposed to fix the locker room. Instead, it just highlighted how hard it is to replace elite talent. Now, the Steelers are paying Metcalf $33 million a year while Pickens is playing like an All-Pro for a different team. It's the kind of move that keeps general managers up at night.
The "Rodgers Effect" on the Roster
Having Aaron Rodgers under center changed how this depth chart was built. The team prioritized "his guys." That’s why you see MVS and why they brought in Thielen.
But Rodgers is 42. He doesn't have the arm to wait for slow-developing routes anymore. He needs receivers who can win quickly at the line of scrimmage. Aside from Metcalf, who just bullies people, nobody on the current roster really does that at an elite level.
The lack of a true "Number 2" receiver—someone who can consistently win one-on-one when Metcalf is doubled—is why the offense stalled so often in 2025. It’s also why they’ve already started signing guys to "Reserve/Future" contracts this January.
New Blood: The 2026 Offseason Signings
The team isn't sitting still. Since the season ended, they’ve already brought in some fresh faces to compete in camp. These aren't household names, but they tell you the team knows they need more bodies:
💡 You might also like: Who's Winning the Miami Dolphins Game: Why the Answer is Nobody Today
- Brandon Smith: A former Iowa receiver who spent time with the Jets. He hasn't caught a pass in an NFL game yet, but he's big (6'2") and strong.
- John Rhys Plumlee: He’s been on and off the practice squad. A versatile athlete who can also play QB in a pinch, but the Steelers see him as a developmental WR.
- Corey Burgess: Another depth signing to see if they can find a diamond in the rough.
The Tight End Factor
In Pittsburgh, the wide receiver depth chart doesn't exist in a vacuum. Because the WR room is so thin on consistent producers, the tight ends are basically wide receivers.
Pat Freiermuth is essentially the WR2 on this team. He’s Rodgers' favorite target over the middle. When you add Jonnu Smith and the massive Darnell Washington (who ended the year on IR with a fractured forearm), you realize that the Steelers often play "heavy" because they don't trust their third or fourth receivers.
If you’re trying to understand the passing attack, you have to look at Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith. They combined for more targets than anyone not named Metcalf or Austin.
What to Watch for Next
The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver depth chart is going to look radically different by the time training camp starts in July. With Thielen retiring and MVS getting older, the draft is the only way out of this.
Expect the Steelers to be aggressive in the first two rounds. They need a route-running technician to pair with Metcalf's brute strength. They also need to decide if Roman Wilson is ever going to be "the guy," or if he was just a whiff in the scouting department.
The fans are restless. The Pickens stats are a constant reminder of what was lost. If this front office doesn't nail the WR2 spot this spring, Rodgers’ final year in the league is going to be a lot of "throw it away and punt."
Start tracking the mock drafts specifically for big-bodied receivers with "X" potential. The team needs someone who can play the perimeter so they can move Calvin Austin back to the slot full-time, where he’s actually effective. Keep an eye on the waiver wire as well; the Steelers have a massive amount of cap space opening up, and they might just buy their way out of this problem with another high-profile trade or a splashy free-agent signing.
Analyze the upcoming free agent class of 2026 for receivers who fit the "Rodgers mold"—specifically those with a high football IQ and proven success in West Coast systems. Check the health status of Darnell Washington, as his return to the lineup will dictate how much the team can rely on "12 personnel" (two tight ends) to mask their lack of receiver depth.