Steelers Rise, Yet Still Underwhelm in 2025 Playmaker Rankings

While certain aspects of the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ offense will remain the same, much will be different entering the 2025 season. Not only is Aaron Rodgers in at quarterback, but each of his skill positions has witnessed a change.

Thus, it’s more than just Rodgers that will swing the outcome of this year. Pittsburgh’s running backs, wide receivers and tight ends will all be pivotal pieces. Figuring out where those collections of talent stack up is easier said than done.

ESPN senior NFL writer Bill Barnwell had to take a stab at it, though. In his yearly set of playmaker rankings, the Steelers rose from 27th a year ago to 21st now. Elements like injuries, suspensions and high-impact factors such as elite talent were considered for all 32 teams. The assessment of Pittsburgh was, predictably, a tricky one.

Supporting Wideouts Behind DK Metcalf Limit Steelers’ 2025 Ranking

Barnwell didn’t come off as too concerned about wide receiver DK Metcalf. He believes Metcalf will establish a reasonable floor as George Pickens‘ replacement. Barnwell is also a fan of tight end Jonnu Smith, who was traded for in late June.

Barnwell writes that Smith and Pat Freiermuth “should be one of the league’s most productive tight end duos.” The No. 21 ranking is largely tied to the Steelers’ other receiving options, specifically at wideout. The renowned football analyst isn’t sold on the depth behind Metcalf.

“Roman Wilson was limited to five snaps as a rookie by ankle and hamstring injuries, critical concerns for a player who will need to rely on his quickness and route running to thrive in the slot,” Barnwell wrote. “Robert Woods is still a sound blocker and veteran hand, but he fell all the way to 203 receiving yards last season in Houston. Woods and Ben Skowronek are better football players than they are playmakers with the ball in their hands, which might benefit the Steelers given their expected desire to lean into the run in Year 2 of Arthur Smith’s scheme.”

One player Barnwell didn’t consider was receiver Calvin Austin III. The speedy 26-year-old is coming off a 36-catch, 548-yard, 4-touchdown 2024 campaign and has generated some buzz this offseason. The Steelers desperately need him or one of Wilson or Woods to step up.

Post-Najee Harris Running Back Room Could Raise Offense

Barnwell also opined on the running back situation in Pittsburgh. After some tumultuous seasons, the Najee Harris era is officially over. Despite that being a big loss from a snaps standpoint, Barnwell believes the Steelers are insulated to embrace that departure.

Veteran Jaylen Warren is prepared for this moment, writes Barnwell, with rookie Kaleb Johnson being perhaps the biggest X-factor on the entire offensive depth chart.

“Removing Najee Harris could be addition by subtraction, with the Steelers likely to hand a larger share of the rushing workload to Jaylen Warren, the far more productive back in that rotation over the past three years,” Barnwell wrote. “Rookie third-rounder Kaleb Johnson will take over the big-back role, but if he can be more efficient than Harris as the 1B as opposed to the 1A, Pittsburgh could finally have the consistent offensive attack it has sought since Ben Roethlisberger suffered an elbow injury in 2019.”

Last season, the Steelers ranked fourth in rushing attempts but 25th in yards per carry. Advanced stats didn’t like their attack either, as they ranked 28th in rushing success rate and 24th in rush EPA/play according to rbsdm.com. With Warren providing more of a floor, a decline seems unlikely. An improvement, on the other hand, could stem directly from how Johnson fares in year No. 1.

There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Steelers’ offense. The neighborhood of 21st, from a weapons standpoint, seems fair. It also doesn’t prohibit the team from proving that ranking wrong over the course of the 2025-26 season.