The Steelers announced on Monday that WR Diontae Johnson (hamstring) is being placed on IR. The veteran wideout will now miss at least the next 4 games of the season. Johnson sustained this injury during the second half of Week 1 vs. the 49ers and didn't return to the contest. He also hadn't participated in practice at any point this week leading up to the Steelers' Week 2 primetime game vs. the Browns. Without Johnson in tow, the Steelers will look to see increased efforts from WRs Allen Robinson and Calvin Austin. Neither player is worth considering in most 10 or 12-team formats, though they are decent speculative deeper league adds. Expect to see a small bump in responsibility for TE Pat Freiermuth to supplement Johnson's contributions as a lower aDOT player in the Steelers' offense.
Steelers WR Diontae Johnson (hamstring) has been ruled out for Monday night's game vs. the Browns. Insider Gerry Dulac reported earlier this week that Johnson is expected to miss four weeks, although he hasn't been placed on IR. That means the Steelers think Johnson has a chance to be back before four weeks. WR George Pickens was added to the injury report on Saturday with a hamstring and limited in practice. But he has no game designation, so he's expected to play vs. Cleveland. Pickens, Allen Robinson, and Calvin Austin will be Pittsburgh's top three WRs with Johnson out.
Steelers insider Gerry Dulac hears that WR Diontae Johnson is expected to miss four weeks with his hamstring injury. If that's the case, we could see Johnson land on IR on Saturday. He's still worth keeping stashed on fantasy benches. Johnson's absence opens up opportunity for WRs George Pickens, Allen Robinson, and Calvin Austin, plus TE Pat Freiermuth.
Steelers WR Diontae Johnson logged 3 catches on 6 targets for 48 receiving yards in Sunday’s loss vs. the 49ers. He looked to be on his way to leading the team in receiving prior to a third-quarter hamstring injury that saw him exit the contest for good. TE Pat Freiermuth caught a 3-yard TD at the end of the first half (his only catch on 4 targets) before being forced out of the game due to a chest injury. It’ll be vital for fantasy managers to stay on top of the injury reports this week in case either play misses Week 2 vs. the Browns. WRs Calvin Austin III (6 catches, 37 yards) and Allen Robinson (5 catches, 64 yards) both saw a lot of involvement by the end of Week 1, so perhaps they’ll be names to keep an eye on for waiver wire consideration.
On Monday, the Athletic's Mike DeFabo reported that Steelers WR George Pickens is making solid impressions at camp. DeFabo writes that while Pickens entered camp with a lot of buzz, he's "exceeding those expectations" between "highlight-reel grabs" and his spirited competitiveness in practice. Another interesting note in this report is that veteran WR Allen Robinson has "has only strengthened his case" to seize the starting slot role in the Steelers' offense through his performance in the "Seven Shots" red zone drill the Steelers frequently run from the two-yard line. Pickens will need to improve upon ranking 38th in drop rate (7.1%), 49th in yards after catch (110), and 40th in PFF receiving grade among 80 WRs who recorded 50+ targets last season. To his credit, Pickens ranked first in contest catch rate (67.9%) of that group in 2022. Still, greater evolution in his route tree is something both DeFabo and the Draft Sharks staff note as something to watch out for before we get too excited about him. Pickens presently sits as a high-end WR4 in our current WR rankings.
The Athletic's Mark Kaboly lists WR Allen Robinson as one of the Steelers' offseason winners. Robinson "impressed in every facet, especially in the slot at the goal line," Kaboly writes. "The move to the slot appears to be natural for Robinson. He’s shifty and has a knack for finding space in tight red zone areas, which could lead to some easy touchdowns. ... It sure seems to me that Robinson is going to be a big part of the team’s success this year." Fantasy owners should be skeptical considering Robinson drew praise from Rams beat writers last summer before turning in an abysmal 2022 season. He's still not a priority target in fantasy drafts, even at his dirt-cheap price tag. But we'll continue to keep a close eye on Robinson when training camp opens next month.
Steelers WR Allen Robinson is “not yet involved in all team activities,” per beat writer Brian Batko. Robinson underwent foot surgery for a stress fracture around the start of December. The 30-year-old (in August) isn’t someone to circle as a late-round flier.
The Rams are finalizing a trade to send WR Allen Robinson to the Steelers, pending Robinson passing a physical. No word yet on the compensation, but the Rams probably aren't getting much. Robinson is set to count $18 million against the 2023 salary cap and has been one of the least efficient WRs in the NFL over the past two seasons. He ranked 86th out of 101 qualifying WRs in yards per route run in 2021 and 90th out of 96 last year. Robinson figures to slide in as Pittsburgh's #3 WR behind Diontae Johnson and George Pickens. He's not an exciting fantasy pick. The Rams, meanwhile, are left with Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, and Ben Skowronek atop the WR depth chart. We'll see if they add to the position.
Update: Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Steelers are getting Robinson and the 251st overall pick of this year's draft in exchange for the 234th overall pick. The Rams are also paying $10.25 million of Robinson’s salary. The Steelers will pay the remaining $5 million. If you needed confirmation that Robinson's tank is empty, there you go.
The Rams are hiring Mike LaFleur as their new OC, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. LaFleur replaces Liam Coen, who left Los Angeles after just 1 season to return to his previous post as Kentucky's OC. LaFleur struggled as Jets OC the past 2 years, with both of those teams finishing bottom 8 in both total yards and points. Like Rams HC Sean McVay, LaFleur comes from the Shanahan coaching tree, so there should be plenty of synergy here. McVay will still be running the show, though, so don't expect a big change to the Rams' play calling.
Rams WR Allen Robinson will undergo season-ending foot surgery, HC Sean McVay said after Sunday's loss to the Chiefs. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport hears that it's a stress fracture. So that ends a wildly disappointing 2022 season for Robinson that saw him average just 3.3 catches and 34 yards per game. Through Week 10, he ranked 79th among 85 qualifying WRs in yards per route run. We're not optimistic about Robinson's odds of bouncing back next season.
Rams WR Allen Robinson (ankle) is inactive for today’s game vs. the Chiefs. Los Angeles will roll out WRs Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, Brandon Powell, Tutu Atwell and Lance McCutcheon.
Rams WR Allen Robinson (foot) is "not likely" to play vs. the Chiefs today, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Robinson was set to serve as Los Angeles' de facto #1 WR with Cooper Kupp out. Los Angeles is now down to WRs Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, Brandon Powell, Tutu Atwell and Lance McCutcheon. TE Tyler Higbee is the favorite to lead the team in targets today -- but this is a passing game to try to avoid with QB Bryce Perkins likely making his 1st career start.
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