PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have now played four games and sit at 3-1 heading into their bye week after an emotional win in Dublin, Ireland, a week ago.
With four games under their belt, who are the standouts and who is not meeting expectations right now through those four games?
Winner: Nick Herbig
There might not be a bigger winner than Herbig right now. He has shined in every direction for the Steelers so far this season, and in the chances they have given to him, he has only taken them and run with it.
In the two and a half games since Alex Highsmith’s ankle sprain, Herbig has 2.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, and 14 pressures. Over the seven games he has started in his Steelers career, he has five sacks, 13 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles, and four tackles for loss.
He has been nothing short of a splash play machine in his limited opportunities with one of the quicker get offs in the NFL with an average get off time of .77 seconds, according to Next Gen Stats.
That all creates nothing short of a sterling resume.
Loser: Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith
There is an argument to just put Freiermuth on here, but Smith should be included, too, as both have been stuck in the limbo of the offense. Combined, both register at less than 200 total receiving yards despite being billed as a huge part of the passing attack.
Smith’s average depth per target is not even above one yard right now, and he is being utilized as a glorified running back, essentially. The Steelers have only used him in YAC situations.
Meanwhile, Freiermuth, who is usually a dependable chain mover, has not made all the plays he should have that Aaron Rodgers has shelled out his way. Instead, he is has waned and played just 15 snaps last week against the Vikings.
The Steelers have to figure out how to maximize this duo, but they are paying $24 million for two players who have not moving the needle that much.
Winner: Jaylen Warren
I am not sure there is a more underrated player on the team than Warren. Despite missing the team’s game against the Vikings and Kenneth Gainwell (who could have easily made this list!) running well in his absence, Warren has seen some of the worst run blocking in the entire NFL, and is creating almost solely for himself.
He ranks third in the NFL in forced missed tackles per touch among running backs and has produced 92 percent of his yards after contact. The efficiency is not there, but anyone who watches the tape knows it is not on Warren and he has been a huge factor in the team’s productivity in the quick game through four games.
Loser: Keeanu Benton and Payton Wilson
I’m putting these two together simply because they are in nearly the same position. For what it is worth, they both are coming off their best games of the season against the Vikings, but the other three were rough and it warrants being on this list.
Wilson has struggled to shed blocks and even in coverage has been a bit lost more than he should have at times. Benton has been a direct reason for Wilson’s run defense struggles, getting cratered too often into the linebackers.
Both are promising young players the Steelers need to have great seasons, but so far, they have only been okay.
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