Since the end of training camp, the assumption has been that Roman Wilson is the Steelers’ No. 3 receiver behind DK Metcalf and Calvin Austin III. His limited playing time so far was largely attributed to Arthur Smith’s tight end-heavy offense and the frequent use of extra linemen. But with Austin’s status in doubt for Week 6, we’ll finally see if that assumption holds true.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette insider Ray Fittipaldo doesn’t seem convinced.
“There’s a big trust factor between the coaching staff and Aaron Rodgers and Scotty Miller,” Fittipaldo said Wednesday via 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show. “I would expect Scotty Miller to maybe get a little bit more run this week. We all saw what Scotty did in the preseason. He’s very reliable. You ask him to run a route, he’s gonna run a route, he’s gonna be in the right place. I’m not saying Roman Wilson isn’t gonna be that guy, but I go back to what Zach Azzanni, the receivers coach, told us last week. They’re still learning about Roman Wilson and how to utilize him.”
There are quite a few snaps to go around if Austin can’t play. He’s made himself the unquestionable No. 2 WR with 75 percent of the Steelers’ snaps so far this season.
There should be about 40-45 snaps per game to be divided between Miller, Wilson, and even Ben Skowronek in Austin’s absence. Here’s how their share of the snaps has evolved week over week so far.
|||||
Wilson technically leads the pack, but that is largely skewed by his 22 snaps in Week 2. He’s trended in the wrong direction since then with nine and three snaps in the two most recent Steelers games. Meanwhile, both Miller and Skowronek were used more in Week 4. Skowronek played eight snaps after Austin went down at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Miller played 12 and Wilson played just two.
Skowronek’s increased role can potentially be attributed to the Steelers’ run-heavy game plan and the large lead they had at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but Miller versus Wilson’s usage is more interesting after Austin went down.
“If you’re asking me who’s gonna play more against the Browns, I would lean Scotty more and then I think Roman Wilson will pick up some after that,” Fittipaldo said.
Wilson had a slow start to training camp, but came into his own after Austin went down injured. He even had a great preseason performance to back it up. One Steelers insider revealed team sources couldn’t stop raving about him coming out of camp.
If Wilson is unable to seize this opportunity for more snaps, it’s fair to wonder if he will at all in the 2025 season.
Recommended for you