The Pittsburgh Steelers might not have WR Calvin Austin III out of the bye. Coping with a shoulder damage that might maintain him out a sport or video games, the group will want its backup broad receivers to step up and make performs. It’s a place that group hasn’t been in a lot this 12 months. Via 4 video games, the backup broad receivers have hardly seen the ball.
That’s to not say they’ve been invisible. Ben Skowronek has finished the soiled work and made a dozen hidden performs – to not point out catching the primary landing of the season. Roman Wilson recovered a vital onside kick to assist shut out a win over the Minnesota Vikings and Scotty Miller is predicted to be Austin’s substitute at punt returner. However receptions? These have hardly been there. Simply two among the many Steelers’ backup broad receivers this season. Skowronek’s rating and a garbage-time seize by Wilson on the finish of the Seattle Seahawks’ loss.
How does that stack as much as the remainder of the NFL? Predictably, not properly. Under is a chart of the variety of receptions by backup receivers on every group. As a result of it may be exhausting to find out backups for every squad, I excluded the top-two broad receiver receptions leaders and tallied the remainder.
Crew
Backup WR Receptions
Cowboys
25
Jaguars
21
Bears
21
Chargers
19
Packers
19
Buccaneers
18
Commanders
18
Payments
17
Texans
17
Colts
17
Titans
16
Broncos
16
Chiefs
16
Patriots
14
Dolphins
14
Saints
13
Browns
11
Falcons
11
Panthers
11
49ers
11
Eagles
9
Giants
9
Vikings
9
Cardinals
9
Jets
8
Ravens
8
Lions
8
Rams
8
Seahawks
8
Raiders
7
Bengals
4
Steelers
2
No shock, Pittsburgh’s two receptions ranks final. Granted, it’s a decent end-heavy group with a quarterback releasing the ball sooner than anybody else within the NFL. Anticipating the Steelers to have the receptions of Dallas or 11 personnel-based groups is unreasonable. However the Steelers are all of a sudden relying on that trio of Wilson, Skowronek, and Miller to make performs. Perhaps not lots of them however some. Austin’s come up massive on simply his 10 catches this season, scoring twice (considered one of which was a game-winner) and recording first downs on 60-percent of his grabs.
So there’s rather a lot to be taught. And no less than somewhat to count on. For Skowronek to maintain blocking his butt off however do extra within the passing sport. For Miller to indicate his pace and NFL expertise, exhibiting the connection he created with Aaron Rodgers late in coaching camp. For Wilson to fulfill the second, as WRs Coach Zach Azzanni has informed him, and make the primary impression performs of his profession. Till Austin returns, these three Steelers don’t must do all of it. However they’ll must do extra.