The Pittsburgh Steelers have a wide receiver tandem they can be confident in for the first time in a few seasons. With Michael Pittman Jr. in the fold, Pittsburgh hopes its offense will look much better than the last two seasons, when George Pickens or DK Metcalf, respectively, was the only legitimate receiver.
Both are veteran receivers with consistent, proven production, yet neither is considered among the game’s elite receivers. Analyst Adam Schein believes they aren’t close to that conversation.
“Look, I don’t think the Steelers have a legit number one receiver. I don’t consider DK Metcalf to be a top-20 wide receiver in the NFL. I don’t think Michael Pittman is a top-20 receiver in the NFL,” Schein said Thursday on his Schein Time show.
Looking at the stats, Schein is not wrong. Metcalf had a few stellar years in Seattle, but his first in Pittsburgh was arguably the worst of his career.
His 99 targets were the lowest total of his career, as were his 850 receiving yards. The latter total left him 28th in the league last year. 20 different receivers hit the 1,000-yard mark in 2025, and Metcalf wasn’t close to that margin. Neither was Pittman, whose 784 yards were 36th in the NFL. He was even worse at 91st in the league with 9.8 yards per reception.
That said, Schein isn’t down on the Steelers’ receiving corps as a whole.
“But I think both these guys are in the 21 to 30 range. So I don’t think they have a typical number one; I think they have a couple of 1As, or 1Bs, however you want to phrase it. And that’s going to be amazing for Rodgers,” Schein said. “I really like the depth and talent in the receiver room.”
DK Metcalf played WR1 with little other help last year, a strategy Pittsburgh hoped would work. It didn’t, as nobody stepped into the WR2 role. With Kenneth Gainwell the only receiving threat to take pressure off Metcalf, the latter had a disappointing year.
But things should be better in 2026. Pittman has found ways to produce, no matter who his QB is, throughout his career. He gets open quickly and understands the game well, which should make him one of Aaron Rodgers’ favorite targets. That will take pressure off Metcalf, and if Germie Bernard or Roman Wilson can take a step forward, things will look even better.
Considering the money they’re paying Metcalf, the Steelers would hope one of these two would be a top-20 receiver. But if Pittsburgh has a dynamic 1A and 1B this year, it’s certainly not the worst thing in the world. Two consistent receivers alone is much better than what Pittsburgh had last year. Schein believes that’s what we’ll see.