Pittsburgh Steelers veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson expects to return from his hamstring injury in Week 7. Johnson has missed most of the season after suffering a hamstring injury in the third quarter of his team’s Week 1 clash with the San Francisco 49ers. The 27-year-old logged three receptions for 48 yards before departing. Johnson was pacing the Steelers in most receiving categories at the time of injury.
Diontae Johnson has spent the past five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. A 2019 third-round pick out of Toledo, Johnson is a one-time Pro-Bowler who has become a team favorite. Johnson’s best season came in 2021 when he snagged 107 passes for 1,161 yards and eight scores. He tallied 12 touchdowns in the two years prior. However, Johnson has not scored over the past two seasons despite drawing 153 targets.
Pittsburgh Steelers Without Diontae Johnson
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been anemic on offense in 2023. They have scored 15.8 points per game this season, the third-lowest average in the NFL. The passing attack has become virtually nonexistent, placing in the league’s bottom half in passing yards, passing touchdowns, interceptions thrown, and net yards per attempt. Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett has thrown just five touchdowns against four picks across five games.
Johnson Expects to Return in Week 7
Johnson will provide an immediate boost to an offense that was slightly better last season when he played all 17 games. The only player on the Steelers to average more than 50 yards receiving per game is second-year wideout George Pickens. The Georgia product has 22 receptions for 393 yards and two touchdowns. Diontae Johnson will slide next to Pickens as the top receiving duo in Pittsburgh.
Fellow teammates Calvin Austin and Allen Robinson have failed to stand out in the absence of Johnson. Austin has shown flashes, including scoring a 72-yard touchdown in Week 3, but is fresh off a receptionless outing against Baltimore last Sunday. Meanwhile, Robinson has accumulated less than 100 yards across the previous four games. Pittsburgh is off this week as they prepare for a road matchup against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7.
More must-reads: