Predicting When Steelers Rookies Make Their First Starts

Max Iheanachor: Week 1, 2026

The Steelers' rookie with the greatest odds of starting the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons is their first-round pick.

Iheanachor missed a decent chunk of time in August with an upper-body injury, which kept him out for the first two games of the preseason.

He returned in time to log 35 snaps vs. the Buffalo Bills in the preseason finale and showed some flashes of becoming a future stalwart at right tackle despite giving up a sack and two pressures (per Pro Football Focus).

Iheanachor still has some technical aspects of his game to clean up considering he entered the league as a raw prospect. Dylan Cook is the only other option at right tackle, though, and because he can serve as a swing tackle considering his experience at left tackle, having him available off the bench instead of shifting the offensive line around on a dime should Troy Fautanu go down feels like the best path forward for Pittsburgh.

As a result, Iheanachor could, and truthfully should, start in Week 1.

Germie Bernard: Week 3, 2026

Roman Wilson is almost assuredly going to start, or at least play starting-level snaps, to open the campaign for Pittsburgh.

Following a bit of a rough preseason, however, the arrow already looks to be pointing back down for Wilson after what was by all accounts a strong training camp.

Aaron Rodgers seems to have built a stronger connection with Wilson despite his recent mistake in practice, which could go a long way towards the former third-round pick becoming more involved in the passing offense under Mike McCarthy than he was a year ago in Arthur Smith's system.

Regardless, the Steelers should be incentivized to play Bernard after selecting him in the second round. The Alabama product is incredibly well-rounded for a rookie wide receiver, and he showed signs of being a difference-maker during the preseason as well.

Bernard is waiting in the wings and is threatening to take playing time away from Wilson. The former is simply the more talented receiver, and he should get an opportunity to start sooner rather than later.

Drew Allar: Week 1, 2027

Allar arrived in Pittsburgh with plenty of questions about his long-term viability given all of his mechanical issues that plagued his profile as a draft prospect.

The third-rounder went to work in McCarthy's quarterback school and has appeared to grow into a much-improved player as a result, even if there's still a ways to go before he's considered anything remotely resembling a finished product.

Allar had some standout moments during the preseason, however, throwing for 354 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers, and it feels like he's ahead of schedule at this point in time.

He's not going to play in 2026, but if he continues developing, he could push himself in front of Will Howard on the depth chart and enter next season as the favorite to win the starting job, even if the Steelers take a rookie quarterback early in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Gennings Dunker: Week 1, 2027

Dunker never emerged as a serious candidate to win the starting right guard job over either Spencer Anderson or Brock Hoffman throughout the offseason.

The third-round pick out of Iowa struggled a fair amount in training camp, which hurt his stock a bit, though he did turn things around by allowing only two pressures on 55 pass blocking reps (per PFF) in the preseason while also doing some good work in the run game as well.

Barring an injury or immense struggles from Anderson and/or Hoffman, Dunker will likely spend the season as a backup on the interior of the offensive line for the Steelers.

With Anderson and Hoffman both set to reach free agency after the season ends, however, Dunker is in an advantageous position when it comes to entering the 2027 campaign as the team's starting right guard.

Daylen Everette: Week 1, 2028

Everette is an intriguing future option due to his size, length and speed as a press cornerback.

The third-round pick out of Georgia drew some praise during the offseason program in particular, though he wasn't particularly sharp in coverage throughout the preseason.

That was to be expected considering how hard it is to adapt to the cornerback position in the NFl, especially for a player as raw as Everette.

Assuming Joey Porter Jr. sticks around long-term and Jamel Dean makes it into the second year of his three-year deal, Everette might have to wait until 2028 to become a starter for Pittsburgh.

Kaden Wetjen: Only Out of Complete Necessity

It's far too arduous of a task to try and accurately project when Wetjen could make a start at wide receiver for the Steelers, simply because he offers little to nothing at the position at the moment.

He has every chance in the world to become a star return specialist, and he showed that with his 45-yard touchdown on a punt return in the preseason finale against the Bills.

Wetjen may have had a 74-yard catch in the first game of the preseason vs. the Green Bay Packers, but he's otherwise been tough to watch on offense this summer.

Could he eventually grow into a more complete receiver? Potentially. Unless Pittsburgh is dealing with a slew of injuries and needs Wetjen to start given the lack of other options, however, it's almost impossible to imagine him being called upon in that regard.

Riley Nowakowski: Depends on Offensive Game Plan

Nowakowski's going to move around quite a bit for the Steelers. Whether he's in the backfield as a fullback, inline at tight end or even in the slot, the Indiana product is going to wear multiple hats.

Because he's largely expected to serve primarily as a fullback though, it's tough to constitute what a start would register as. Nowakowski is technically the starter at the position, but whether or not it's officially recorded as one depends on his usage and the overall game plan Pittsburgh rolls out any given week.

Gabriel Rubio: 2028 at the Absolute Earliest

Rubio made some noise during training camp, and he has a future as a rotational run-defending defensive tackle.

With how loaded Pittsburgh is along the interior of the defensive line, however, Rubio is likely going to have to wait a while until he makes his first career start if that opportunity ever comes at all.

2028 feels like the target date though, as Sebastian Joseph-Day's contract will have expired while it's also a safe bet that Cameron Heyward will have retired by then.

Eli Heidenreich: Never

Heidenreich was a surprise inclusion on the Steelers' initial 53-man roster as their third running back over the likes of Travis Homer and Lew Nichols.

The Navy alum and Pittsburgh native is more exciting than your typical seventh-round pick due to his versatility on offense as well as the value he provides on special teams.

Heidenreich isn't a good enough runner to warrant starting in the backfield though, and while he may see some time at wide receiver too, it's hard to imagine he's ever really called on to start.

Robert Spears-Jennings: Has to Happen Before DeShon Elliott Returns

Spears-Jennings, like a good chunk of the Steelers' rookie class, turned some heads this summer both in training camp and during the preseason.

Elliott is on the reserve/injured list to begin the season, meaning he'll miss at least the first four games. Either Rayshawn Jenkins or Jalen Ramsey figures to get that nod next to Jaquan Brisker entering the year, though Spears-Jennings could force himself into that conversation as well. It's potentially now or never for the seventh-rounder in that respect.

Kevin Jobity Jr.: Never

Jobity Jr. is a fun player with pass rushing upside along the interior of the defensive line.

The undrafted free agent out of Syracuse is fighting an uphill battle towards starting for Pittsburgh, however, and it seems like it won't ever happen with the black and gold.