Projecting Steelers Week 1 Starters After NFL Draft

Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers still isn't here, but anyone in Pittsburgh will tell you the expectation is he will be. As long as he decides to return for another season, and the "positive conversations" the Steelers keep telling us about turn into a contract, he's going to be QB1 in 2026.

Will Howard and Drew Allar will compete for the backup job, and if Rodgers chooses to retire, Howard likely gets the upper-hand to start this season, at least in Week 1.

Running Back: Jaylen Warren

Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren are going to split time together, and maybe Mike McCarthy likes his former Dallas Cowboys running back better than Warren. Warren will be listed as the Week 1 starter, though. Maybe it'll be an "and" situation where the Steelers list them both, but Warren takes the first snap of the year - predicting it now.

Kaleb Johnson and Eli Heidenreich will battle it out for the RB3 spot, and Johnson better bring his A-game if he's going to stick around. After a very disappointing rookie season, nothing is guaranteed for the former third-round pick.

Fullback: Riley Nowakoski

The Steelers replaced Connor Heyward with Riley Nowakoski and plan to utilize him more as a fullback than a tight end. His role on the offense will be limited, but he's a very athletic option in the backfield who can lineup at halfback, run the tush push and be utilized as a lead blocker for Warren and Dowdle.

Tight End: Pat Freiermuth

It's finally the year for Pat Freiermuth. After bouncing around with different quarterbacks for most of his career, none of whom were capable of getting him the football on a consistent basis outside of Ben Roethlisberger, he's going to have Rodgers be his QB1 with no one standing in his way.

Last season, Jonnu Smith took up way too many snaps at the position. This year, it's Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, and with Rodgers as their quarterback, this position should thrive for the first time in a long time.

This could be a breakout season for Freiermuth. One he deserves.

Wide Receiver: DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Germie Bernard

This one is easy. Germie Bernard steps in as the third option on the Steelers' depth chart behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. The Steelers finally have three capable wideouts on their team with a fourth and fifth hoping to contibute behind them.

Roman Wilson, Ben Skowronek, Eli Heidenreich and Kaden Wetjen will all compete for playing time. As long as one looks good, Pittsburgh has four wideouts they can use - which is way more than the last few seasons.

Offensive Line: Troy Fautanu (LT), Gennings Dunker (LG), Zach Frazier (C), Mason McCormick (RG), Dylan Cook (RT)

The biggest surprise on the offensive side of the football - and maybe the entire Week 1 starting lineup - is Gennings Dunker. The third-round rookie out of Iowa will need to beat out Brock Hoffman and Spencer Anderson for the starting job. He looks capable, though.

Max Iheanachor is a developmental piece. He needs time to grow before he's a starter at the NFL level. Dunker doesn't. The transition from tackle to guard seems much easier for players than most offensive line transitions. It shouldn't be much of a problem.

Add in his strength and capabilities he's already equipped with, he should be able to beat out Anderson and Hoffman by Week 1.

Steelers Starters on Defense

Defensive Line: Cam Heyward (DT), Keeanu Benton (NT), Derrick Harmon (DE)

No changes here for the Steelers. They'll hope the three they had last year only look better with a full season playing alongside each other on the defensive line.

Outside Linebacker: T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith

This one is a no-brainer. Unless the rumors of trading Alex Highsmith came to light during the NFL Draft, the two starters were not changing. The five starters across the defensive line are some of the best on the roster.

Inside Linebacker: Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson

The Steelers not selecting an inside linebacker was one of the biggest surprises of their NFL Draft class. It seemed destined that they'd add to the room during the earlier parts of the draft, but instead, they chose to stay put.

Patrick Queen will ride out the final year of his contract as the main starter with Payton Wilson being the athletic inside linebacker alongside him.

Cornerback: Joey Porter Jr., Jamel Dean, Jalen Ramsey

Welcome to the team, Jamel Dean. He, Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey are the three who will look to continue growing the team's success at cornerback. Look for Ramsey to play safety as well, as he's used as a chess piece in 2026 under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

Safety: DeShon Elliott, Jaquan Brisker

And finally, the safety position. While Robert Spears-Jennings is a thrilling late-round addition for the future, he's not going to make much of an impact this season. Expect Darnell Savage to sign his contract with the team soon, and for Jaquan Brisker to join DeShon Elliott as the starters.

Elliott may not start training camp at full capacity but will be ready by Week 1.

Special Teams Starters

Kicker: Chris Boswell

No one's replacing Chris Boswell until Chris Boswell chooses to be replaced. Expect a contract extension to come this summer for the superstar kicker.

Punter: Cam Johnston

The Steelers let Corliss Waitman walk in free agency so they could bring back Cameron Johnston. After only playing one game his first time around before suffering a season-ending injury, he returns with higher expectations in 2026.

Long Snapper: Christian Kuntz

It'd be weird for Mike McCarthy to cut the Pittsburgh native at long snapper. While Cal Adomitis is an interesting name for competition, Kuntz should hold the upper-hand and keep his job in 2026.