The Pittsburgh Steelers final official injury report for Week 2 has now been released ahead of their Sunday home game against the Kansas City Chiefs and the Friday offering includes one very positive development.
As previously reported, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (elbow) practiced fully on Friday after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday with an elbow injury he suffered late in the team’s Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns. Roethlisberger, however, officially ends the week listed as questionable as far as his game status designation goes and that’s not surprising being as teams can no longer list injured players as probable.
At this point, and barring any kind of a setback with his injured elbow, it’s probably very likely that Roethlisberger will start Sunday against the Chiefs. However, if for some reason he’s unable to play, backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs would make his first NFL career start as he took the bulk of practice snaps on Wednesday and Thursday while Roethlisberger was sidelined.
Steelers tight end Vance McDonald (foot) practiced fully once again on Friday and that now makes three days in a row he’s done so. Even though he practiced all three days this week, McDonald ends the week listed as questionable for Sunday. Hopefully McDonald makes his 2018 debut Sunday against the Chiefs and if that ultimately happens it will be interesting to see how many offensive snaps he winds up playing. McDonald missed all of the preseason and most of training camp with his foot injury.
Not practicing again on Friday for the Steelers were guard David DeCastro (hand) and cornerback Joe Haden (hamstring) and both end the week listed as doubtful on the injury report. B.J. Finney is expected to start in place of DeCastro at right guard against the Chiefs while Cameron Sutton will likely start in place of Haden at cornerback. Haden and DeCastro were both injured in last Sundays tie against the Browns.
Steelers defensive lineman Tyson Alualu (shoulder) also ends the week listed as doubtful for Sunday after being limited again on Friday. Should Aluala be inactive on Sunday, defensive lineman L.T. Walton will likely dress in his place as a backup.
Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward (knee) practiced fully again on Friday and ends the week with a questionable listing on the week-ending injury report. Hopefully he should be good to go for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. Heyward sat out Wednesdays practice, reportedly as a precautionary measure.
Cornerback Artie Burns (toe) was added to the Steelers injury report as limited on Friday with a toe injury and he also ends the week listed as questionable on the injury report.
