Bringing back a series we’ve done throughout the rest of the offseason. I promise we’re not going all Embrace Debate on you, but Tony Calderone and I have teamed up to debate Steelers-related topics we have genuine, good-faith disagreement over. Let us know who made the better argument and what side of the debate you come in on in the comments below.
Today’s topic is…
Who Will Lead The Pittsburgh Steelers In Receiving Yards in 2023?
Joe Clark: George Pickens
Diontae Johnson is an incredibly talented wide receiver and will be No. 1 on the depth chart in 2023. In fact, I think he’s going to have a really good year in 2023. But when we’re talking yardage, I think George Pickens is going to be Pittsburgh’s leading receiver.
Last year, Pickens had a ridiculous 15.4 yards per reception, bringing in 52 balls for 804 yards. He’s a contested-catch wizard, and that’s where a lot of his production came from last year. He would make a play over a receiver down the sideline for a big gain, and he was really Pittsburgh’s only legitimate deep threat in 2022. The contested catches and deep balls are still going to be there, but Pickens is also going to have more of a role underneath, and he’s talked about the importance of getting yards after the catch this year.
With Allen Robinson II in the fold, some of the shorter routes that went to Johnson are now more spread around between Robinson and Pickens if the latter takes a more of a role in that part of the game, as I expect he will. Pickens and quarterback Kenny Pickett already have the downfield chemistry with deep throws, so while Johnson has been a deep threat in the past, I’d expect more of those throws to go to Pickens.
With Pickens working on being a better route runner and expanding what he can do after the catch, those shorter routes coupled with his downfield explosive plays, of which he had 17 receiving last year, are going to lead to a big season yardage-wise. I don’t think 1,200 yards is out of the question for Pickens this season, and that just might be enough to lead Pittsburgh.
In addition, if he’s the primary deep ball option on a team that’s focusing on the run, it would make a lot of sense for Pickens to become the team’s leading receiver. I think he’s going to take a nice leap from his rookie year to his sophomore year along with Pickett. The expansion of his route tree coupled with him being the go-to guy downfield will lead him to surpass Johnson in yards.
Tony Calderone: Diontae Johnson
It might not be the flashy, exciting pick, but that’s not what the Steelers have ever been about, so I’m taking Diontae Johnson to lead the team in receiving yards this season.
Johnson has quietly been one of the most consistent receivers in the league since the Steelers drafted him in 2019. If we look back over his four NFL seasons, he ranks top ten in the league in receptions and top twenty in the league in receiving yards. And he’s been a mainstay on this Steelers offense.
He’s led the team in receiving yards each of the last three years and was only about 50 yards short of doing so during his rookie season. Johnson has also shown the ability to do it with different guys under center.
Though he’s only played four seasons, he’s caught passes from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph, Mitch Trubisky, Devlin Hodges, and current starter Kenny Pickett. What it comes down to for me is the opportunity that we know Johnson will have this season.
The Steelers clearly believe in him, rewarding him with a pretty large two-year extension last offseason. Not only do they have money tied up in him, but they also look to get him the ball all the time. He was second in the league in targets in 2021, and in what was considered a down year for him last year he was still seventh.
The Steelers will look for him early and often. Look, it would be a lie to say that Johnson wasn’t a bit of a disappointment last season. He had big expectations to help bridge the offense to the Pickett era and wasn’t able to find the end zone all season long.
But he’s still the most proven receiver on this roster, and while he may not be able to make the highlight play quite like fellow wideout George Pickens, I’d argue Johnson is more all-around talented. Add in some quarterback consistency and a second year to continue his relationship with Pickett, and I think he comfortably leads the team in receiving yards in 2023.
