The Pittsburgh Steelers have released their final injury report of the week leading up to Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Four a fourth-straight game, the team will be without FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, ruled out by the team due to a hamstring injury suffered in Week Eight. NT Montravius Adams has also been ruled out despite practicing in limited fashion all week.
WR George Pickens (shin) was full Friday and does not carry a game status. He will play. The same goes for rookie LB Nick Herbig (hamstring). CB James Pierre did not practice Friday due to a shoulder injury after being limited Wednesday and Thursday, officially ending the week as questionable. And DL Cam Heyward was limited Friday but does not carry a game status and will play.
Fitzpatrick injured his hamstring early in the team’s Week Eight game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and has not played since. Without him and S Keanu Neal, on IR due to a rib injury, Damontae Kazee and Trenton Thompson are expected to be the team’s pairing against the Bengals.
Adams being ruled out despite practicing throughout the week is a bit of a surprise. He will try to go next week. Rookie NT Keeanu Benton will continue to start and play solid snaps without him. Adams was hurt early in the team’s Week Nine win over the Tennessee Titans.
Pickens missed Wednesday’s practice with a shin injury but will suit up Sunday. He leads the team in targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns, though he hasn’t cracked 50 yards receiving over the last four weeks. We’ll see how the new duo of interim OC Eddie Faulkner and playcaller Mike Sullivan get him involved against a Bengals’ secondary battling injuries, officially without top CB Cam Taylor-Britt.
Pierre failing to practice on Friday likely puts him on the wrong side of questionable. If he can’t play, CB Levi Wallace should see full-time action in dime packages after the two players split reps last week. Perhaps rookie CB Darius Rush will get a hat this week, inactive against the Browns.
The Steelers and Bengals kickoff Sunday at 1 PM/EST.
