The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t had a dedicated fullback who played meaningful snaps for a couple years now, opting to run more packages with slot receivers and extra tight ends. The last dedicated fullback on the roster was Derek Watt from 2020 to 2022 and they barely used him in any meaningful way. Prior to him it was Roosevelt Nix from 2015 to 2019. New offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has preferred to use a fullback over the years with less usage out of the slot receiver position. The fullback position is dying in general as more teams turn to three-receiver packages, so there aren’t a ton of options out there to begin with, but here are some players who could fill that role for the Steelers in 2024.
Keith Smith – UFA – Atlanta Falcons
There is an obvious connection here as Smith spent the last three seasons with Arthur Smith in Atlanta. He is an unrestricted free agent but turns 32 next month. He only logged 184 snaps with the Falcons in 2023 but was a solid blocker. He was only targeted three times but caught all three passes for a total of 33 yards. This wouldn’t be a flashy signing by any means, but he obviously knows the offensive system Smith plans to implement and would be a logical and affordable option.
Connor Heyward – Pittsburgh Steelers
Perhaps the Steelers don’t add another tight end and roll with what they’ve got. Heyward has been used in a variety of ways as a tight end, and they could probably get away with using him more as a fullback. He is listed as a TE/FB on the Steelers’ roster, for what it’s worth. He is 6-0, 230 pounds, so his body type is roughly in line with other fullbacks around the league. He has 35 receptions on 51 targets over his first two NFL seasons and could still be moved around and used in ways other than just being a pure fullback.
Jack Colletto – Pittsburgh Steelers (Practice Squad)
Signed by the San Francisco 49ers after going undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, Colletto was on the Steelers’ practice squad from last October until the end of the season. They re-signed him to a future contract after the season ended. He played at Oregon State as an inside linebacker, but also played on offense as a running back. He won the Paul Hornung Award, given to college football’s most versatile player, in 2022. He ran the ball 110 times in college for 401 yards and 22 touchdowns and has a good frame at 6025, 237 pounds as of his Pro Day last year.
Jaheim Bell – Florida State
Bell was a tight end at South Carolina and Florida State, but he was used all over the offense as a running back, H-back, tight end, and wide receiver. Florida State used him as a lead blocker in 2023, and he fared pretty well overall. Beyond just being a fullback, Bell could be a versatile weapon used all over the Steelers’ offense the same way he was in college. He told me at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine that teams have talked to him about potentially playing fullback and confirmed that he had a formal meeting with the Steelers. At 6020, 241 pounds, he has the ideal size, and his 4.61 40-yard dash time and 35-inch vertical suggests he can be an explosive offensive weapon. He is currently projected to go somewhere around early-to-mid Day 3 in the draft.
Derryk Snell – Montana State
Snell is listed with similar measurables to Bell at 6-2, 240 pounds on Montana State’s team website. He was named first-team All-America at the fullback position by Phil Steele and even returned punts for the Bobcats. He also has a lot of positional versatility, playing H-back, tight end, and fullback in college. He had seven career carries for 18 yards and two touchdowns and 63 career receptions for 726 yards and nine touchdowns. He has a bit more experience than Bell does as a blocker but also less juice as an overall offensive weapon. He is likely to go undrafted or sneak into the end of the seventh round in the upcoming draft.
