CBS Sports Pete Prisco released his annual ranking of the top 100 players in the NFL. This year, the Pittsburgh Steelers are represented fairly well with OLB T.J. Watt, WR George Pickens, and FS Minkah Fitzpatrick making the list.
It’s no surprise that Watt tops the team’s list, coming in as the fifth-best player. However, he is ranked behind Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett, who took the No. 2 spot only trailing Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.
“He led the NFL in sacks with 19 last season and remains a true game-wrecker. He bounced back from an injury-shortened 2022 to show he remains one of the game’s best edge players.” Prisco wrote.
Watt not only led the league in sacks last year, he became the first player in official NFL history to do so in three separate seasons. He also led the league in 2020 and 2021. Alas, it wasn’t enough to beat out Garrett for Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 or to top him on Prisco’s list, though it’s a six-spot improvement from a year ago.
Healthy most of the season, Watt led the Steelers’ defense and pass rush. Not only did he pile up the sacks, he tied a season-high in total (68) and solo tackles (48), racked up 36 QB hits, 19 TFL, forced four fumbles, swatted away eight passes, recovered three fumbles, and picked off a pass for good measure. It was one of the most colorful stat lines of the season and a year deserving of a top-five spot. Entering his age-30 season, Watt is poised to become the second-fastest player in official NFL history to reach 100 sacks. He sits 3.5 away.
Pickens topped Fitzpatrick and everyone except for Watt as the second Steeler on Prisco’s list, coming in at No. 68. It’s the first time Pickens has made this top 100 and a moment of national love he hasn’t seen much of.
“He had 63 catches in an offense that struggled to get good quarterback play last season. But the most impressive number was his 18.1 yards-per-catch average. He is a big-play threat any time he is on the field and improved quarterback play will help him,” Prisco wrote.
His 18.1 yards per catch led the NFL, becoming the first Steeler since Mike Wallace in 2009 to do so. Pickens continued to be a big-play machine and showed he was capable winning in ways other than simply running deep. He expanded his route tree and took slants against the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals for long touchdowns. He greatly improved his YAC, going from football’s worst as a rookie (2.0 YAC/R) to one of its best as sophomore (6.2 YAC/R). With no clear No. 2 receiver, Pickens should see more volume this year and as Prisco mentions, better quarterback play with Russell Wilson replacing Kenny Pickett.
Rounding out the list is Fitzpatrick, a mainstay on this list. But after an injury-plagued year, he fell to No. 71, a 30-spot drop compared to the 2023 edition.
“With little help from the second level last season, Fitzpatrick wasn’t as good on the back end as in recent years. He was also limited by injury. At his best, he is a game changer who can cover a lot of ground,” Prisco wrote.
Hamstring pulls and knee injuries limited Fitzpatrick to just 10 starts and he didn’t get through all those games, leaving early against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts. For the first time in his college or NFL career, he finished a season without an interception. Fitzpatrick still racked up 64 tackles and played well while on the field, but the Steelers greatly increased his usage near the line of scrimmage. His box rate spiked from under nine percent in 2022 and to over 20 percent in 2023, and he wasn’t in position to make the plays he’s capable of making. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin admitted to misusing him and vowed to keep Fitzpatrick in his free safety role going forward.
Pete Prisco’s top 100 Steelers
No. 5 – OLB T.J. Watt
No. 68 – WR George Pickens
No. 71 – FS Minkah Fitzpatrick
One notable omission on the list is DL Cam Heyward. His injury-riddled campaign undoubtedly played a factor, but he didn’t make the top 100, only earning an honorable mention way down on Prisco’s list. OLB Alex Highsmith and ILB Patrick Queen also earned nods in that category.
In addition to Mahomes, Garrett, and Watt, rounding out the top five were San Francisco 49ers OT Trent Williams and Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill. The Baltimore Ravens’ top-ranked player was QB Lamar Jackson at No. 16 while the Cincinnati Bengals’ top name was WR Ja’Marr Chase at No. 13.
