We have reached the end of the offseason, thankfully. Training camp football is so close we can almost touch it.
That also means we’ve reached the end of the Ranking The Steelers’ Starters series here at Steelers Depot. After seven previous pieces in the series, we have reached the eighth and final one. What a ride it’s been again this summer.
Below is the list of projected starters I am using for the series. The series features a two-tight end, 12-personnel set, and base package defensively. That means just one running back, so I had to choose between Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren as the starter. I also ditched the three-CB look defensively to return to the traditional 3-4 scheme.
Therefore, that means you won’t see names like Cameron Sutton or Damontae Kazee defensively, but you will see Keeanu Benton this summer after not being included last summer.
This is the starting lineup that I believe will be rolled out in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons on the road.
*indicates players already ranked in the series.
Offense
QB — Russell Wilson
RB — Najee Harris
WR — George Pickens
WR – Van Jefferson
TE — Pat Freiermuth
TE — Darnell Washington
LT — Dan Moore Jr.
LG — Isaac Seumalo
C — Zach Frazier
RG — James Daniels
RT – Broderick Jones
Defense
DE — Cameron Heyward
DE — Larry Ogunjobi
NT — Keeanu Benton
OLB — Alex Highsmith
ILB — Elandon Roberts
ILB — Patrick Queen
OLB — T.J. Watt
CB — Joey Porter Jr.
CB — Donte Jackson
S — Minkah Fitzpatrick
S — DeShon Elliott
Specialists
K – Chris Boswell
P — Cameron Johnston
Here is how the rankings look so far:
No. 24 — Dan Moore Jr., LT
No. 23 — Darnell Washington, TE
No. 22 — Van Jefferson, WR
No. 21 — Zach Frazier, C
No. 20 — Larry Ogunjobi, DE
No. 19 — Cameron Johnston, PÂ
No. 18 — Donte Jackson, CB
No. 17 — Elandon Roberts, ILB
No. 16 — Broderick Jones, RT
No. 15 — Keeanu Benton, NT
No. 14 — James Daniels, RG
No. 13 — DeShon Elliott, S
No. 12 — Najee Harris, RB
No. 11 — Russell Wilson, QB
No. 10 — Isaac Seumalo, LG
No. 9 — Pat Freiermuth, TE
No. 8 — George Pickens, WR
No. 7 — Joey Porter Jr., CBÂ
No. 6 — Cameron Heyward, DE
No. 5 — Chris Boswell, K
No. 4 — Patrick Queen, LB
Steelers’ Starters: No. 24-22
Steelers’ Starters: No. 21-19
Steelers’ Starters: No. 18-16
Steelers’ Starters: No. 15-13
Steelers’ Starters: No. 12-10
Steelers’ Starters: No. 9-7
Steelers’ Starters: No. 6-4
Without further ado, let’s dive into the latest installment of the Ranking The Steelers’ Starters series here at Steelers Depot, looking at No. 3-1.
No. 3 — Alex Highsmith, OLB
No player grew more in the 2023 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers than outside linebacker Alex Highsmith. The former third-round pick out of Charlotte developed into a two-way force last year, taking a big step forward as a pass rusher while truly settling in as a high-end run defender.
Highsmith generated 69 pressures on the season to go along with his seven sacks in 2023 after receiving his four-year, $68 million extension, putting together one of his most complete seasons.
He finished among the 10 highest-graded edge defenders on the season from Pro Football Focus at 90.3 and did it all for the Steelers. He had two interceptions, including a pick-six, and added two forced fumbles.
Highsmith has an impressive pass-rush arsenal to lean into, giving opposing tackles plenty to think about and prepare for. Add his ability to drop into coverage and it’s quite clear that Highsmith is the full package and is finally starting to get the recognition he deserves.
No. 2 — Minkah Fitzpatrick, S
Yes, Minkah Fitzpatrick is coming off a down season that lacked ball production and had him dealing with plenty of health issues. Knowing that though, Fitzpatrick belongs at No. 2 again, even with the tough season he is coming off of.
When healthy, there is no better safety in the NFL, one who can move around, make a ton of plays and really serve as a great leader and communicator for the defense.
Fitzpatrick played in just 10 games in the 2023 season, suffering a hamstring injury early in the Week 8 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, causing him to miss the next four games. Once he returned to the lineup in Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals, he ended up breaking his hand, playing through the injury. Two weeks later against the Indianapolis Colts Fitzpatrick suffered a knee injury, knocking him out of the 30-13 loss and eventually ending his regular season, though he did return for the Wild Card loss to the Bills.Â
Despite dealing with all that, while also having to move around quite a bit defensively when healthy, Fitzpatrick had 64 tackles, which is really solid in 10 regular-season games. But he didn’t have the ball productivity many have become accustomed to so far in his career. In fact, Fitzpatrick for the first time in his career, didn’t record a single turnover.
The Steelers did well this offseason to get him some help in the secondary, signing DeShon Elliott and trading for Donte Jackson. Both should help the Steelers put Fitzpatrick back in his roving role where he can make big plays.
No. 1 — T.J. Watt, OLB
T.J. Watt reigns supreme again in the Ranking The Steelers’ Starters series here at Steelers Depot, as if that’s any surprise at all.
He’s the best player on the Steelers, and arguably the best defender in the NFL, period.
Watt might have been inexplicably passed over for the Defensive Player of the Year award and may have been snubbed in the top 10 of Pro Football Focus’s top 50 players entering the 2024 season, but not here.
The fact of the matter is Watt is a superstar and had an incredible 2023 season, putting him closer and closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was healthy and on the field all regular season and dominated each and every week. He had at least at least one sack in 13 of 17 games on the year. He was a force against the run, too, added an interception and scored a defensive touchdown on a fumble return, helping the Steelers win an early-season game against the Cleveland Browns.
In 2024, Watt is going to eclipse the 100-sack mark for his career and should have another monster season, assuming health, with the amount of talent that is now around him defensively. He’s the best of the best and a pleasure to watch weekly.
