Player: C Zach Frazier
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: The Steelers haven’t elevated Zach Frazier to first-team center yet, but it’s clear that it’s just a matter of time. And by a matter of time, I mean before the regular season begins. The rookie second-round pick will be the opening-day starter, I believe, at the rate things are going. Which is exactly what the Steelers hoped and expected when they drafted him.
Based on recent events and reports, it seems very likely the Steelers will have two rookie starters along the offensive line for their opener. Gerry Dulac reports that they intend to start Troy Fautanu when healthy, but Zach Frazier is on the same path.
Indeed, one can easily argue that Frazier is in a better position to claim a starting spot than Fautanu. Frazier played better than Fautanu in the preseason opener and has a less compelling competitor. On top of that, he isn’t missing valuable practice time due to injury.
The Steelers’ second-round draft pick, Zach Frazier came out of college with extensive starting experience at center. There were no questions about his evaluation, and he looked the most pro-ready rookie on the field in Friday’s game.
On top of that, he got added help courtesy of Nate Herbig, who has run most of the first-team reps. During Friday’s game, Herbig and QB Justin Fields botched multiple center-quarterback exchanges, resulting in fumbles. That is one of the most fundamental aspects of the center’s job, an unforced error for him.
Frazier had no such issues while he was in the game. He is also continuing to see more work with the first-team units, which should continue to ramp up. The Steelers have a joint practice tomorrow, but after that, I would expect him to shift to more “quality” reps.
The Steelers really have no good reason not to start Zach Frazier at this point, given what he has shown. While Nate Herbig has done a largely commendable job, the Steelers drafted Frazier to start at center on a long-term basis, and he already looks like he is ready to begin that task now. I can’t foresee a realistic scenario in which he doesn’t start, barring something drastic.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
