Who is the Pittsburgh Steelers No. 2 wide receiver? That was the conversation all last year and came into focus again after they traded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. If there was any doubt about who is the No. 2 opposite DK Metcalf, Week 1 answered that question in a big way.
According to snap count data from Pro Football Focus, here is the full list of receivers and tight ends and their offensive snaps in the Steelers’ 34-32 win over the New York Jets.
| Player | Off. Snaps |
| DK Metcalf | 54 |
| Calvin Austin III | 45 |
| Jonnu Smith | 37 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 28 |
| Darnell Washington | 26 |
| Roman Wilson | 10 |
| Ben Skowronek | 10 |
| Scotty Miller | 9 |
| Connor Heyward | 4 |
Calvin Austin III was easily the No. 2 option among the wide receivers. Perhaps more surprising is the lack of snaps for second-year WR Roman Wilson. I expected him to have less than Austin, but not to be in what was basically a three-way tie with Skowronek and Miller.
Zach Azzanni called Austin the team’s No. 2 receiver in the spring. His progress last season and his starting experience made him the clear option. An injury on Aug. 1 that held him out of the entire preseason paved a path for Wilson to get more involved.
Wilson took advantage of Austin’s absence with a solid end to training camp and a stellar performance in the preseason. The division of labor won’t be static throughout the season. The Steelers will work to exploit matchups with their different receivers. But there was always a concern about getting snaps for the No. 3 wide receiver.
Arthur Smith’s offense uses 12 or 13 personnel more than most in the league. The 91 total snaps among four tight ends in today’s game speaks to that. When multiple tight ends are on the field, that means less opportunities for the third receiver. And Wilson hasn’t even seized full control of that role over Skowronek and Miller.
Skowronek was the only one of those three to get a target, and that resulted in a 22-yard touchdown.
Austin is the runaway candidate to be the team’s No. 2 with four receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown. He had arguably the best day of any player not named Aaron Rodgers on the Steelers’ offense.
Roman Wilson may still carve out a role, especially if injuries hit or in more spread-heavy game plans, but as long as Arthur Smith leans on tight end-heavy personnel, opportunities will be scarce for a true third wide receiver. For now, the Steelers have their top two receivers set, and Austin wasted no time proving he belongs in that spot.
