We are exactly nine Sundays from the Pittsburgh Steelers beginning their 2026 season against the Atlanta Falcons at Acrisure Stadium. And after all the additions the Steelers made this offseason, compiling a top 10 players list for the 2026 season was a bit more challenging than it was in recent years.
My good friend Derrick Bell of Steelers Now does this exercise yearly, and you should absolutely read his list, as well. As a quick aside, I will follow Derrick’s lead here and go with offensive and defensive players only. Chris Boswell is great, but he will not be part of this list.
With all that out of the way, let’s dive in.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 07: Jaylen Warren #30 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the ball during the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 07, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) Getty Images
Hopefully we see more of Jaylen Warren in 2026 than we did last season when he played in just 50 percent of offensive snaps. Even so, he made the most of his touches, totaling a career-high 956 rushing yards, 333 receiving yards, and eight total touchdowns. The Oklahoma State product is one of the best dual-threat backs in the league and needs to be used as such on a more consistent basis.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 16: DK Metcalf #4 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs with the ball during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) Getty Images
Metcalf had a down season in 2025, but some leeway can be given due to the fact that he as the only real threat the Steelers had at the position. The additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard should open things up for the two-time Pro Bowler and help him look like the player we saw in Seattle.
TAMPA, FL – DECEMBER 11: Jamel Dean #35 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lines up before the snap during an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium on December 11, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) Getty Images
Somehow, the Steelers’ addition of Dean has gone largely under the radar despite the veteran cornerback having another strong season in 2025. He allowed just one touchdown as the nearest defender while picking off three passes. Dean also allowed just 22 receptions on 51 targets, and his target EPA of -28.3 was the second-best among qualified defensive backs, trailing only Jalen Pitre of the Houston Texans.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – JANUARY 12: Troy Fautanu #76 of the Pittsburgh Steelers runs across the field during an NFL wild card playoff football game against the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images) Getty Images
Fautanu had a fantastic season at right tackle in 2025 after missing the vast majority of his rookie campaign due to injury. Pittsburgh ranked 11th in success rate in rushes to the right side, per SumerSports. Now moving to the left side, he will be charged with protecting Aaron Rodgers’ blind side. If he can keep his sacks allowed number at or around the two he allowed in 2025, the Steelers and their quarterback will be very happy.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 28: Alex Highsmith #56 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates a sack during the third quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 28, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) Getty Images
Highsmith had his best pass rushing season since 2022 when he put up 14.5 sacks. He notched 21 quick pressures, which were more than now-fellow-AFC North pass rusher Jared Verse and Danielle Hunter of the Houston Texans. His average time to sack of 4.37 seconds was also faster than Aidan Hutchinson and Myles Garrett.
PITTSBURGH, PA – JANUARY 12: T.J. Watt #90 of the Pittsburgh Steelers defends against the Houston Texans during the first half of an AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) Getty Images
I’ll put Watt at No. 5, and I’ll do it somewhat hesitantly. He hasn’t looked like T.J. Watt since 2023, totaling just 7.5 sacks last season. His 44 pressures were third among Steelers edge rushers last season, as was his 10.1 percent pressure rate. No one is expecting him to have 22.5 sacks again, but he needs to have a big bounce back season and get north of 10. If you want to say Highsmith should be above Watt, I wouldn’t push back.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 22: Nick Herbig #51 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Acrisure Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) Getty Images
Herbig’s splash play ability off the edge is his best ability. His three forced fumbles were tied with Watt for the most on the team in 2025, and he added an interception and 13 tackles for loss to go with them. He had 19 quick pressures last season and 45 pressures in total, tying him with Highsmith.
PITTSBURGH, PA – NOVEMBER 02: Joey Porter Jr. #24 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action against the Indianapolis Colts on November 2, 2025 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) Getty Images
Porter Jr is absolutely in the echelon of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. In 2025, he didn’t allow a touchdown while posting a catch rate above expected of -11 percent – a number better than Patrick Surtain II, Derek Stingley, Trent McDuffie, and all other cornerbacks in the elite conversation. He also allowed a lower passer rating than all of those cornerbacks except for Stingley. Even the red flags in his game (or yellow flags) became something he improved on tremendously, as he was only flagged six times in 2025. The Penn State product has developed into one of the best man-to-man corners in the game, and his extension will come soon enough before the start of the 2026 season.
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images
Frazier has already proven himself as one of the five best centers in football. Behind Creed Humphrey, you could make a strong case for Frazier being that No. 2 name among other contenders like Aaron Brewer of the Miami Dolphins and Tyler Linderbaum of the Las Vegas Raiders. He had just three penalties in 2025 and allowed only one sack all season while consistently opening up run lanes for Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.
Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images
Even at the age of 37, Heyward is still playing at a superstar level. He has six All-Pro selections to his name – two have come after his 35th birthday, including the Second-Team All-Pro selection in 2025. He had 78 tackles last season, which was the third-most in his career, and his 58 run stops led all defensive linemen. Aging like fine wine is an understatement for Heyward, as he continues his journey that will end in Canton.
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