The Pittsburgh Steelers need a big season out of wide receiver DK Metcalf, who is the top dog in the team’s passing attack now that George Pickens is gone.
Metcalf is widely perceived as a No. 1-caliber wideout, but his production in recent years hasn’t matched that label, as ESPN’s Bill Barnwell pointed out.
Barnwell, who ranked the Steelers’ wide receiver, tight end and running back groups at No. 21 in the NFL, noted that Metcalf has never been able to match his career-best year from 2020, when he tallied just over 1,300 yards for the Seattle Seahawks.
“DK Metcalf is certainly a more reliable option than the now-departed George Pickens as the lead receiver, but after Metcalf’s 1,303-yard season in 2020, he has averaged 1,030 yards per campaign and right above 2.0 yards per route run, producing at about the same rate as Michael Pittman Jr. and Amari Cooper,” Barnwell wrote. “Those are good wideouts, but there’s a perception that Metcalf’s upside from 2020 looks more like a career outlier than a realistic expectation of what he’s likely to do going forward.”
Barnwell adds that Metcalf could get back to his 2020 production based on volume alone, which is definitely possible given the shaky options throughout the rest of Pittsburgh’s group.
Robert Woods is well past his prime, Calvin Austin has never posted more than 548 yards in a season and Roman Wilson is totally unproven after an injury-plagued rookie campaign.
That means Aaron Rodgers might have to pepper Metcalf with targets if he can’t find another reliable option, which could lead to career-best production.
On the flip side, not having another legit threat outside of Metcalf will lead to more attention from opposing defenses, which will make it tougher for Metcalf to find space to make plays.
Will having a strong tight end duo in Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth be enough to help take some attention and pressure off Metcalf? And will the other receivers be able to step up enough?
Only time will tell.
