Steelers' Latest Injury Report Includes Worrisome Trend For 3 Key Players

Every week during his press conference, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin reminds the media and his audience that practice availability is an important note throughout the week. Essentially, it dictates the trend of an injured player's chances of playing. As usual, the Steelers walked away with some bruises from the Week 3 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

After back-to-back victories, the Steelers suddenly sit at 2-1 heading into Week 4. They are now 2-0 against the AFC, which may come in handy when fighting for a playoff position later in the season. Tomlin and his unit will face another AFC squad in Week 4, as they will face the Houston Texans. The Texans have surprised some people, which included an impressive Week 3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Nonetheless, the Steelers will have some work to do. ESPN's Brooke Pryor provided a glimpse at Thursday's practice injury report.

Pressley Harvin III's hamstring issue is something that popped up within this past week. Tomlin noted it in his press conference and as a result, the team signed Brad Wing to the practice squad. It's smart to play things cautious with the third-year punter, especially with an injury like a hamstring issue. Harvin has shown improvements over the past two weeks, so his absence would be huge.

Similar to last season, Larry Ogunjobi continues to deal with an ongoing foot injury. Somehow, he only missed one game last season, despite the prevalent injury. He still has yet to miss a contest in 2023, as the team has limited his practice work throughout the weeks. That holds true this week, as he was limited on Thursday. That's a positive sign that the defensive lineman will be out there again on Sunday in Houston.

Which Steelers Injury Worries You The Most?

Wide receiver Allen Robinson has been a huge locker room presence for Pittsburgh so far, and he seems to be trending in a positive direction. He was limited in Thursday's practice with an ankle injury, while Connor Heyward, Miles Killebrew, Chukwuma Okorafor, and Gunner Olszewski were all full participants. That signals that those four players will all be ready to go against the Texans.

On a bit more of the concerning side, both tight end Darnell Washington and right guard James Daniels missed Thursday's practice. For Washington, long-term concerns about his knee is what led to his fall in April's NFL Draft. The rookie is still searching for his first career catch, but he has been on the field for plenty of heavy personnel looks. Daniels missed his second consecutive practice with a groin injury, which isn't a positive sign for Week 4.

If Daniels is unable to go, Nate Herbig would step in as the right guard. The team's official depth chart has Herbig listed as the backup, as he played a variety of roles throughout training camp. It's important to remember that the Steelers' bye week is coming up after the next two games. Because of that, the team may play it cautious with these injuries. The offense should get playmaker Diontae Johnson back after the bye week, which will be a big jolt to the receiving unit. 

From the injury report, who can the Steelers not afford to miss on Sunday? Will Johnson be the team's No. 1 option when he returns to the lineup? If Harvin is unable to play, how concerned are you if the Steelers have to turn to Wing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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