Steelers WR Diontae Johnson Officially Set For Big Return From Injury In Week 7 Following Bye

The struggling Pittsburgh Steelers offense is set to enter a much-needed Week 6 bye. Not only can the unit regroup and figure out its early underperformances, but they can also get a bit more healthy. The team was without four Week 1 offensive starters in Week 5, but they still somehow pulled off the victory over the Baltimore Ravens. One key player will officially return in Week 7 after the bye: wide receiver Diontae Johnson.

Johnson went down with a hamstring injury in the season opening loss to the San Francisco 49ers and has been out since. When speaking to the media on Tuesday, he essentially made it official that he will be coming off the IR to face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7. That begins with practice on Monday, as he feels as if his hamstring is fully healed. Via Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Tuesday, Johnson made it clear that he's ready to be back.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett and the offense is towards the bottom of the NFL in nearly every major statistical category. The return of Johnson will help, as he was looking like a lone bright spot in that season opener. On a day in which seemingly nothing could go right, the veteran wideout had three catches for 48 yards before exiting with an injury. Hopefully, those two can pick up where they left off, and it should only help a guy like George Pickens.

The second-year wideout is coming off a career-high 130 receiving yards against the Ravens, which included the game-winning 41-yard touchdown. That wide receiver duo should help fix some of the offense's issues moving forward, at least one would hope so. In the meantime, it will likely mean less action for Calvin Austin III and Allen Robinson. Austin has played 69% of the team's offensive snaps in 2023 due to the injury of Johnson. 

Who Will Be The Steelers' 3rd Starting WR Moving Forward?

Austin may actually keep more of a role than the veteran Robinson, as his speed brings a different element to the offense. Elsewhere on the injury front, the team will also get third-string running back Anthony McFarland Jr. and punter Pressley Harvin III back from injury. Similar to Johnson, McFarland has been out since Week 1 and on the IR with a knee issue. In his absence, no one really stepped up in the running game beyond the top two guys.

McFarland won't see the field much at all anyways, unless either Najee Harris or Jaylen Warren misses some time due to injury. Still, it's nice to have that depth back. The team released Brad Wing on Monday, which signaled that Harvin will be ready to return in Week 7. Wing stepped up in a big way the past two games, as Harvin has been out with hamstring injury. 

The other three offensive starters that the Steelers were without in Week 5? Pat Freiermuth, Dan Moore Jr., and James Daniels. The bye week will give these guys a chance to get healthy, although it seems Moore has officially lost his left tackle job to rookie Broderick Jones. In four games played this season, Freiermuth has failed to provide the same impact that he has in his first two seasons. In fact, he has just eight catches for 53 receiving yards. 

With Pickett not using the middle of the field at all, it has severely hurt the Steelers tight end's production so far. With all of the injuries throughout the team, the bye couldn't have come at a better time. Harvin, Johnson, and McFarland are all officially set to return in the team's sixth game, while several other guys will at least have a chance due to the week off. 

What are your expectations for Johnson and this offense in Week 7 and beyond? Who else do the Steelers need to return from injury? Comment below.

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