The Steelers Are At Risk Of Doing Themselves A Legitimate Disservice

The Pittsburgh Steelers have an exciting season coming up in 2026. It is not like the team is some favorite to make it to the Super Bowl out of the AFC, but it will be interesting due to the sheer amount of change that has gone on within the organization ever since the last time the team took the field at Acrisure Stadium. The team will be playing for basically an entirely new coaching staff, so it will be nice to see what changes come about when it comes to the different philosophies that drive a football team. There is also a great crop of rookies to pay attention to, and that will start during training camp.

The Steelers were one of the teams with the most draft capital entering the 2026 NFL Draft. The organization had 12 selections, but two of them were used to maneuver the draft board. The franchise wound up picking 10 players, which is a pretty large rookie class when it comes to draftees. Some of the players that were drafted by Pittsburgh towards the bottom of the board are going to be facing an uphill battle to make the final roster, and that includes fan-favorite Eli Heidenreich.

Heidenreich enters the NFL as a running back, but he played a ton of wide receiver during his college career at Navy. He is known for his versatility, which is part of the reason he was drafted. Insider Nick Farabaugh joined 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday morning, and he shared that the Steelers need to be sure to try Heidenreich out in more than one spot. He believes it would be a disservice not to try him out at wide receiver.

"I think so. I think you have to give him that look," Farabaugh said. "That's a big part of his appeal. We talk about how many roles a guy can fit into one. I think that's really the important thing. If you're going to make the 53-man roster as a really like, the seventh-round pick in the big draft class the Steelers have, and you're the 52nd or 53rd man, you've got to do a lot of different things. Eli Heidenreich can do a lot of those things. He can return, he can play special teams, he's a receiver and a running back. But the running back part of it is really raw. He wasn't really a true running back at Navy."

At Navy, Heidenreich lined up in the backfield, but he was really more of a receiver. He made plays through the air and on the ground, but being a traditional running back will probably take some getting used to, especially in the NFL.

Heidenreich can do it all, and if the organization wants to get the most out of him, the coaching staff needs to allow him to play some receiver while developing as a running back. If he can make the roster and he becomes a contributor, it would probably be as a true wild card. He wouldn't have a specific position. He would catch passes, return kicks, make tackles on special teams, and also line up in the backfield.

Steelers Haven't Shown Their Hand When It Comes To Eli Heidenreich

As of right now, it seems like Heidenreich is focusing on being a running back, which will hopefully expand to some receiver work as well. He is part of a 10-man draft class, and he is not guaranteed to make the final roster. Some believe he will find a way to make a difference on the offense, while others give him no chance to make the team. 

Fourth-round pick Kaden Wetjen has a similar skill set, which could hurt Heidenreich in the long run.

What do you think about Farabaugh's thoughts on Heidenreich getting some reps at wide receiver? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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