The Steelers are a team in flux. They traded their most targeted player, Diontae Johnson, for a bag of beans. They also jettisoned Kenny Pickett for Justin Fields & Russell Wilson. All-in-all, it’s a weird team! They took just one fantasy football-eligible player in the 2024 NFL Draft. So, let’s take a look at Roman Wilson’s prospects!
FULL 2024 PITTSBURGH STEELERS DRAFT RESULTS
| Round | Pick | Player | Pos | College |
| 1 | 20 | Troy Fautanu | OT | Washington |
| 2 | 51 | Zach Frazier | C | West Virginia |
| 3 | 84 | Roman Wilson | WR | Michigan |
| 3 | 98 | Payton Wilson | LB | NC State |
| 4 | 119 | Mason McCormick | OG | South Dakota St |
| 6 | 178 | Logan lee | DT | Iowa |
| 6 | 195 | Ryan Watts | CB | Texas |
Round 3, Pick 84 Overall: Roman Wilson, Wide Receiver, Michigan (5’11” 185 lbs)
Talent:
Wilson is fast and tough, with a penchant for making himself open when the play breaks down. He and QB J.J. McCarthy had a nice connection last season at Michigan when things started to go wrong for McCarthy, or even when things didn’t go wrong for JJMac. Wilson is great at finding himself open in the zone, and he straight-up sprints past defenders against man. He also leverages his speed well to break off routes to make himself wide open. He’s a speedy and shifty guy who can find himself open for a mobile quarterback when the play breaks down, the one thing that could prove most valuable in Pittsburgh. The kid is great, but he doesn’t overpower or outmuscle anyone at the point of the catch. He’s just incredibly smooth and reliable, with great hands.
NFL Comparison: Tyler Lockett
2024 Opportunity:
The Steelers traded Diontae Johnson to the Panthers, for some unknown reason, leaving a major void in the Steelers’ passing game. They filled the DJ void with Wilson and Van Jefferson. That is to say, the Steelers’ wide receiver room isn’t all that exciting. Their best player, George Pickens, is sort of a knucklehead who is yet to find consistent production in the NFL. On the flip side, Roman Wilson has that IT factor that will make him work with either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields. He should get at least 110 targets this season, and that’s nothing to sneeze at.
2024 Fantasy Football Outlook:
Roman Wilson, as currently being drafted, is free. He’s WR70 off the board, and given the certainty that he is, at worst, the second-best receiver on the team, is enough to make me in on Wilson. The Steelers won’t pass the ball enough for him to have high-end upside, but he should settle in nicely as a weekly flex play in 12+ team leagues. Anything shallower than that, however, and you’re courting disaster filling a roster spot with a volume-based player in a shaky offense.
