3 hidden gems on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster
1. James Washington
JuJu Smith-Schuster and Chase Claypool are the biggest names inside the Steelers’ wide receiver room, but sleeping on James Washington would be a huge mistake. The third-year pro is primed for a breakout campaign if he can get quality play from Roethlisberger at quarterback.
At the moment, Washington doesn’t even project to be a starter for Pittsburgh. Look for him to displace Diontae Johnson in the starting trio early in the season. He may not give the Steelers the sort of deep threat that Johnson provides, but he does a much better job of tormenting opposing secondaries on intermediate routes.
Washington has a strong chance to earn a starting spot on the outside if, as expected, Smith-Schuster moves to the slot in 2021. Washington has the right combination of size and speed to win one-on-one battles against top-notch outside corners. The attention Claypool will inevitably draw on the other side of the field will give Washington a ton of single coverage opportunities to work against.
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Washington needs a bounce-back season from Roethlisberger to break out in a big way, but he’s an undervalued member of Pittsburgh’s current receiving corps at the moment no matter who’s throwing him passes. Steelers fans should bet big on his talent in 2021.