Pittsburgh’s special-teams plan took a hit when long snapper Christian Kuntz suffered a broken sternum in the penultimate preseason game against Tampa Bay, forcing him out for weeks to months. The Steelers quickly began testing replacements, with Logan Lee serving as the emergency snapper for the remainder of the TB tilt. The injury compounds the team’s ongoing preseason questions and could ripple through punt, field-goal, and overall special-teams efficiency in the early season.

Meanwhile, Nick Herbig left the same game with a hamstring tweak—described by Mike Tomlin as precautionary and not serious—and was later deemed fine. Pittsburgh used the game as a showcase for rookies and pass-catchers, adding intrigue to late preseason decisions. The club’s rapid roster-testing at long snapper underscores the depth concerns and the fantasy implications tied to special-teams reliability.

With Kuntz sidelined, Pittsburgh stepped up its search for snaps specialists, while TB represented a meaningful preseason opponent to gauge adjustments and potential early-season impact. Fantasy players should monitor snap credibility, punt-team consistency, and any roster moves that could influence the Steelers’ special-teams unit in the opening weeks.

Pittsburgh’s coaching staff voiced clear frustration after a 17-14 preseason setback to Tampa Bay, citing too many unforced errors and self-inflicted wounds that derailed drives. Three Steelers quarterbacks—Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thomas, and Logan Woodside—each threw an interception, underscoring a shaky night for the unit despite some defensive pressure and a couple of forced fumbles. Pittsburgh did pile up penalties (seven) and even had a roughing-the-kicker call that kept TB’s drive alive, amplifying the feeling that small mistakes piled up and shaped the outcome.

From a fantasy-sports lens, the takeaway is the ongoing back-and-forth at the Steelers’ QB depth chart. Rudolph, Thomas, and Woodside each got reps, and all contributed to the turnover narrative, meaning the backup job behind a likely starter remains unsettled heading into the season. Clean football will be essential if Pittsburgh is to maximize offensive opportunities, and any shift in QB rotation could ripple through how pass-catchers and the backfield are deployed in early-season fantasy lineups. The defense and run game could still anchor the fantasy outlook, but until the offense shows steadier ball security, risk remains elevated for Pittsburgh’s aerial options.

Tampa Bay squeezed out a 17-14 win at Acrisure Stadium behind a sharp showing from Bridgewater and a splash of early offense from TB’s youngsters. Bridgewater completed 6 of 11 passes for 85 yards with two touchdowns and two big-time throws, posting a sparkling 93.2 PFF passing grade on first look. Bucky Irving caught a 15-yard TD on one of his two targets, Emeka Egbuka added a five-yard score, and Jalen McMillan secured an 18-yard grab before leaving with a concussion protocol evaluation. TB’s attack was capped by a late 42-yard field goal from Chase McLaughlin after a Logan Woodside interception was returned by Antonio Grier, sealing the comeback. Pittsburgh’s defense bent at times but the Steelers’ backs piled up after contact, 90 of their 132 rushing yards coming after contact, while the line struggled in the run game. PFF’s grading and snap counts are coming, but the data already shout depth for TB at receiver and backfield, plus a potential QB2 spotlight in Bridgewater if this form sticks.

Pittsburgh will roll Mason Rudolph out as the starter for the preseason Week 2 showdown with Tampa Bay, a logical move after his 7-for-7 opening drive for 70 yards and a touchdown to Darnell Washington. Rudolph’s early rhythm underscores his veteran steadiness, even as the Steelers rotate quarterbacks behind him. Skylar Thompson and possibly Logan Woodside are in the mix to push for snaps, while the Buccaneers reportedly plan to play a broad portion of their starters, testing Pittsburgh’s depth and the young pass-catchers. Washington’s TD connection to Rudolph signals growing chemistry and a potential increase in TE involvement this preseason. The game is a critical gauge for Pittsburgh’s back-end options and how the QB room might shape the regular-season plan.

Fantasy angles center on Rudolph’s floor as a stable hand in limited action, Washington’s immediate fantasy uptick as a target-heavy TE, and how heavy Tampa Bay’s early-rotation plans could vault the Steelers’ depth players into meaningful reps. Logan Woodside’s Steelers debut could push the quarterback competition, while Skyler Thompson’s presence is a reminder that Pittsburgh isn’t only evaluating Rudolph but also the surrounding weapons and how they perform against an aggressive TB defense. Overall, this one flags potential sleepers in Pittsburgh’s depth chart and TE targets in a game designed to test schemes and cohesion ahead of the season.

Pittsburgh’s offseason splash DK Metcalf will not play in the preseason opener in Jacksonville as he continues his acclimation with the Steelers and a four-year, $132 million extension that runs through 2030. That absence opens reps for the Steelers’ young WR room and putsRoman Wilson in the spotlight early in the schedule.

With Metcalf sidelined, Roman Wilson becomes the name fantasy managers will watch for immediate opportunity, while the rest of Pittsburgh’s pass catchers—including Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith—are asked to maintain efficiency in a plan that may pace Metcalf’s red-zone exposure until the regular season. The question marks around Rodgers and the veteran defense add context to Pittsburgh’s early-season ceiling, but Metcalf’s absence in Week 1 doesn’t dull the long-term shine of this offense.

In short, dynasty and DFS players should monitor Wilson’s preseason workload and how Pittsburgh’s coaching staff mixes in other receivers, as Metcalf’s eventual debut could swing WR targets and upside for multiple Pittsburgh pass-catchers this fall.