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.