There are few Pittsburgh Steelers with more to prove in 2026 than wide receiver DK Metcalf. The former Pro Bowler is currently the sixth-highest paid receiver in terms of yearly money, yet his production in 2025 didn’t come close to backing up his contract.
Metcalf caught just 59 passes in 2025 on 99 targets in 2025, and is 1.98 yards per route run was tied for 23rd in the league (min. 50 routes run). His performances were also very hit or miss. As Bill Barnwell of ESPN points out, Metcalf had four
games of 85+ receiving yards, while the remainder of his games played all saw him total less than 55 yards.
With that in mind, Joey Bray and myself discussed Metcalf’s placement in the 2026 hierarchy of wide receivers on the latest episode of Steelers Central and came up with respective lists of pass-catchers we would take ahead of Metcalf.
After going team-by-team, I came away with 22 receivers I would take before Metcalf. Those players, in no particular order, are as follows:
- Ja’Marr Chase
- A.J. Brown
- Garrett Wilson
- Brian Thomas Jr
- Carnell Tate
- Nico Collins
- Jaylen Waddle
- Justin Jefferson
- Amon-Ra St. Brown
- DeVonta Smith
- Malik Nabers
- CeeDee Lamb
- George Pickens
- Emeka Egbuka
- Chris Olave
- Tet McMillan
- Drake London
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba
- Mike Evans
- Puka Nacua
- Davante Adams
- Marvin Harrison Jr
I slotted Metcalf in at 23rd, just ahead of other names such as Tee Higgins, Jakobi Meyers, and Rashee Rice. Joey, on the other hand, ranked Rice ahead of Metcalf, while also putting Jameson Williams and Alec Pierce in front of him, giving Metcalf a ranking of 26th – one spot ahead of Higgins. I’ll let Joey weigh in with his thoughts on the exercise:
Joey Bray: Jarrett and I used Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins as the “Metcalf line.” While neither of us would take Higgins over Metcalf, he felt like someone who has a similar skill set and should be ranked back-to-back with the Steelers wideout. I don’t think a lot of these guys need explanations as to why I ranked them above Metcalf, but I will try to walk you through my thought process for some of the ones that you might disagree with.
There are certainly some names on here that are arguable and very close to Metcalf overall. Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, in particular, is an interesting case to me. Williams has recorded 123 receptions in his last two seasons, while Metcalf has recorded 125. Metcalf has not reached over one thousand yards in the last two seasons, although recording a close 992 in 2024, while Williams has recorded at least one thousand in consecutive years. Williams is classified as more of a downfield threat gadget guy to most, but I value the speed and separation ability coupled with the production that Williams has posted over Metcalf.
Situation and context matter when ranking these receivers. Guys like Rashee Rice and Alec Pierce can be classified as “one-trick ponies,” but have provided their offense with valuable production in a specific role that warrants them being in the conversation among the top at their position. Guys like Rice and Pierce are also young, and we truly haven’t seen their full potential yet for one reason or another, making them more enticing players to me. It’s tough for me to see the same type of upside with Metcalf, who is 28 and has not had a thousand-yard season since 2023.
Sometimes, numbers don’t always tell the full story. That would be the case with guys like Carnell Tate, Marvin Harrison Jr., Brian Thomas Jr., and Emeka Egbuka. All of them have enticing traits, and some have cases of elite production, but outside factors may be limiting them from reaching their full potential, whether it be injuries or being stuck in a less than favorable offensive situation. However, I am not one for penalizing these guys due to injury or a bad situation when they have all shown flashes to be among the games elite.
I also have a small tier of guys that I could not in good conscience put above Metcalf as of this very moment, but I do believe could quickly surpass him this season. Rome Odunze and Luther Burden are both primed to have breakout seasons in offensive mastermind Ben Johnson’s offense with a budding superstar in Caleb Williams throwing them the ball. I also believe that Jordyn Tyson of the New Orleans Saints and Makai Lemon of the Philadelphia Eagles could emerge as immediate impact players in their rookie years.
It’s not Metcalf’s fault that the Steelers traded for him and gave him a loaded contract worth over 130 million dollars. However, expectations should be raised when you are making that kind of money, and it’s hard to look at his first season in black and gold and be satisfied with the early returns of the trade and contract.
The physical tools are obviously there with Metcalf, as is the pure talent – he’s a multiple-time Pro Bowler and a former Second-Team All-Pro for a reason. That said, he hasn’t topped 1,000 yards since 2023. If he wants to see his name rise back up those rankings where he used to be, he needs to have a big season. He has the help at the position that he didn’t have last year in the form of Michael Pittman and Germie Bernard. That should open things in the offense to a degree they haven’t been in a very long time, and No. 4 has to be the nucleus that powers the passing game.
Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!
