Through the first month of the 2026 season, the Steelers have given fans plenty to chew on for the wrong reasons. But at 2-2, there’s still enough good tape to spotlight, and a few Pittsburgh players have clearly separated themselves from the pack.
That’s especially true on defense, where T.J. Watt has once again looked like the safest bet on the roster.
In Week 1 against the Falcons, he snagged a point-blank pass from Cooper Rush and turned it into a 35-yard touchdown that helped lock up the win. Over the first four games, Watt has piled up 13 tackles, 4.5 sacks, six tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two passes defended.
When the Steelers needed a tone-setter, he delivered it.
On offense, Jaylen Warren has been the most reliable spark. His slow start gave way to a big push in Weeks 3 and 4, highlighted by a huge showing against the Bengals in Week 3, when he ran for 127 yards on 17 carries and added three catches for 39 yards. Through four games, Warren has already totaled 452 scrimmage yards, putting him on a career pace and making him one of the most efficient backs in the league so far.
Another newcomer making a strong early impression is Jamel Dean, who has been the Steelers’ best defensive back even while dealing with a sprained ankle. Pittsburgh’s biggest free-agent addition of 2026 has held up well in coverage, allowing 123 yards on 16 targets over four games while drawing no penalties. With Porter gone, Dean has stepped in as the team’s top coverage option, and PFF has him at a 79.6 overall grade, sixth among 103 qualifying NFL cornerbacks.
Among the rookies, Max Iheanachor earns the nod. The Steelers carried 11 rookies on their initial 53-man roster, but only a few have seen meaningful snaps.
Iheanachor has started two of four games, and the offensive tackle has flashed the kind of mobility and strength that stand out right away. His run blocking has been especially encouraging, and the outlook at right tackle looks promising.
If the focus shifts to pure skill talent, Darnell Washington deserves a mention too. At 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds, he’s never going to post flashy receiving numbers, especially with Pat Freiermuth on the roster.
Even so, he’s on a career pace with 119 yards and a touchdown through four games. His biggest value still comes in the trenches, where he has arguably been the best blocking tight end in the NFL so far this season.
Up front, Zach Frazier has been the model of steadiness. In a season where the offensive line has dealt with its share of issues and changes, the center has stood out as the most dependable piece.
He’s been the group’s best pass protector and a force in the run game, and through four weeks he’s been one of the league’s top centers. At this rate, All-Pro talk is fair.
As for coaching, the best work has come from defensive line coach Domata Peko. With the Steelers showing some troubling trends on both sides of the ball, the head coach and defensive coordinator didn’t get the nod here.
Peko did. Derrick Harmon looked ready for a breakout before landing on IR with a foot injury, Keeanu Benton started hot before cooling off, and Cam Heyward has remained Cam Heyward.
That’s enough evidence to give Peko the quarter-mark honor, with the hope that Mike McCarthy or Patrick Graham will be in the conversation when the season reaches the halfway point.
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Pittsburgh has been mentioned as a possible landing spot, but the fit is viewed as a long shot, especially with the Steelers still sorting through their own roster needs after recent transactions. If they stay in the conversation, they are not expected to overpay, which leaves the situation very much in wait-and-see mode for now. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Need A Response As Colts Bring Real Momentum
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Indianapolis arrives with a little more bounce, riding a two-game winning streak into a matchup of 2-2 teams that already feels important in the AFC race. The game kicks at 1 p.m. ET, and with both sides listing their inactives and the usual broadcast details available, this one has the feel of a midseason measuring stick for a Pittsburgh team that needs a cleaner answer than it found last week. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Warren Just Gave Steelers Fans A New Reason To Believe
The Steelers left Indianapolis with a 3-2 record, and Jaylen Warren made sure the trip came with a performance that stood out well beyond the box score. The running back topped 100 rushing yards and piled up 188 all-purpose yards, giving Pittsburgh a much-needed spark in a game it controlled enough to keep building momentum.
Warrens afternoon had the kind of burst that can reshape how a team views its backfield, blending explosive plays on the ground and through the air into one of the most memorable outings of his career. For a Steelers offense still looking for consistent answers, his showing offered a reminder that the biggest difference-makers do not always come from the most obvious places. [Read more 🡒]