2 hidden gems on 2026 Steelers roster you need to know

The 2026 season could be a year to remember for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not only are they entering a new era with Mike McCarthy at head coach, but it is also Aaron Rodgers’ last season in the NFL. That should give Pittsburgh plenty of motivation to put together a special season for their 42-year-old quarterback.

The Steelers made some excellent roster moves over the past few months and have looked sharp early in their offseason program. Pittsburgh has all of the talent needed to make some noise in the postseason, so long as Rodgers can stay healthy.

But if the Steelers really want to have a special season, they may need one or two young players to step up in 2026. That could give them enough of a boost to compete for a Super Bowl.

Pittsburgh does have a few under-the-radar players who could surprise the NFL this fall. If they play at a high level, Pittsburgh could go on another deep playoff run.

Two Steelers players stand out as hidden gems that fans need to know about before the 2026 season.

Rooie Eli Heidenreich could become a do-it-all player for the Steelers

The Steelers suddenly have too many offensive weapons after acquiring Michael Pittman Jr. earlier this offseason. But one rookie Steelers player could have a surprisingly big role this fall.

Pittsburgh drafted running back Eli Heidenreich in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Heidenreich played college football at Navy, which is about as far from a pro-style offense as there is.

Looking at the stat sheet, it is hard to tell that Heidenreich is actually a running back. He logged 169 carries for 1,157 rushing yards and seven touchdowns during his three years at Navy. The receiving game is where he shined, logging 109 receptions for 1,994 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns as a receiver.

Pittsburgh’s new running backs coach, Ramon Chinyoung, praised the rookie for his wide variety of skills after balling out in OTAs.

“He’s been in my room every day. He is a Swiss Navy knife; I told him to patent that,” Chinyoung said, per Ari Meyer of Sports Illustrated. “Great kid, does a great job of just meshing with the guys and relationships, but also taking the time to learn the scheme, identifying where he fits.”

Heidenreich maintains that the running back position is still his primary position. However, Steelers fans have to be curious how well he would hold up as a slot receiver.

Ultimately, the challenge for the Steelers will be figuring out how best to use Heidenreich during his rookie season. A good start spot could be giving him snaps on third downs as a scat back in obvious passing situations.

Perhaps Heidenreich could compete for kick and punt return duties too.

Can Yahya Black become an elite nose tackle?

This one is a case of a potentially elite player at a position that is often overlooked in the modern NFL.

Steelers defensive tackle Yahya Black is putting himself on the radar during his first full offseason in Pittsburgh. The Steelers drafted Black in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Iowa. He had a solid rookie season as a rotational player, logging 28 total tackles with two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

But could he take his game to another level in 2026?

Steelers defensive line coach Domata Peko has a lot of faith in Black. He sung his praises in a recent interview, declaring that he could become one of the NFL’s best nose tackles.

“I feel like Black can be one of the best [nose tackles] in the game if he just keeps on doing what he’s been doing, and that’s working his butt off,” Peko said at OTAs on May 27th per Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Really good on his technique and his details. I just want to sharpen him up and get him really going and try to bring out the best in him.”

Improvement for Black could look like simply being more involved on defense. He only managed 445 total snaps last season, including the playoffs. By comparison, Keeanu Benton logged 782 total snaps as a starter in 2025.

If Black puts in the work that Peko wants him to this summer, perhaps he will eat into Benton’s snaps this fall.

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