Calvin Austin — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Pittsburgh selected Austin in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, adding a compact, explosive receiver at 5'8" and 170 pounds. He arrived with legitimate production from his final two seasons at Memphis (63 catches for 1,053 yards and 11 touchdowns, then 74 for 1,149 and eight more). Both years came with heavy target volume (119 and 127), accounting for his success.

The testing numbers were eye-catching at the Combine: a 4.32 in the 40 and a 6.65-second three-cone. His profile read as a slot specialist with a gadget element baked in. His speed made him a genuine vertical threat, but winning through contact in tight windows will be an ongoing challenge at the NFL level.

A foot injury wiped out his entire rookie season. When Austin returned in 2023, the results were modest (17 catches for 180 yards and a touchdown on 30 targets), with some minor run-game contributions (11/57/1) and just one fantasy-relevant performance (2/72/1).

Pittsburgh gave him a more defined role in 2024 with WR3 snaps, and Austin responded with career bests across the board: 36 catches, 548 yards, four touchdowns, and 58 targets. He flashed his ceiling in Week 3 with a 4/95/1 line and gave fantasy managers three other workable outings (3/54/1, 3/78/1, and 5/65). His ceiling, however, remains capped. The Steelers gave him five targets or fewer in 17 of his 18 appearances.

Last season, Austin had a similar opportunity (55 targets) while missing three games with shoulder and hamstring issues. He teased in Week 1 (4/70/1) and Week 3 (3/34/1) on 11 combined targets while offering playable value in only two other matchups (5/56 and 3/55/1).