Wide Receiver · Pittsburgh Steelers
Michael Pittman — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
Analysis by Shawn Childs, from his 2026 guide — his words, unedited.
The case
- · Last year, the Steelers ranked 28th in wide receiver production (136/1,716/13 on 232 targets), with DK Metcalf accounting for 48.5% of their PPR fantasy points (385.60).
- · Pittman has a floor of 69 catches over the past five seasons, while averaging 16.4 games per year.
- · He only has 27 touchdowns across 95 games (28.4% scoring rate).
- · Most of his catches are closer to the line of scrimmage (10.8 YPC in his career).
- · Pittman has averaged 7.5 targets per game in his career.
- · Across his first nine starts (52/561/6 on 68 targets), he was on pace to rank between 6th and 8th in PPR fantasy points per game (16.01).
Question marks
- · Last year, he scored under 10.00 PPR fantasy points eight of his 17 starts, with five landing in the bust category (2/20, 2/19, 1/13, 2/16, and 2/11).
- · Pittman gave away his early-season gains over his final eight starts (28/224/1 on 43 targets – 7.034 PPR fantasy points per game) due to the Colts playing without Daniel Jones.
- · Does the Steelers’ passing game have enough volume to support two top 24 wide receivers?
Shawn's conclusion
Pittman’s fade down the stretch wasn’t his fault. He played well above his career ADP for half of last year when Indianapolis had one of the best offenses in the league. His low production across the back eight matchups, paired with the Steelers lacking a competitive punch at wide receiver in 2025, has created a buying opportunity for Pittsburgh’s new wideout. He should be treated as a top 30 wide receiver this draft season, and I view him as a steal if his price continues to sit in the WR4 area. Pittman should lead the Steelers in targets in 2026.
More on Pittman
Pittman set new personal bests in catches (99) and targets (141) in 2022, but he averaged just 9.3 yards per catch. His two best outings (9/121/1 and 13/134) came over the first six weeks, and he recorded at least seven catches in seven starts. He finished 20th among wide receivers in PPR scoring with 217.50 fantasy points, a slight step back from 18th and 238.60 points the year prior.
He entered 2023 as an undervalued draft asset and rewarded those who took a shot on him. Pittman came out strong in Week 1 and never really cooled off, setting career highs for the third straight year in catches (109), targets (156), and receiving yards (1,152). He reached eight catches or more in 10 of his 17 starts, including a dominant six-game stretch (53/495/2 on 73 targets). Three of his four touchdowns came at home. A concussion cost him Week 16.
2024 was a sharp disappointment by comparison. Outside of a big Week 4 (six catches for 113 yards) and a strong Week 17 (nine catches, 109 yards, and a touchdown), Pittman offered little for fantasy managers who invested in him. He dealt with a lingering back issue for much of the year, finishing with just 46 catches for 550 yards and two touchdowns on 79 targets through his first 14 games.
Indianapolis did feed him more in the final stretch, giving him nine to 10 targets in three of his last four starts and yielding 23 catches for 258 yards and a score, but it was too little, too late for most fantasy rosters.
Pittman was trending higher over his first nine games last season (52 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns on 68 targets) with Daniel Jones behind center. He offered only two playable games (5/27/1 and 9/79) over his final eight contests (28/233/1 on 43 targets) due to separation issues (8.0 yards per catch).
Pittman signed a three-year deal for $59 million after arriving in Pittsburgh, which should show their trust in him. His ADP (77) in the NFFC in June paints him as a WR4, which requires him to average over 10.00 fantasy points per game in PPR formats to be a winning selection. A 60/700/6 year would pay the fantasy bills. Pittman has beaten that level of stats in five consecutive years.
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