RADIO
Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after the Denver Broncos released him. The nine-time Pro Bowler now heads to Pittsburgh, where he will compete with Kenny Pickett to win the starting quarterback job.
Wilson is coming off two tough years in Denver and now has the opportunity to redeem himself in a favorable situation under head coach Mike Tomlin. The Broncos will suffer $85 million in cap hits after Wilson's departure, as the quarterback signed a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension with the franchise following his arrival from Seattle.
How much will the 35-year-old quarterback earn with the Steelers? What does a move to the AFC North mean for his fantasy outlook? Let's take a look at all the details of Wilson's move to Pittsburgh.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!
Russell Wilson Signing Details
Russell Wilson has signed a one-year, $1.21 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. As part of his five-year contract extension, the Broncos will still pay him close to $38 million.
The Steelers now have Kenny Pickett and Wilson under contract at the quarterback position for the next season. Mason Rudolph, who impressed everyone with his performance last season, is a free agent and is unlikely to return to the Steelers after Wilson's arrival.
As mentioned earlier, Pickett and Wilson will compete for the starting quarterback job in training camp. However, many expect the Super Bowl-winning quarterback to start for the Steelers in September, as Pickett will likely sit behind him and learn before becoming their starting quarterback again.
BREAKING: Russell Wilson announced he is signing with the Steelers pic.twitter.com/yWevLnWvwF
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 11, 2024
Russell Wilson 2024 Fantasy Outlook
In his last season with the Denver Broncos, Russell Wilson threw for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 15 games with a passer rating of 98.0. His output certainly improved from how he played in his first year with the Broncos, but despite that, Sean Payton decided to part ways with him.
Playing in Pittsburgh will help Wilson, as he now has a better surrounding cast around him than what he had in Denver. Players like George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Jaylen Warren, and Najee Harris will make the job easier for the veteran quarterback as he hopes to save his NFL career.
The upcoming season will be very crucial for the Wisconsin product, as a bad stint in Pittsburgh could potentially end his NFL career. Not many teams were interested in signing Wilson after the Broncos released him. However, Pittsburgh gave him the opportunity, and now it's up to him to prove them right.
All eyes will be on Arthur Smith, who recently became the offensive coordinator for the Steelers. He'll likely rely heavily on the running game, which can help Wilson as it will open the field. The Steelers' new quarterback could be a sneaky good pick in the later rounds of fantasy drafts, as he could put up nice numbers with great players around him.
Year 13. Grateful. @Steelers pic.twitter.com/0U4Q2sRtXs
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 11, 2024
Pittsburgh Steelers Players 2024 Fantasy Outlook
How does Russell Wilson's arrival in Pittsburgh impact the other players on the offense? Let's take a look at the fantasy outlooks of all the key players on the Steelers' roster before the 2024 NFL Draft.
George Pickens: The player who will benefit the most after Russell Wilson's arrival in Pittsburgh is wide receiver George Pickens. The 23-year-old star wideout was often seen frustrated last season as poor play from Pickett continued to hamper the team's performance. In 17 games last season, Pickens had 63 catches for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns.
Pickens averaged 18.1 yards per reception last season and will be a huge vertical threat in Arthur Smith's system. We saw Wilson throw deep touchdowns last season in Denver, and that could happen multiple times next season in Pittsburgh. He has all the traits to become one of the best wide receivers in the league, and at this point in his career, a quarterback like Wilson could help him realize his true potential.
The Steelers just got better
No body has a beautiful spiral bomb better than @DangeRussWilson and he give his a receivers a chance!
George Pickens I’m drafting you this year on my fantasy team
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) March 11, 2024
Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren: Najee Harris showed signs of improvement last season, as a better offensive line and the presence of Jaylen Warren made his job easier. With Arthur Smith as the offensive coordinator, the Steelers will continue to rely heavily on the running game, resulting in Harris and Warren having productive seasons.
Both the running backs will also benefit from having Wilson as their quarterback. The opposing defenses will be threatened by the chance of getting burned by the Steelers' receivers and that can open up holes on the field for the running backs to capitalize on.
Last season, Harris rushed for 1,035 yards and eight touchdowns on 255 carries in 17 games, averaging 4.1 yards per carry. As the Steelers continue to develop their O-line and get better in the passing game, the Alabama product will also improve. In comparison, Warren rushed for 784 yards and four touchdowns on 149 carries in 17 games while averaging 5.3 yards per carry.
The Steelers will likely draft another receiver and offensive lineman in the upcoming draft which will make their running backs' jobs even easier. Both Harris and Warren could be significant contributors in fantasy football next season and will be worth drafting in the middle rounds.
Pat Freiermuth: Pat Freiermuth didn't have a great season last year, as he missed five games due to a hamstring injury. Poor quarterback play along with injuries resulted in subpar performances from the tight end, and he should be happy with Russell Wilson's arrival.
Despite all the talent in the wide receiver and running back positions, Freiermuth will act as a safety blanket for Wilson. The 25-year-old tight end is 6-foot-5, and his big frame could cause problems for the opposing defenses.
Freiermuth, a second-round pick from the 2021 NFL Draft, will be a free agent after this year, and he will be determined to have a big season to improve his market value. Having Wilson as his quarterback will bring the best out of him, and he could potentially have the most productive season of his career in 2024.
Diontae Johnson: Diontae Johnson has been a very dependable receiver for the Steelers since they selected him in the 2019 draft, but there are rumors that he might get traded. If he leaves the Steelers, then the team might draft another receiver to pair with Pickens.
Johnson is coming off a season in which he had 51 catches for 717 yards and scored five touchdowns in 13 games. Multiple teams will be interested in acquiring him, as the Steelers might look to build their offense around the strengths of Wilson, Pickens, and Najee Harris.
Russini: Steelers open to listening to trade offers for Diontae Johnson.
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) March 9, 2024
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
Win More With RotoBaller
Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:More Fantasy Football Analysis
