Jeremy Fowler empties his notebook with everything he heard at training camp for the Cardinals, Bills, Lions, Colts, Titans, Bengals, Steelers and Browns.
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Location: Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Date I visited: Saturday, Aug. 6
QB index
My sense on the quarterback situation after spending time in Pittsburgh is Mitch Trubisky remains the clear favorite to start, especially after his play picked up in recent days. He has performed better in red zone work, and the team seems to respond to him.
"I think Mitch is actually turning a lot of heads in camp," running back Najee Harris told me. "He's doing a good job of going through reads and understanding what stuff is, doing a good job of taking on that role. I'm excited to see what he does myself."
Harris added about Trubisky's running ability: "We haven't even put in some of the QB scheme runs -- because he can run. I'm excited about all of that."
Mason Rudolph has made things interesting, though. He has been solid and accurate. If it's Trubisky's job to lose, and it appears to be, there's only so much Rudolph can do. Kenny Pickett will likely need some time to develop, and there's not much feeling that Pittsburgh will rush him into the starting job.
The key will be figuring out how Pittsburgh utilizes the three players on game day. The Steelers prefer to keep three QBs on the active roster, but which one will be inactive on Sundays? Rudolph is earning the right to be in the lineup, but placing your first-round pick on the game-day inactive list isn't ideal for his development.
play
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Will the QB battle in Pittsburgh impact your fantasy drafts?Daniel Dopp and Mike Clay discuss how they view the Steelers QBs' struggles in camp.
Running back rest
Harris plans to be fully back from his minor foot injury over the next week or so, and it seems like Pittsburgh is taking some license in pacing its prized No. 1 back. There's no alarm about his actual health. He feels fine.
"I always want to practice, always want to play, but I understand what they are doing," Harris said. "They want to see the other guys, see what they can do."
Harris is preparing for another massive workload to build off his 307-carry, 1,200-yard rookie performance. Behind him, veteran Benny Snell is positioned for the No. 2 role, with Anthony McFarland and Jaylen Warren working to make things interesting.
Harris knows his presence helps bring balance to the offense, but he also stresses the Steelers' offensive talent is deep.
"We've got a lot of playmakers -- Pat [Freiermuth], Chase [Claypool], Diontae [Johnson], even the new guys with George [Pickens] and [Calvin] Austin and even Connor [Heyward]," he said. "We've got to find a way where we can establish what we do best, get them the ball in space, change the offense in ways we can be more explosive."
Steelers fantasy tips and camp intel
Some league personnel evaluators consider Pat Freiermuth as the most elite of the Steelers' playmakers. Don't be surprised if he's a top-10 tight end by season's end. A hamstring injury has affected his chemistry with the quarterbacks, but that should come together quickly upon his return.
Why don't the Steelers feel a need to panic by adding a veteran free agent defensive back right now? Six players on the two-deep depth chart have extensive starter experience, and five others have played valuable snaps in the NFL. This is not an inexperienced group -- just one without blue-chip names, save Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Steelers believe they can roll out different combinations to thwart the defense. The goal is to not have an obvious weak link that receivers and quarterbacks can target.
Yes, George Pickens has been a standout in camp. His body control on contested catches has provided highlights almost daily. I'm told coaches have been pleased with his approach to being a professional, too. He hasn't been a problem behind the scenes. Pickens wanted to go to a place with a stable NFL culture, and Pittsburgh is ideal for that.
I'm not sure exactly how many targets Calvin Austin III will get, but he is making his presence known early in camp. Trubisky isn't afraid to throw his way, and he has more than just speed -- he has reliable hands.
