1. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
Outside of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, JuJu Smith-Schuster is the most talked-about player on the Steelers. But should he be? Though he had a terrific season in 2018 with Antonio Brown playing opposite of him, Smith-Schuster fell back down to earth last season – earning just 552 yards in 12 starts (46.0 yards per game).
Though JuJu was dealing with injuries, there is legitimate cause for concern that he may not be the ‘number one’ receiver Pittsburgh is searching for. 2020 will be a massive ‘prove-it’ year for Smith-Schuster as he is set to be a free agent following the season. If he impresses, he will be able to earn a massive contract.
As of now, however, JuJu is receiving lots of attention in the offseason but needs to show that he can get the job done without Brown on the other side of him. Getting Roethlisberger back will be key to his success. But if he still struggles this year, then we have serious issues.
There are a few other players on the team who receiver too much hype at times, but skill players are often some of the most overhyped players on the team. For the most part, these players are young, but still very much unproven, if they can each take a step up, perhaps they won’t end up being overhyped at all.