5 Steelers players we should be careful not to overrate

JuJu Smith-Schuster

JuJu Smith-Schuster’s career has been somewhat of a rollercoaster ride. After flashing as a rookie, JuJu strung together a thoroughly impressive second NFL season in 2018 – eclipsing 1,400 yards and earning 7 touchdowns.

However, many questions still remained as fans wanted to know how Smith-Schuster would be able to do in a number one receiver role. It turns out these concerns were legitimate.

Though JuJu has been a model teammate so far, his impact in 2020 has been minimal (almost even non-existent at times). Last week against the Browns, JuJu caught just 2 balls on 4 targets for merely 6 yards. In his previous three contests combined, he has earned just 77 yards on 11 targets and has had almost no impact on offense.

Make no mistake: JuJu is a solid football player who deserves to have a role on a starting NFL offense. However, it’s impossible to justify claims that he is a WR1 at this point – especially with several young receivers on his team who have outplayed him so far this season.

Smith-Schuster is a good player, but don’t fool yourself into thinking he’s the type of player that will carry this team. He is what he is, and the Steelers can’t justify giving him an extension after this season.