Steelers Rookie Grades: Dotson, not Claypool, atop the class

Anthony McFarland

Grade: D

While I initially detested the selection of Anthony McFarland in the draft, the idea of having a quality change of pace back began to make me more excited about him as a pro. Then, he had his early-season outing against the Texans, where it looked like he could be a legitimate threat as a reserve runner. Since then though, McFarland has had a season riddled with disappointment. He couldn’t get much going as a runner and his breakaway speed was never fully put on display.

A part of his struggles has to be attributed to the line’s inability to block well, as the running game as a whole was a disappointment. That said, McFarland never seemed completely comfortable as a runner, consistently being indecisive and seemingly tripping over himself as a runner. As well, he struggled to get involved as a receiver, further aiding in his struggles as a rookie.

The reason his grade completely dropped though was his late-season benching for Jaylen Samuels. The fact that he couldn’t outperform a player as mediocre as Samuels is telling of his struggles as a whole, and it makes his potential going forward cloudy, to say the least. That said, he will have the offseason to try and get in sync with the running game and earn a role on this offense. If he can’t though, he may have a short tenure with the Steelers.