After trading a second-round pick for DK Metcalf during the 2025 offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers made him a top-five highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. Needless to say, they haven't gotten their money's worth.
In his first season in Pittsburgh, Metcalf recorded just 59 receptions for 850 yards and six touchdowns while missing the final two games due to suspension. This hardly seems like the production of a receiver who's earning nearly $33 million per season.
But fans were just given another reason to worry about Metcalf.
On Wednesday, Pro Football Focus released their wide receiver rankings ahead of the 2026 season... and Metcalf didn't even crack the top-25.
Instead, the veteran was just outside of that group, landing in the No. 26 spot, one spot ahead of Los Angeles Rams WR Ladd McConkey and below Denver Broncos WR Courtland Sutton. PFF's Dalton Wasserman and Max Chadwick didn't exactly give Metcalf glowing praise either.
"In his first season with Pittsburgh, Metcalf led the Steelers with 850 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. His 1.83 yards per route run ranked among the top 30 qualified wide receivers despite posting a career-low 11.3-yard average depth of target because of Aaron Rodgers‘ conservative tendencies.
The additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie Germie Bernard should help alleviate some of the pressure on Metcalf to carry the Steelers' passing game."
DK Metcalf already looks like an overpriced, underperforming WR for the Pittsburgh Steelers
It's one thing to overpay for an elite talent, and it's another if a talented player on a cheap deal underperforms. But when one of the league's most expensive non-quarterbacks isn't performing at a top-25 player at his position, we've got a problem.
PFF analysts aren't the only ones who feel this way. The sentiment is shared by NFL execs, coaches, and scouts. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler recently released his top-10 wide receiver rankings, as voted on by NFL personnel, and Metcalf didn't even crack the honorable mentions.
In 2025, Metcalf's 71.1 overall PFF grade was good for 41st among 128 qualifying receivers. It was the worst-graded season of his career, and he ranked behind players like Patriots' Kayshon Boutte, 49ers' Ricky Pearsall, and Saints' Devaughn Vele.
With Drake London's deal this offseason, Metcalf is now the sixth-highest-paid NFL wide receiver. But Metcalf is in the same pay bracket as players like Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb, while earning more per season than Amon Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, and Nico Collins.
And what we have to remember is that it's not just the contract.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan surrendered the team's 2025 second-round pick in the trade acquisition last offseason as well. So nearly $33 million per year and a second-round pick for a receiver ranked outside of PFF's top-25 feels egregious.
Steelers fans already had a right to be concerned with DK Metcalf's steep contract, and his latest ranking just gave us a brutal reality check.
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