Steelers must increase Darnell Washington's role (and decrease DK Metcalf's)

The Pittsburgh Steelers' win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3 taught us several things. For starters, Mike McCarthy's offense might have more potential than we initially thought, while the defense may have been overrated after beating up on bad Falcons and Patriots offenses. But this game also confirmed just how special Darnell Washington is with the ball in his hands.

Washington was just four of 34 targets from quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Week 3, yet he was able to lead all Steelers pass-catchers with 67 yards. The mammoth tight end turned his limited opportunities into 22.3 yards per reception and 16.75 yards per target.

Here's the part that's even more astonishing: In three games in 2026, Washington is averaging just 2.8 yards before the catch per reception. However, the big tight end is managing a whopping 12.5 yards after the catch per reception, per advanced stats from Pro Football Reference. On just eight targets this season, Washington already has 75 yards after the catch.

This would be a remarkable number for anyone, but the fact that he's one of the biggest tight ends in the league makes this all the more intriguing.

There's no question that Washington's role in the passing game needs to increase, but in order to do so, someone is going to have to see their targets diminish. Sadly, that player is DK Metcalf.

Darnell Washington deserves more targets in the Steelers' passing game and DK Metcalf (sadly) deserves less

If we were to prorate Washington and Metcalf's stats over a 17-game season after Week 3, Washington is on pace for 521 receiving yards, while Metcalf is on track to earn 555 yards. However, the difference in efficiency couldn't be bigger.

Washington is on pace to receive a mere 45 targets on the entire season, while Metcalf is on track to earn a whopping 136 targets.

And with three times the opportunity, Metcalf should be three times as productive, right? Not exactly.

Though Metcalf did reel in a touchdown pass near the goal line against the Bengals, he still managed just 33 yards on five targets (and let's not forget about his two costly holding penalties in Week 3). Quite frankly, he's been one of the least efficient receivers in the NFL in the first three weeks of the season.

These two players obviously have vastly different roles on offense. Metcalf is primarily a boundary receiver, while Washington is used mostly as a 'Y' tight end, lined up next to an offensive tackle. But that doesn't mean McCarthy and Rodgers can't shift the focus away from Metcalf and toward Washington in the passing game.

Because of his massive size, Washington isn't a player who is going to routinely create space at the top of his routes. However, the 2023 third-round pick cut weight over the offseason and is looking more mobile than he did all of last season.

Washington has an unmatched catch radius to go with soft, natural hands to pluck the ball out of the air. Most importantly, he's a nightmare to bring down after the catch. At 6'7'' and pushing 300 pounds, Washington routinely breaks the first tackle, and when the defense can finally chop down this mighty oak, he almost always falls forward for an extra 2-4 yards.

It's a cheat code, really. And it seems like the Steelers are finally figuring out how to use it.

This doesn't mean that Metcalf should have no role in the passing game or that he should be benched altogether. It simply means that his target share for the 2026 season should decrease as Washington's increases. After all, Metcalf has been the least efficient receiver on the team, while Washington has been Pittsburgh's most efficient pass catcher.

This shouldn't be too much to ask for, and I know the vast majority of Steelers fans will agree with me on this. Instead of merely targeting Washington 2-3 times per game on average, let's start by getting up to the 4-5 targets-per-game range (and hopefully more by the end of the season).

And my endorsement of Washington isn't me lobbying against Pat Freiermuth, either. Both tight ends should be used routinely on offense and in the passing game.

However, Washington is such a rare football player that Mike McCarthy and the Pittsburgh Steelers must find a way to get him the ball more often... and maybe that starts by decreasing Metcalf's targets.

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