1. T.J. Watt, EDGE
This goes without saying, but no player on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster is more deserving of Pro Bowl honors based on performance than T.J. Watt. The same can be said about him every season he has been healthy since his first Pro Bowl appearance in 2018.
Watt has just a modest pressure rate and pass-rush win rate compared to the other top edge defenders in the league, but there are plenty of reasons why this is the case. The two biggest are that the Steelers rarely give him time on the sidelines to recharge his batteries, and teams know where he is going to lineup every single play.
Despite all of this, Watt currently leads the league with 16.0 sacks through 14 games in 2023. He is once again chasing the 20-sack mark as well as the Defensive Player of the Year award (though the latter will be hard to attain with how poorly the team has been performing).
Even with abysmal play all around him (and an offense that does nothing to keep the defense fresh), Watt has earned a 91.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus so far this year -- good for 5th among edge rushers. His tape once again supports the claim that he's easily the best player on the team and the most deserving of Pro Bowl honors of anyone on the Pittsburgh Steelers this year.