5 Steelers who are shooting up the depth chart

With the preseason winding down, teams are beginning to figure out their final few roster spots and who is going to occupy them. The Steelers are no exception, as their roster has changed so much since training camp opened. While they have their entrenched starters, the team also has some names that have shot up the depth chart.

These players could be pushing for starter roles, entrench themselves as backups, or they could just be pushing for a roster spot, but they have seen their stock skyrocket since training camp began. The Steelers should be thrilled because these names should be key figures for the roster this season. Here are five Steelers who have shot themselves up the depth chart.

Steelers have their slot guy in Elijah Riley

The slot defender was one of the biggest question marks for the Steelers entering the offseason. The loss of Cameron Sutton was a blow there, and while Patrick Peterson is expected to move inside on passing downs, the team was still short a slot defender for run downs.

Elijah Riley also entered camp as one of the quieter names expected to battle there. Predominantly a safety to this point in his career, Riley spent the majority of last season bouncing on and off the Steelers active roster with little to show for it. While the battle was wide open at slot cornerback, Riley was seen as a distant option to fill that void.

He has stacked some good performances both in practice and during preseason games. Because of this, he is currently in the driver's seat for this job as well as a roster spot. Going from a middling reserve to a likely spot starter is a huge jump, and Riley has seen his standing with the team improve this year.