Steelers have a chess piece in Connor Heyward
There was a real question as to what the Steelers were getting when they drafted Connor Heyward a season ago. While listed as a tight end in school, he wore a lot of hats. From running back to H-Back to a traditional tight end, Heyward’s fit was always going to be in question. The one thing everyone was convinced of early on was his special teams ability.
Like Warren, this one is tricky, as Heyward hasn’t really moved much from his initial training camp depth chart spot. He is seemingly locked in as the third tight end, as the Steelers want their second option to be a bigger-bodied blocker. Heyward is a lot of things, but his size will always limit him there.
He also seems poised to be the fullback. That role will likely be used more as an H-Back as opposed to a traditional blocker. He can catch passes out of the backfield while still retaining his role as a hybrid tight end.
What is really intriguing is the potential of having Heyward be used as a running back. He has seen extensive time there and has even handled snaps out of that position. I won’t be surprised if the Steelers only dress two running backs on gameday and use Heyward as the third option, especially if the third running back lacks special teams value. Heyward has seen himself rise up multiple depth charts, and his versatility is set to be utilized this year.
With camp and preseason winding down, the Steelers final depth chart is close to being set. These five players have all taken significant steps forward though, and because of that, they are currently flying up the Steelers depth chart.