6 sleepers you should be closely watching at Steelers OTAs

Where will Steelers use Connor Heyward?

I was pleasantly surprised with Connor Heyward last season. The sixth-round rookie doesn’t have a traditional body type for a tight end, but he figured to be a core special teams player and serve as more of an H-Back for this offense. He certainly didn’t disappoint on special teams, proving to be a core contributor there.

The Steelers surprisingly used Heyward effectively on offense though. He was used in a variety of alignments and even as a traditional tight end. He wasn’t a huge contributor, but he served a valuable role and helped this team win down the stretch. I’m excited to see what his role becomes this season.

It seems likely that Heyward serves as the fullback when needed given the fact that Derek Watt is no longer with the team. The team could completely switch Heyward’s position, but he proved to be valuable in multiple roles. While I’m fine with him handling fullback work, he should continue to be a hybrid player.

While I haven't seen where he is working yet, I do hope that the team keeps him in his versatile role. He proved last season that he can play multiple roles, and with the fullback position being so specialized, I want him to continue seeing tight ends snaps. He should have a bigger role in this offense though no matter what.