After learning that George Pickens is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, fans and the media alike are quick to predict with the Steelers could look like without Pickens in the lineup for Week 15. We got a taste of this last week against the Browns.
Pittsburgh got the win over Cleveland in Week 14, and thanks to capitalizing on takeaways, Mike Tomlin's team sealed a 27-14 victory. But if you were to ask which skill players showed up big in Pickens' absence, the answer isn't so cut and dry.
Jaylen Warren was arguably the best offensive player in this contest — chipping in 49 rushing yards and 25 receiving yards on just 11 total touches. However, Pat Freiermuth led all Steelers pass catches in Week 14 with three catches for 48 yards and a touchdown.
These two weapons must be utilized if and when Pickens misses time with a hamstring injury, but there's one matchup nightmare that must be put to good use.
Steelers must target Darnell Washington without George Pickens
Right now, most of the media is looking at Mike Williams for answers and debating whether the veteran trade acquisition can fill the void left by George Pickens. Though Williams has been efficient on a small sample (just five targets in five games with the Steelers), he's not a go-to option in the passing game.,
Sadly, the Steelers don't have another complete wide receiver on their roster outside of Pickens... but they do have an oversized tight end who could make defenses pay.
Darnell Washington towers over the competition and has proven to be effective as a run blocker, pass protector, and receiver in his second NFL season. What could make him even more lethal is the matchups Steelers could exploit on defense.
Pittsburgh's tight end coach, Alfredo Roberts slipped up when talking to the media in late October when he admitted that Washington is '6'7'' and 300-plus' pounds. It shows.
Thanks to his unmatched size and impressive athletic traits, Washington has the ability to be a seam-stretcher with a massive catch radius or a freight train with the ball in his hands in space. Washington has made impressive plays all over the field this season.
Though he's not used often in the passing game, the 23-year-old tight end has 18 catches on 24 targets for 192 yards and a touchdown this season. Washington has a catch rate of 75 percent while averaging an impressive 8.0 yards per target in the passing game.
In addition to possessing soft, natural hands to effortlessly pluck the ball out of the air, Washington punishes defenders after the catch. This is on display nearly every time he has touched the ball this season.
What's most intriguing is the matchups the Steelers could exploit. It's comical trying to watch a 6'0'' linebacker try to bring down Washington on first contact or a 5'10'' defensive back attempting to avoid being posterized by the big tight end. Just like Washington's effortless back-shoulder touchdown earlier in the season against a much smaller player, these matchups are here for the taking.
Washington didn't catch a pass against the Browns last week and the big tight end received just one target. However, Washington's lack of involvement could have been part of the reason it was so hard to get the passing game off the ground in Week 14.
The Steelers won't survive long without George Pickens in the lineup unless they find a player they can turn to for a spark. Skill players like Jaylen Warren, Pat Freiermuth, and Mike Williams could each see a boost in opportunities with Pickens sidelined, but the Steelers can't forget about their 300-pound matchup nightmare.