Roman Wilson

Since drafting former Michigan wideout Roman Wilson in the 3rd round, reports from Steelers minicamp and OTA’s have been very quiet regarding his progress and where he fell on a depth chart appears to be wide open after George Pickens.  Today we finally got an update regarding Wilson, as he received first team reps in the slot from a 3 wide receiver look with Van Jefferson and Pickens lined up wide.  He was able to haul in a pass from fields over the middle, an encouraging report after what seems like an abnormal amount of radio silence for a team known for drafting wide receivers very well on day 2 and 3 of the NFL draft.

Roman Wilson profiles as a shifty slot receiver with plenty of opportunity to carve out a role for himself in his rookie season with the Steelers.  He is currently the second receiver off of the board at wr73 on underdog, a price tag that makes him a decent dice roll for boom plays and upside.

Roman Wilson has fallen 5.3 spots in ADP on UnderDog since June 27th and is being selected in round 14. This drop can be attributed to the fact that there is near zero bullish news coming out of Pittsburgh regarding Roman Wilson. 

Roman Wilson had plenty of hype during the Senior Bowl and garnered some excitement as a good fit for the Steelers after they selected him in round 3 of the NFL Draft. Another reason for the ADP dip lies in the fact that new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith hasn’t been the most fantasy friendly play-caller. While fantasy gamers are paying the toll for George Pickens in round 4, many sharp gamers have acknowledged that selecting Pickens comes with risk. 

Given that the second wide receiver role in Pittsburgh is neither locked up nor spoken of with much clarity from Steelers coaches, consider increasing exposure to tight end Pat Freiermuth who goes at the 11-12 turn. From the silence regarding Roman Wilson it can also be decoded that the Steelers will rely on their 1-2 punch in the backfield of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren who go in rounds 7 and 8 respectively. Overall, what the coaches aren’t saying is very telling to how drafters need to approach the Steelers skill position players in drafts.

Roman Wilson broke out during the Michigan Wolverines championship season by leading the team with 48 receptions, 789 receiving yards (16.4 per) and tied for ninth in the FBS with 12 receiving TDs. What Wilson lacks in size at 5’11” and 185 pounds, he makes up for in speed and explosive plays.

Roman Wilson is a great addition to the Steelers wide-out room, as he can draw coverage deep to take heat off of fellow wide receiver George Pickens. Whether it is Russell Wilson or Justin Fields under the helm, both have the deep ball skills to take full advantage of Roman Wilson’s deep speed. Expect him to see immediate playing time due to his explosiveness.

Roman Wilson is a great target in your rookie dynasty league drafts. If he hits, he’s the type of player to explode with big plays. He is a good late round flyer in all other formats as he could potentially be slow out of the gates as a rookie.

Roman Wilson solidified himself as a fantasy darling with a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. A popular sleeper already among fantasy analysts, Wilson is headed nowhere but up ahead of the NFL Draft. He was also part of the talented Michigan wide receiver core in 2023 and led the Wolverines with 789 receiving yards. While this may not seem like a large number, Michigan played with a large lead the vast majority of the season.

Overall, Wilson had a very impressive combine and cemented himself as an early day two pick in the NFL Draft. He’s a big play threat with good hands but needs to improve his route running. Wilson will be a borderline first round pick in fantasy drafts as well and fits into a larger second tier of rookie wide receivers.