Germie Bernard became the focal point of the Pittsburgh Steelers passing offense this week with Michael Pittman out with a foot injury. He turned 9 targets into 6 receptions for 80 yards and a 29% target share. Roman Wilson left the game with a finger injury, and fellow wide receiver DK Metcalf was held to 12 yards on 4 targets.
This was Bernard’s second game with at least 8 targets this year. He’s building the trust of quarterback Aaron Rodgers and should be added in all fantasy football leagues from the waiver wire this week.
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Burt Lauten reports that the Steelers have downgraded WR Michael Pittman Jr. to OUT for Sunday’s game vs. the Patriots with a foot injury. Pittman ranked No. 21 in targets last season at the WR position and was expected to be a great fit with Aaron Rodgers, but his 2026 season is off to a slow start after missing time in training camp with a hamstring injury and now this foot injury.
DK Metcalf and Pat Freiermuth should get more looks as a result of Pittman missing the game, making Freiermuth a fine streaming option. This likely moves Roman Wilson to the WR2 role and rookie Germie Bernard to the WR3 for the Week 2 tilt against the Patriots. Hopefully Pittman can recover quickly and get back on the field for Week 3’s game against the division rival Bengals.
Michael Pittman exited practice with a leg injury Saturday and was talking to trainers after leaving the field, and the staff were focused on his right leg. Pittman remained sidelined Monday, with head coach Mike McCarthy offering no timeline for his return. Pittman commanded a 91.1-percent Snap Share and a 21.0-percent Target Share last season, leaving a significant projected target share in question if the issue lingers.
Fantasy managers must track upcoming practice participation to gauge whether his early-season workload is in actual jeopardy. We are considering the injury minor for the time being, and Pittman is PlayerProfiler’s WR36 in fantasy football redraft league formats.
Third-year wideout Roman Wilson—boasting a 40.0% College Dominator Rating with an underwhelming 22.2 Breakout Age at Michigan—is flashing speed and quickness and dominating early targets from quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh training camp. Wilson commanded primary WR3 reps ahead of second-round rookie Germie Bernard, operating behind veteran starters DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.
Coming off a 2025 campaign where he managed a meager 13.4% Target Rate and 33.6% Snap Share across 13 games, Wilson remains a low-volume option unlikely to command enough target share to matter in 12-team redraft or best ball fantasy leagues. However, Wilson is now an attractive back-of-the-roster stash in dynasty leagues with Pittman and Metcalf both past the age apex.
The Pittsburgh Steelers just secured another WR at No. 47 by drafting Germie Bernard, a versatile separator who pairs a rock-solid 21.8 Breakout Age with the elite short-area quickness verified by a scorching 6.71-second Three-Cone Drill (87th-percentile). Bernard had a 23.4% College Dominator Rating and an elite 9.03 Relative Athletic Score, proving he has the frame and explosiveness to operate in a “Power Slot” role while maintaining a clinical 1.5% Drop Rate.
In dynasty formats, Bernard is now squarely in the second-round conversation of rookie drafts as the potential WR3 for the Steelers behind DK Metcalf and newly acquired Michael Pittman catching balls from QB Aaron Rodgers.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf has been suspended for two games by the NFL for conduct detrimental to the league, following a physical altercation with a fan during a game in Week 16. The league determined Metcalf violated policies that prohibit players from entering the stands or making physical contact with spectators.
The suspension, which was upheld on appeal, will sideline Metcalf for rest of the regular season. This suspension will cost Metcalf more than $555,000 in lost salary, and it also voids up to $45 million in guaranteed money in his contract due to NFL conduct clauses.
Author: Jake Lewis (@Lewylewis5)
