DK Metcalf Is Cleared but Pat Freiermuth's Late Calf Injury Leaves the Steelers Thin at Tampa Bay

The Pittsburgh Steelers removed DK Metcalf from the injury report on Saturday, clearing their top receiver to play Sunday at Tampa Bay after an illness had made him questionable. The same update added a new problem: tight end Pat Freiermuth was listed as questionable with a calf injury that had not appeared on any earlier report this week. On Sunday morning, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Steelers are optimistic Freiermuth will play, but his status will not be official until the inactive list arrives 90 minutes before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff.

Pittsburgh also placed receiver Roman Wilson on injured reserve with the finger injury he suffered in the Week 5 win over Indianapolis, signed running back Lew Nichols III from the practice squad, and elevated receivers Brandon Johnson and Brandon Smith for the game. Put together, Saturday's moves swapped one injury question for another and left Aaron Rodgers with a thin group of healthy pass catchers.

Freiermuth's late addition

The timing is what makes the Freiermuth news notable. A player who practices through the week and shows up on the report on Saturday usually has a minor issue or a setback late in the week, and the team has not said when he was hurt. Rapoport's report of optimism points toward the first case, but calf injuries are tricky for players who run routes, and the Steelers have reason to be careful with their most productive red-zone target.

Freiermuth leads Pittsburgh's tight ends with 19 receptions for 169 yards and has a team-high four receiving touchdowns through five games, two of which came in the 34-22 win over the Colts last week. All four of his scores have come in the red zone, according to Steelers Depot. That touchdown role is the reason he has been a weekly fantasy starter despite modest yardage.

The receiver room is down to Metcalf and depth

Metcalf being cleared is the more important news for the offense. Wilson joins Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) on injured reserve, and Ben Skowronek (calf) has been ruled out. That leaves Metcalf as the only established receiver available to Rodgers, with practice-squad elevations Johnson and Smith filling out the depth chart behind him.

The Steelers are 3-2 and Rodgers has been efficient, with three straight games of three touchdown passes. But the passing game is now concentrated in very few hands. That is good news for the players who remain and a risk for the offense as a whole if one more piece goes down.

Fantasy fallout

DK Metcalf is a confident WR2 start. With Wilson, Pittman and Skowronek all unavailable, there is no real competition for outside targets, and his target share should climb from wherever it was a week ago. Illnesses can sap a player's stamina, so a slightly reduced snap count is possible, but his role is secure.

Pat Freiermuth is a TE1 if active. The thin receiver room should push more targets his way, and his red-zone role is the most valuable piece of the passing game after Metcalf. The problem is timing. A 1 p.m. ET start gives managers a decision at 11:30 a.m. ET, and managers without a backup tight end from a later game should line up a pivot now. If he is active, start him. If he is inactive, do not chase his backups.

Darnell Washington and Robert Tonyan would split more work if Freiermuth sits, according to multiple reports. Washington is primarily a blocker, so the volume shift would be smaller than it looks. Neither is a fantasy play unless you are desperate in a deep league.

Jaylen Warren remains Pittsburgh's engine and benefits from every receiver absence. He has been the team's featured player, and a short-handed passing game means more checkdowns and screens. He is a strong RB2 with a higher floor than usual this week. Nichols' promotion is depth, not a threat to Warren's role.

Aaron Rodgers is a QB2 with streaming appeal. He became the first quarterback age 41 or older with three straight games of three touchdown passes, but playing without three receivers limits his ceiling.

The Tampa Bay side

The Buccaneers (1-4) are starting undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels for a third straight game with Baker Mayfield (thumb) out. Tampa Bay has leaned on Bucky Irving and the run game to protect Daniels, which keeps Irving an RB1 on volume and holds Emeka Egbuka to WR3 range. Pittsburgh's depleted receiver room does not change much for Tampa Bay's fantasy outlook, but it does make the Buccaneers' defense a more interesting streaming option than it was earlier in the week.

Betting angle

The Steelers are 2.5-point road favorites at most books after opening at 3, so the market has moved a half point toward Tampa Bay. The total sits between 38.5 and 40.5 depending on the book, and Pittsburgh's moneyline ranges from roughly -130 to -148. That is a low total built on a rookie quarterback for Tampa Bay and a thin Pittsburgh receiving corps.

Metcalf's clearance removes the biggest downside scenario for Pittsburgh, and Freiermuth is the remaining variable. If he is ruled out, the Steelers would take the field with one established pass catcher, which supports the under on Pittsburgh's team total more than a bet on the side. If he plays, the half-point move toward Tampa Bay looks like enough. Rodgers' passing props and Metcalf's receiving props are where the late news will show up first, and bettors of legal betting age in their jurisdiction should wait for the inactive list before acting on either.

For the model's view of this game, see the Week 6 picks at /blog/nfl-week-6-picks-2026 and the live board at /nfl/predictions.

What's next

The 11:30 a.m. ET inactive list settles Freiermuth's status. After the game, watch his snap share if he plays, since a calf injury that limits him could still cost red-zone work, and watch how Rodgers distributes targets behind Metcalf. Wilson's IR stint means at least four more games without him, and Pittman's return date is still open, so receiver depth will remain a weekly question. Until that changes, Metcalf, Freiermuth and Warren carry this offense.