Should I Start Michael Pittman Jr.?

Friday, September 4, 7:35 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is moving in the right direction after a hamstring injury took a chunk out of his training camp. Pittman had not practiced since Aug. 8 before getting back on the field Aug. 24, and he was still participating in team work this week as Pittsburgh began ramping up for the regular season. General manager Omar Khan has said Pittman is expected to be available for the Sept. 13 opener against Atlanta, although head coach Mike McCarthy made it clear the Steelers are still being smart with his workload. That matters after Pittman missed the entire preseason and lost valuable reps in a new offense. Pittsburgh brought him in this spring after he caught 80 passes for 784 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns with Indianapolis last year. DK Metcalf remains the top receiver, but Pittman should have a steady role underneath once he is fully up to speed. His summer took a hit, but the outlook is getting better now that Week 1 appears to be back on the table.