Who Should I Start? Riley Nowakowski or Eli Heidenreich
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 5.3 | 0.0 |
Riley Nowakowski News
Saturday, April 25, 11:23 AM
The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Indiana tight end prospect Riley Nowakowski with the 169th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Nowakowski caught 32 passes for 387 yards and two receiving touchdowns in the Hoosiers' national championship-winning offense last year. He also got involved as a fullback, scoring two rushing touchdowns. We could see him take on a similar hybrid fullback/tight end role in Pittsburgh, serving as the team's replacement for Connor Heyward, who signed with the Raiders this offseason. Assuming that's the case, Nowakowski doesn't have a clear path to fantasy relevance. He can be avoided in most fantasy football drafts.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.6 | 5.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Eli Heidenreich News
Saturday, June 27, 7:19 AM
Former Navy star Eli Heidenreich is listed as an RB/WR with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he was assigned a RB number (No. 29) and has been working with the RBs during individual drills and "overwhelmingly lined up" in the backfield during team drills during offseason workouts, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. RBs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. called Heidenreich the "Swiss Navy Knife," but how much the Steelers open up their playbook in 2026 under new head coach Mike McCarthy might ultimately determine whether the 22-year-old will have a shot to make the 53-man roster for the regular season. How well he performs in pass protection, something Heidenreich wasn't asked to do much in college, could determine his fate early in his rookie season. DeFabo thinks Heidenreich will need to play his way onto Pittsburgh's roster during training camp, and it might take an injury for that to happen. Most likely, the former Midshipman will start his NFL career on the Steelers' practice squad.
Riley Nowakowski vs. Eli Heidenreich
Still trying to decide between Nowakowski and Heidenreich? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Riley Nowakowski is projected to score 1.2 points this week while Eli Heidenreich is projected to score 0.6 points.
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