The Pittsburgh Steelers added one high-profile offensive playmaker with the last name Wilson earlier this offseason when they signed veteran QB Russell Wilson to a one-year deal to provide some stability under center in the Steel City. Yet, the other Wilson Pittsburgh added to the roster was Michigan WR Roman Wilson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
What can dynasty fantasy football managers expect from Wilson heading into his rookie year in Pittsburgh?
Should You Draft Roman Wilson in Dynasty Fantasy Football?
The Steelers’ offense certainly received a major overhaul this offseason by adding the aforementioned Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to the quarterback room, with former Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as the team’s new offensive coordinator (OC).
These additions were paired with the departure of WR Diontae Johnson via trade to the Carolina Panthers, which left Pittsburgh’s receiver room pretty thin behind George Pickens.
Fortunately, Roman Wilson fell right into the Steelers’ laps of the Steelers in Round 3, which immediately gives their offense some vertical speed and a consistent separator to complement Pickens’ dominant contested-catch abilities on the perimeter.
The fantasy ceiling for WR2s in Smith’s offensive scheme hasn’t exactly been very exciting. In fact, you have to go back to his OC days with the Tennessee Titans to find a season where two receivers finished inside the top 30 at the position in the same season, with A.J. Brown and Corey Davis finishing as the WR12 and WR30, respectively.
The uncertainty at quarterback doesn’t exactly do Wilson’s immediate or long-term outlook any favors either, but he’s still a talented rookie prospect who warrants third-round draft capital in your dynasty rookie draft.
Who Is Wilson?
Background
Wilson was a member of the 2020 recruiting class, and from Honolulu, Hawaii, found his way to the University of Michigan. The former No. 3 overall recruit out of Hawaii stands at 5’10” and 192 pounds and proved to be a very valuable member of Michigan’s receiving corps during his tenure there.
How did Roman Wilson catch this?! pic.twitter.com/WMIcQSAXYn
— Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL)
While he failed to make a high-level impact during his first three years with the program, Wilson emerged onto the scene in a big way his senior season and was a major part of the Wolverines’ success.
College Production
Wilson barely saw the field in his first year at Michigan — totaling just 122 yards and one touchdown on nine receptions — but he took a step forward during his sophomore and junior campaigns. He totaled 796 receiving yards and seven touchdowns over those two seasons and was ready to take on a larger role in his final year with the school.
KEEP READING: Dynasty Rookie Rankings
In 2023, Wilson reeled in 45 receptions for 735 yards and 12 touchdowns (going into the National Championship Game). He was a reliable receiving threat for QB J.J. McCarthy the entire year and came up with several big plays in big moments.
Injury History
In November 2023, Wilson left a matchup against the Maryland Terrapins after a big hit that had him evaluated for a concussion. However, very little else is documented about any injuries for the former Wolverine WR throughout his collegiate career.
After his freshman season, Wilson has appeared in 13, 12, and 14 contests, respectively, over each of the past three years.
Wilson’s Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Proficient understanding of a defender’s leverage and how to find space within a zone.
- Reliable receiving ability and able to reel in catches well outside of his frame.
- Surprising ability in contested-catch situations to come down with the football; Strong hands.
- Incredibly proficient when the play breaks down; Able to work back to his QB to create a throwing window.
Weaknesses
- Lacks the acceleration and burst in his lower half to consistently create separation from NFL defensive backs that will get into his hip pocket.
- Limited ability in yards-after-the-catch situations to create additional yardage.
- Lacks the top-end speed to take the top off of defenses from the slot; Will primarily be used in an underneath role at the next level.
- Projects to only play in the slot in the NFL due to his size and skill set.
- With Wilson’s size and frame limitations, he often struggles to fight through contact within the route and can easily get knocked off course.