Roman Wilson (finger) ruled out for Week 5

Bernard began the game with a potentially catastrophic blunder by moving the chains on first down, only to run back behind the sticks in search of more yards. He was taken down behind the line to gain for a turnover on downs. Instead of banishing him to the bench, Aaron Rodgers continued to lean on the rookie throughout the contest for easy completions underneath. He tied DK Metcalf for a team-high in catches. Per the broadcast, it was the most catches by a rookie receiver of Rodgers since the grizzled veteran entered the league. Bernard went from a PPR scam to a full-blown breakout in overtime by extending the ball for a game-winning touchdown with two defenders draped over him. Bernard has 21 targets over the past two weeks. He also has at least 80 yards in back-to-back games. He is looking at a WR3 ranking for his Week 7 matchup with the Saints.

Wilson suffered a dislocated finger in the team’s Week 5 game against the Colts and will now miss four games, at minimum, while on injured reserve. His absence paves the way for rookie Germie Bernard to continue to see increased opportunities. Fantasy managers can start Bernard as a viable FLEX option in Week 6 against the pass-funnel Buccaneers.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported earlier this week that Wilson was going to miss a couple of weeks, so this is not breaking news. The Steelers’ wide receiver corps is very thin. DK Metcalf (illness) is now questionable to play. Germie Bernard should be in fantasy lineups this week.

We weren’t exactly worried about Skowronek siphoning many targets away, but with him out of the pecking order entirely Germie Bernard should be a wheels-up WR3 for Week 6 now that both Skowronek and Roman Wilson have been ruled out.

According to Fowler, Wilson is seeking a second opinion on his injury. He was initially diagnosed with a dislocated finger, but given today’s report, it sounds like this may be more severe than initially expected. Wilson entered Week 5 with back-to-back 60-plus-yard games and had been targeted six times in each of his first four games. Rookie Germie Bernard, who caught 6-of-9 targets for 80 yards in Week 5’s win over the Colts, will be worth a claim on waivers this week and profiles as a WR4/FLEX option in PPR leagues for Week 6 against the Buccaneers.

Michael Pittman (foot) was ruled out earlier in the week, and then Roman Wilson dislocated his finger during the game, so there wasn’t a lot of competition for Bernard and DK Metcalf. The rookie from Alabama played the same number of snaps as Metcalf and ran a route on 35 of the team’s 38 dropbacks. This isn’t an explosive passing attack, but Bernard looks like the WR2 in Pittsburgh now and is more of an intermediate and short-area target than DK Metcalf, which could lead to decent fantasy value over the next few weeks.

Pittman aggravated the foot injury that cost him Week 2 last week and will now miss four games, at minimum, while on injured reserve. Roman Wilson appears to be the primary beneficiary of Pittman’s absence and has seen six targets in each game this season while mostly playing a situational role. Wilson is a priority waiver addition over rookie Germie Bernard.

McCarthy told reporters the team is evaluating Pittman’s roster spot, meaning they could place him on injured reserve. He would miss at least four weeks while on IR. Pittman tried to play through the foot injury but only made it two weeks before aggravating the issue. He was spotted using a scooter to support his foot in the locker room on Wednesday. We suspect the Steelers will place him on IR to give Pittman enough time to fully recover. Germie Bernard will now operate as the team’s permanent WR3, with Roman Wilson taking on more work as the clear No. 2 receiver. Both players will be decent FLEX options for Week 5.

Wilson got the scoring started in the first quarter to cap a 17-play opening drive from 12 yards out. He continued to work in a downfield role, padding his stats with 62 additional yards on two more receptions, in addition to drawing an illegal contact penalty earlier on the first drive. Wilson wold briefly depart late in the fourth quarter following his final reception of the game as he appeared to land on the ball awkwardly going out of bounds. Fantasy managers will want to track his practice status closely ahead of a Week 5 meeting with the Colts, where Wilson will carry interesting FLEX appeal in a growing role.

Most of Wilson’s production came on the Steelers’ opening drive. He caught a five-yard pass on the second play of the game, and two plays later, he would find himself on the receiving end of a 38-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers after beating his defender in single coverage down the left sideline for the score. Wilson appeared in 18 offensive snaps through the team’s first four possessions, but appeared on only five snaps after he let a ball bounce off his hands and land in the arms of a Bengals defender for an interception. Wilson’s six targets were still enough to lead all Steelers’ receivers on the day, but he’ll need to provide more consistent production before he can be considered a legit fantasy option.