Three WRs Steelers Should Target in Round Two

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers will be drafting a wide receiver at the 2026 NFL Draft. That is a foregone conclusion as the upcoming draft looms.

The question for the Steelers, is, when will that pick take place? Do the Steelers use the 21st overall pick on a game-changing pass-catcher? Or, will the Steelers target another position or focus on the defensive side of the ball?

If you ask me, the Steelers can wait until Round 2 to take their next starting wide receiver. The depth in this class is great, and there are plenty of starters available. If the Steelers wait until the second round, these three players should be their targets.

Malachi Fields - Notre Dame

There are several huge targets that are late first-round, second-round talents. Players like Ja'Kobi Lane from USC or Chris Brazzell II from Tennessee are monsters on the field, and so is Malachi Fields from Notre Dame.

The 6'4", 220-pound receiver is a beast. He relies on his size and superior strength to win routes and catches. He is a small defensive back's nightmare, as he frequently wins those battles of bully ball. He also can use the frame in run blocking, something that will absolutely be required of the X receiver in 2026.

The Steelers brass might have received a first-hand look when Notre Dame defeated the University of Pittsburgh during this past college season. Fields was the star of the game, hauling in seven passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns. His height and physicality were too much for the Pitt secondary to cover, and he wreaked havoc. If Omar Khan watched that game, he might already feel some type of way about the Fighting Irish receiver.

The area Fields needs to improve is burst. He is fast once he gets moving and with the ball in space, but it's rare to see him completely outrun a defender. That might not be the worst criticism, however, as it's the same one DK Metcalf received over his career. It hasn't stopped him at the NFL level, and maybe Fields can prove to be the same.

Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Elijah Sarrat — Indiana's Elijah Sarratt (13) kisses the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Elijah Sarratt - Indiana

The National Championship-winning receiver was a favorite target of projected number one pick Fernando Mendoza, but it's not just his connection with the top prospect that makes Elijah Sarratt so exciting.

Sarratt has been a dependable and consistent target throughout his collegiate career. At James Madison University as a sophomore, he recorded 1,191 receiving yards. The past two seasons at IU, he hauled in 957 and 830 receiving yards with a combined 23 touchdowns.

Sarratt has the size (6'2", 210 pounds) that many covet for the X receiver. He also has excellent hands and a wide catch radius, easily making him a quarterback's trusted and go-to option.

Sarratt also has a Pennsylvania tie that might help his case. Before becoming a key piece at Indiana, he was an FCS All-American freshman at St. Francis University, located in Loretto, Pennsylvania, less than two hours outside of Pittsburgh.

The knock against him is his speed. He's never been a burner in the NCAA, and that lack of explosiveness could be to his detriment.

Antonio Williams - Clemson

One player who has warranted some first-round marks but would make a perfect second-round choice is Clemson pass-catcher Antonio Williams. The 5'10" receiver is bit shorter compared to the other options on this list, but he makes up for it with explosive athleticism. He's coming off a 600-yard season, but he posted over 900 yards the year before.

Williams is arguably the top slot receiver in this class. He can work a number of routes, go against physical corners, and has a great set of hands in tough situations. As far as complementary receivers go for the Steelers to pair with Metcalf, Williams is a great choice.

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