Brandon Smith: Steelers sign receiver to 53-man roster
9 hours ago
1 min read
THE FACT. The Steelers signed receiver Brandon Smith from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Saturday and elevated receiver Brandon Johnson for Sunday's game against Cleveland, per the team's official site. Smith had already used three practice-squad elevations, so the promotion is what makes him available for the rest of the season.
THE VERDICT. Redraft: monitor, do not add. RotoWire notes Ben Skowronek is dealing with a calf injury, and if Skowronek sits, Smith, Kaden Wetjen and Johnson all absorb the vacated snaps. Smith caught both of his targets for 24 yards against New Orleans in Week 7 - real production, tiny volume. Waiver Wire: deep-league speculative only, 0% FAAB. DFS: fade until there is a target share to price.
Respectfully, zero percent FAAB feels like the wrong read here. Pittsburgh didn't elevate him a fourth time, they burned a 53-man spot on him and left Valdes-Scantling sitting on the practice squad. That's a decision, not depth paperwork. Roman Wilson is on IR, Skowronek has already missed two games and was limited all week, and behind Metcalf and Bernard that room is paper thin. Smith went two for two for 24 yards in New Orleans. I'm not calling him a starter, but one or two percent in deeper leagues beats watching somebody else land the WR3 job.