Suffice to say, the Pittsburgh Steelers haven't gotten what they expected from veteran wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. since adding him this offseason. The New York Giants could've just as easily been left holding the bag, considering he was reportedly on their radar too.
Pittman emerged as a potential option for the Giants early in free agency. The connection surfaced after the Indianapolis Colts inked Alec Pierce to a lucrative long-term contract extension, though it went nowhere. In the end, the Steelers acquired him in a late-round pick swap, and he even landed a new pact in the process.
Hindsight is 20/20, of course, and the sample size is small, yet it's impossible not to feel like New York dodged a serious bullet on Pittman.
Missing out on Michael Pittman Jr. has been a blessing in disguise for the Giants
The typically reliable, durable Pittman hasn't provided much of either quality for the Steelers so far. He hasn't come close to meeting the expectations attached to the three-year, $59 million agreement they reached almost immediately upon joining forces. Perhaps it's taking longer than planned to settle in, or Father Time is tracking him down; either way, the G-Men went in a different direction.
There's no way around it: Pittman has been absolutely brutal for Pittsburgh. He's been playing through a foot injury this season, which has done more harm than good — for himself and the team.
Not only is Pittman struggling to make a meaningful impact, but he's also exacerbating the issue that's ailing him. The 2020 second-round selection was recently spotted in the Steelers' locker room on a "single-legged scooter" and wearing a boot. There's been a setback, and he's now expected to miss "multiple" games, per head coach Mike McCarthy (h/t Mark Kaboly of 93.7 The Fan Pittsburgh).
Through Week 4, Pittman is one of 58 receivers with at least 90 routes. He ranks at or near the bottom in several key categories, as highlighted by the following metrics:
- 57th in first downs per route run (0.033)
- 49th in targets per route run (0.13)
- 49th in yards per route run (0.99)
- 45th in catch rate (58.3 percent)
New York took a more cost-effective approach to their No. 2 wideout spot. The club brought in a bunch of guys on small-money, short-term deals and traded up to secure rookie Malachi Fields in Round 3. While they haven't made significant contributions by any stretch of the imagination, none of them are getting paid to be difference-makers, unlike Pittman.
Giants' WR2 by committee approach looks much better than Michael Pittman Jr.
In fact, Fields is averaging more receiving yards per contest than Pittman. Heck, newcomer Darnell Mooney is producing at a similar pace for a fraction of the cost. And that's with Giants standout tight end Isaiah Likely functioning as the de facto WR2.
Fields has shown the big-play ability and willingness to stick his nose in the action as a run blocker that many touted him for entering the league. The Notre Dame product's size is a legitimate factor for a squad that wants to shove the football down your throat. It's easy to envision him improving throughout the campaign with more reps, too.
Funny enough, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com compared Fields to Pittman during the 2026 pre-draft scouting process. So, in a way, Big Blue got the (type of) player they were looking for.
Note: Advanced stats courtesy of Fantasy Points' data suite 2.0 ($).
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