The Pittsburgh Steelers are four games into the regular season, and that means it’s time to track who has done well, stock up, and who hasn’t, stock down, as the team turns the page to the latest road game vs. the Las Vega Raiders coming in Week 6 of the regular season.

As always, these are just my lists, so feel free to voice your opinion in the comment section below.

Stock Up

Najee Harris

If I’m being honest, I didn’t have high hopes for the Steelers running game vs. the Raiders last week. If anything I expected Jaylen Warren to be the difference maker vs. Las Vegas. However, it was the polar opposite as Warren struggled to gain traction and it was Najee Harris who exploded onto the scene. And it wasn’t as if the offensive line was opening huge holes for Harris, he was making his own holes. Carrying defenders, pushing piles, and creating on how own was the theme of the day as Harris piled over 100 yards on just 14 carries. I’d love this to become the new norm for Harris, but his arrow is definitely trending in the correct direction.

Russell Wilson

Whether you agree or disagree with Mike Tomlin’s assessment of the quarterback position, the fact Wilson is getting his shot at competing for the starting role again is a boost of confidence for the veteran. Can Wilson grasp the opportunity and run with it? That has yet to be determined, but most reports out of Steelers camp make it seem as if Wilson is the guy for Week 7. Like it or not, it’s time to see if Russ can still cook, and that means his arrow is trending upwards.

Patrick Queen

You hear a lot of odd things from Steelers social media. It doesn’t matter the platform, you can read some truly mind-numbing takes on any given day. The one which made me scratch my head the most was the disdain for Patrick Queen. Queen may have come out of the gate slowly, but calling him a “waste” or a “bust of a pick-up” was a little premature. Queen isn’t a perfect product just yet, but he is coming off back-to-back solid performances. I’d also go as far as saying he is coming off the best game of the season so far while tallying 13 total tackles vs. Las Vegas. Queen is getting comfortable, and you’re seeing him thinking less and reacting more. That equates into performances like we saw vs. the Raiders. In other words, Queen is starting to settle in, and that means the future is bright.

Donte Jackson

When the Steelers traded Diontae Johnson to the Panthers and got Donte Jackson in return, most assumed it was just the Panthers trying to get rid of a hefty contract. Most Steelers fans didn’t see Jackson as being much of a return for losing Johnson. Boy were those people wrong. To date Jackson has tallied 3 INTs, 6 PDs, 18 tackles, 1 TFL in just six games. I don’t know about you, but it looks more and more like Jackson wasn’t a throw away piece of a trade, but a valued piece of the Steelers puzzle. His ability to play both right and left sides of the defense has permitted Joey Porter Jr. to follow the opposition’s best receiver. Jackson’s arrow has continually been trending upward all season, and the hope is it continues.

DeShon Elliott

Elliott’s season has been tremendous, and I’ve talked about his on multiple podcasts and articles, but it is worth noting how much of a difference maker he is on the team’s defense. His statistics might not be mind-blowing, 45 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 3 PD, 1 FF, 1 FR, but if you watch him closely on the game film you see just how he jumps off the screen. The plays he makes in the open field alone have been a welcome sight for a team who struggled in those situations the past few seasons. Elliott has come in and solidified the strong safety position, and his arrow has been trending upwards this entire season.

Stock Down

Justin Fields

The antithesis of what was written about Wilson above, is the current state of Fields within the organization. It doesn’t mean Fields is done in Pittsburgh and will never get another chance, but it certainly means his future is in flux. After orchestrating a 4-2 record in his six starts, there is a strong likelihood Fields will be playing sparingly, if at all, for Week 7 and maybe beyond. Some will say he had every opportunity to prove himself in those six games, this puts Fields’ stock trending in the wrong direction.

Offensive Line Continuity

Another week, another offensive line configuration for the Steelers. With Zach Frazier out of the lineup vs. the Raiders, and possibly not until after the bye week, it’s Ryan McCollum time at center. This means the Steelers will have their 5th offensive line configuration in their 7th game of the season Sunday night when the New York Jets come to Acrisure Stadium. I don’t know if there has been a voodoo curse placed on the offensive line this season, but at some point it has to even itself out, right? RIGHT?!

Broderick Jones

Speaking of the offensive line, while at this point we were talking about the healthy of the group, one individual hasn’t had a very good 2024 season thus far. That would be right tackle Broderick Jones. The former 1st round draft pick has not played up to the standard most set for him, and it certainly has been an up-and-down season to date. Jones lost his starting job to rookie Troy Fautanu, and before he could even compete with Dan Moore Jr. on the left side, Fautanu was placed on Injured Reserve (IR) and Jones was back at right tackle for the foreseeable future. Jones has had his struggles, and they’ve become increasingly clear with each passing game. Sometimes it seems there are communication problems, others mental errors, and the physical issues have been well-documented. Either way, it would be great to see Jones stop this downward trend and put together some solid performances to not just boost his stock, but his confidence.

Be sure to follow SCN for all the latest news and updates as the team prepares for the Jets in Week 7 of the 2024 regular season.