Dealing with injuries is just one of the major obstacles NFL teams deal with on a weekly basis. Predicting the exact lineup a team will face even two games out can often be an exercise in futility. Injuries are going to occur no matter what precaution is taken in such a physical game.

While these injuries are more prevalent in the high-contact periods of a game, they can happen at any time. Despite measures to reduce chances of injury during practice time throughout the NFL season, it doesn’t even take contact for a serious injury to occur.

Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Steelers, they may have been dealt a tough blow to their 2024 first-round draft pick. Suffering some kind of knee injury during practice on Friday, Troy Fautanu was listed as a limited participant and given a questionable status for Sunday’s game. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Fautanu is expected to be out indefinitely.

Sources: Steelers starting rookie right tackle Troy Fautanu injured his knee during Friday’s practice and, while he still is undergoing further evaluation, he now is expected to be sidelined indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/5fqRA5xreT

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 21, 2024

While hearing the phrase “sidelined indefinitely“ sounds like a serious injury, the report does state Fautanu is undergoing further evaluation. Whether or not the injury is of the season-ending variety or one that will land Fautanu on the Reserve/Injured List (IR) for at least four games has yet to be determined. The likelihood of Fautanu playing in Sunday’s home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers seems extremely unlikely.

Although it has not been confirmed, it is expected that the knee injury is likely to the same knee Fautanu injured and attempted to play through in the Steelers first preseason game. This injury kept him out of action throughout the rest of the preseason and had Fautanu on the sidelines, although active, for the Steelers first game in Atlanta. Getting the start in Week 2, it was expected that Fautanu would be rotating at right tackle with 2023 first-round draft pick Broderick Jones. But after Jones had three penalties assessed in one drive, Fautanu played every snap at right tackle the remainder of the game.

UPDATE: Fautanu has officially been downgraded to out for Sunday

#Steelers OT Troy Fautanu (knee) has been downgraded to OUT for Sunday's game vs. LAC.

— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) September 21, 2024

Stay tuned to Steel Curtain Network for updates on the Troy Fautanu injury and coverage of the Steelers home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at 1 PM.