After taking a look at the top rushers (HERE), receivers (HERE), and quarterbacks (HERE) from 2023 who are scheduled to face the Steelers in 2024, today it’s time to check out a position group that might have been left out all together as they share yardage with wide receivers. But since the Steelers have struggled at times in defending this position, let’s look at the tight ends who are on the Steelers schedule this season who finished toward the top of the yardage standings last year. As I said before, there could be injuries, trades, benchings, or holdouts which could make these players not able to see the field when they face the Black & Gold. But for now, these things can’t be known for sure.

This list consists of players listed as tight ends by Pro Football Reference who had at least 500 receiving yards in 2023, their overall rank in yardage last season, and the week in which they will face the Steelers.

Travis Kelce (2nd)
Kansas City Chiefs
Week 17

Coming in just shy of 1000 receiving yards mainly because of missing two games in 2023, Travis Kelce is the top receiving threat of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Steelers know what they up against with Kelsce based on his reputation as well as what he’s done against the Steelers. Facing the Steelers seven times in his career, two of which came in the playoffs, Kece has gone for over 100 yards in the last two matchups with the Steelers dating back to 2018. In Week 2 of the 2018 contest, Kelce had seven receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns. In the playoff game from the 2021 season, Kelce had five receptions for 108 yards and a touchdown. Prior to that, Kelce had been pretty much held in check by the Steelers but this was in the 2017 season and before which seems like a lifetime ago.

David Njoku (6th)
Cleveland Browns
Week 12, Week 14

I was surprised to see David Njoku as the sixth most receiving yards of a tight end last season as he had 882 yards on 81 receptions in 16 games. Njoku hasn’t been much of a threat against the Steelers outside of the 2022 season when he had a touchdown in each of the matchups during the regular season. The only other game Njoku has had a touchdown against the Steelers was in the final game of Ben Roethlisberger’s career at Heinz Field in January of the 2021 season. Otherwise in the 13 games Njoku appeared in against the Steelers, he only has those three touchdowns and has never gone for more than 90 yards receiving. Outside of the 89 yards on nine receptions and a touchdown in Week 3 of 2022, Njoku has only topped 50 receiving yards against the Steelers once which was in their Week 11 matchup last season.

Jake Ferguson (8th)
Dallas Cowboys
Week 5

Entering his third season in the NFL, Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson has not had a chance to face the Steelers yet in his career. Not a huge household name, Ferguson did have 761 receiving yards on 71 receptions last year, enough for him to be selected to the Pro Bowl for the NFC.

Kyle Pitts (11th)
Atlanta Falcons
Week 1

The only tight end drafted ahead of Pat Freiermuth in the 2021 NFL draft, Kyle Pitts is arguably as much of a receiver as he is a tight end. But with 53 receptions for 667 yards last season, Pitts is a player who is looking to break out with a new regime in Atlanta. Facing the Steelers for the first time, his matchup comes in Week 1 which will be very interesting to see how he will be utilized in their new offense.

Tyler Conklin (13th)
New York Jets
Week 7

In his six seasons in the NFL, and second with the New York Jets, Tyler Conklin had a career high in receiving yards of 621 on 61 receptions yet he did not have a receiving touchdown. Facing the Steelers as a member of the Minnesota Vikings in 2021, Conklin had two receptions for 20 yards. In his first year with the Jets, Conklin did bring in three passes for 52 yards against the Steelers.

Dallas Goedert (14th)
Philadelphia Eagles
Week 14

Having a bit of a down year compared to the previous two seasons, Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert still had 592 receiving yards on 59 receptions in 2023. Goedert has only faced the Steelers once in his career and was able to pull in six catches on six targets for 64 yards ain their 2022 matchup.

Mark Andrews (17th)
Baltimore Ravens
Week 11, Week 16

The fact Mark Andrews could still land on the list despite only appearing in 10 regular season games goes to show he is a quality tight end. With a career low of 544 receiving yards which came on 45 receptions, Andrews is only two years removed from a 1300 receiving yard season. The Steelers are very familiar with Andrews as they have faced off nine times since 2018 with Andrews top game being in Week 17 of the 2022 season where he hit 100 receiving yards on nine receptions. Interestingly enough, Andrews has never had a receiving touchdown against the Steelers.