Predicting the Steelers’ Week 12 inactive list vs. the Ravens

The Pittsburgh Steelers are hopefully, maybe, potentially—however do you want to explain it—set the face off against the Baltimore Ravens Wednesday afternoon at 3:40 PM. While both teams have until 12:30 PM to finalize their 53-man roster, they will still have to produce an inactive list 90 minutes before kickoff. Currently, the Pittsburgh Steelers only have 52 players on the roster. So while there is the possibility of only four inactives, chances are the Steelers will add a player and the expected five-man inactive list will be announced.

There are new rules in 2020 when it comes to the players active on game day. As long as a team has eight offensive lineman who will be dressing for the game, they could have 48 players on their active roster rather than the 46 in previous seasons. So unless the Steelers elevate any players from their practice squad, there inactive list should only be five players.

NOTE: If there is a change to the projected number of inactive players after the release of the projected inactives, it will be updated to reflect the move.

Game Status

Out:
RB Jaylen Samuels (quad)

Questionable:
CB Joe Haden (knee)

Here are the possibilities to end up inactive for Week 12:

Definitely:

RB Jaylen Samuels- Ruled out when the Steelers hadn’t practiced in three days, Samuels will miss another week and hope to get his quad healed up for Week 12.

Most Likely:

QB Josh Dobbs- I’ve run out of things to say about the Steelers third string quarterback. He’s the only player that’s been on the list every week in 2020.

Possibly:

DT Isaiah Buggs- Fresh off the Reserve/COVID-19 List, it’s a surprise that Buggs is available to the Steelers for Week 12. But the fact Buggs was also available in Week 11 and was inactive means he could end up on the list yet again.

DT Carlos Davis- Even though Stephon Tuitt is on the Reserve/COVID-19 List, the Steelers were carrying an extra defensive lineman. Therefore, there’s a decent chance one of them will not play and it could be Davis.

TE Kevin Rader- Signed to the Steelers 53-man roster on the same day Vance McDonald returned to practice, Rader is probably more of an insurance policy. The Steelers haven’t dressed three tight ends all season so he’s probably the odd man out.

LB Jayrone Elliott- I’m still not sure exactly where Elliott fits on this team. He’s on the 53-man roster for now and at the bottom of the depth chart at linebacker so he may or may not dress.

CB Joe Haden- He was listed as questionable over the weekend so there is a chance Haden doesn’t play on Wednesday. But with the extra time off, Joe appears to be ready to go.

Unlikely:

DT Henry Mondeaux- Yes, there is yet another defensive lineman who could be the guy to not get a helmet. But Mondeaux has the special teams factor where he can contribute where the others do not which will continually give him an edge.

Projected Inactive List:

1. Jaylen Samuels
2. Josh Dobbs
3. Kevin Rader
4. Isaiah Buggs
5. Jayrone Elliott*

I listed the four players who would be inactive in my eyes should Steelers not add their 53rd player. If they do, as expected, then I believe Elliott will then be the other player. I’m not extremely confident in Isaiah Buggs being the defensive lineman, but he was for the last game so I’m going to go with what they have done most recently. Additionally, unless somebody like Stephon Tuitt miraculously comes off the Covid list, I expect running back Wendell Smallwood to end up on the Steelers roster before the game.

As always, feel free to list your projected inactives in the comments below.