Steelers Connection: Which WR will step up opposite Antonio Brown?

Coming into the 2016 NFL season, many mainstream NFL websites considered the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver corps to be one of the best in the league. Why wouldn’t they? With Antonio Brown on the team, you have the best receiver in the game...the rest of the names simply fell into place.

However, at the midway point of the season, the Steelers are in need of someone not named Antonio Brown to step up. Against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 9 Brown was at times triple teamed, and no one else was able to win their one-on-one matchup until late in the game when it was seemingly too little, too late.

Without the services of Martavis Bryant available in 2016 due to a year-long suspension, who will step up and be the true No. 2 wide receiver for the Steelers moving forward?

Darrius Heyward-Bey - Heyward-Bey suffered a foot sprain in Week 9, but was promoted to the WR2 position leading into the last game.

Markus Wheaton - Dealing with a shoulder injury throughout the first half of the season, the team needs Wheaton to step up into the role everyone expected him to fill coming into the final year of his rookie contract.

Eli Rogers - Not really a prime candidate for the WR2 spot, considering he is primarily a slot receiver, Rogers has shown some flashes and a great rapport with Ben Roethlisberger.

Sammie Coates - Has all the physical tools, but lacks the consistency to be the every down player the team needs. Can he make the appropriate adjustments?

In the latest episode of the Steelers Connection I break down the decision, and tell you exactly who I feel will step up in the second half of the season to take some pressure off of Brown. Simply listen to the short podcast in the player above.

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