Brainos called Calvin Austin the "technical No. 2" wideout in Pittsburgh and didn’t recall any coach-speak contradicting that status. With only Robert Woods behind Austin and a tight-end room overflowing with pass catchers (Jonnu Smith, Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington), Brainos thinks the speedster will see near-every-down snaps in 11 personnel. Pittsburgh’s shaky WR depth and Austin’s 4.32 wheels create weekly splash-play potential, making him a free late-round dart who could easily out-kick his ADP if the Steelers lean heavier on three-receiver sets than expected.

Andy Holloway closed his draft by snagging Calvin Austin, labeling him a starting wideout the fantasy world is ‘just ignoring.’ Holloway likes Austin as a plug-and-play Week 1 dart because the veteran quarterback room—he specifically referenced Aaron Rodgers’ willingness to take shots—can accentuate Austin’s 4.32 speed and yards-after-catch ability. If Austin pops early you keep him; if not you churn the roster spot. Holloway believes that kind of low-risk, big-play profile is exactly what managers should target with their final pick in full-PPR leagues.

Tom Strachan noted that Calvin Austin has reportedly out-snapped rookie Roman Wilson with the Steelers’ starters, leading to a 15-pick ADP bump to 192. Austin produced 36-548-3 on limited volume last year and now gets a quarterback upgrade to Aaron Rodgers, whose career 7.5% TD rate to slot receivers fits Austin’s primary alignment. Strachan likes Austin as a late-round stack partner with Rodgers, projecting him for 80+ targets if the current depth-chart order sticks through camp.

Billy Jones said Calvin Austin should be climbing far faster than the token 10-pick bump we have seen. Jones noted multiple press-conference quotes from Steelers coaches calling Austin the “leader in the clubhouse” for the WR2 job opposite George Pickens. That role now comes with Aaron Rodgers’ league-best career deep-ball accuracy (10.2% TD rate on throws 20+ yards) instead of Kenny Pickett’s 5.9%. Jones expects Arthur Smith to lean on Najee Harris early, but reminded listeners that Smith’s Titans teams still produced a WR2 with six weekly spike games when Ryan Tannehill pushed the ball vertically. Rodgers, protected by what projects as a top-12 pass-block unit after the Broderick Jones position switch, should unlock at least four 20-plus-point weeks from Austin. With the speedster still available in the 18th round, Jones is taking him whenever he has Rodgers, Friermuth, or even a bring-back on Ravens/Steelers Week 17, calling it a “cheap leverage bet on a 13% target share and two or three long TDs.”

Billy Jones endorsed Calvin Austin as a late-round dart that pairs naturally with Russell Wilson or Justin Fields stacks now that the Steelers added Aaron Rodgers’ old offensive coordinator and still lack a clear WR2. Jones likes Austin’s 4.32 speed and yards-after-catch skill set for spike-week volatility in Underdog’s best-ball scoring, noting that Roman Wilson is a rookie learning the route tree while Allen Robinson is gone. With Austin currently free in the 18th round and creeping up only 10 spots, Jones said he’s a cheap way to capture potential weekly deep targets if Pittsburgh’s passing volume rises under Arthur Smith. The upside is a couple 20-yard TDs that crack best-ball lineups without needing steady target share.

Andy Holloway said he would bet on Calvin Austin outscoring sophomore Roman Wilson in 2025 redraft formats. Holloway cited Wilson’s lost rookie year – the third-round pick saw action in only one game before repeated camp injuries shelved him – and pointed out that wide receivers who produce nothing as rookies have an extremely low Year-2 hit rate. Pittsburgh has struggled to support multiple fantasy-relevant wideouts behind its alpha (Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, now TBD) in recent seasons, so Holloway believes experience and health will steer targets toward Austin. He added that veteran signings like Robert Woods and Scotty Miller feel like depth moves, signaling the coaching staff’s confidence in Austin’s role as the primary field-stretcher. With drafters gravitating to the shinier Roman Wilson name in late rounds, Holloway recommended taking Austin as a cheap WR6 flier in best-ball or deep season-long leagues.