Austin brought in all three targets for 78 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers' 24-19 loss to the Browns on Thursday night.
Austin offered up some rare chunk plays in the snowstorm-like conditions that a significant portion of Thursday's game was played in, following up a 46-yard grab early in the second quarter with a 23-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. The second-year wideout's yardage total was his second highest of the season, surpassed only by his 95-yard tally in Week 3 against the Chargers. Austin's role in the offense will continue to fluctuate weekly, but his speed and Russell Wilson's touch on deep passes affords the fleet-footed receiver upside any time he's out on a route.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Minimal offensive work in win
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Austin secured one of two targets for minus-1 yard during Sunday's 18-16 win over Baltimore.
Austin had recorded at least 20 receiving yards in each of the Steelers' last four games, but he had his worst performance of the season during Sunday's divisional win. The 25-year-old has had some encouraging showings over the first half of the season, but his production down the stretch could be inconsistent if Mike Williams develops a solid rapport with Russell Wilson.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Little production on six targets
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Austin recorded two receptions on six targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 28-27 win over the Commanders.
Austin saw a season-high six targets, and he delivered a pivotal 13-yard gain on the Steelers' game-winning drive. However, his role is likely to be in flux given the addition of Mike Williams, who took on a limited snap count in his team debut against the Commanders. Even with a lack of other receiving options early this season, Austin has topped 50 receiving yards only twice in nine games.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Scores twice on MNF
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Austin caught three of four targets for 54 yards and a touchdown while scoring a second time off of a 73-yard punt return in Monday's 26-18 win over the Giants.
Austin had a standout performance on Monday Night Football when he scored both of Pittsburgh's touchdowns in the second half. The 2022 second-round pick returned a punt for a score late in the third quarter before burning his assignment on the possession for a game-clinching touchdown on a deep ball from Russell Wilson. Austin continues to see a handful of targets while returning kicks for the Steelers, but he would need to hit pay dirt consistently in order to warrant fantasy consideration in standard formats.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Tallies 36 yards in prime time
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Austin secured one of four targets for 36 yards during Sunday's 37-15 win over the Jets.
Although Russell Wilson replaced Justin Fields as the Steelers' starting quarterback for Sunday's matchup, Austin recorded exactly 36 receiving yards for a second consecutive week. The 2022 fourth-rounder has now posted double-digit receiving yards in four of his last five appearances, and he's secured nine of 17 targets for 190 yards and a touchdown during that time. While it's been encouraging to see Austin log some slight consistency, he hasn't yet displayed much fantasy upside early in the 2024 campaign.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Two grabs in win
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Austin caught two of five targets for 36 yards in Sunday's 32-13 win over the Raiders.
Austin's five targets Sunday matched a season high, while his 36 percent offensive snap share was a season low. The 25-year-old ranked second in targets among all pass catchers in the contest, but the wideout was unable to get much going with his opportunities. Heading into a Week 7 matchup against the Jets, it's possible that a potential change at quarterback from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson could impact Austin positively, but fantasy managers should exercise caution before trying to fit him into lineups based on his inconsistent usage and production so far in 2024.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Logs just one catch in loss
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Austin secured one of two targets for six yards during Sunday's 20-17 loss to the Cowboys.
Although Austin was on the field for 76 percent of the of the Steelers' offensive snaps Sunday -- which ranked second among the team's wide receivers -- he was held to just one catch for the fourth time in five appearances this season. The 2022 fourth-rounder had tallied double-digit receiving yards in his two outings before Sunday's prime-time matchup, but he's had a limited target share for most of the year so far.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Held to one catch in defeat
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Austin secured his lone target for 17 yards during Sunday's 27-24 loss to Indianapolis.
Austin tallied a career-high 95 receiving yards during last week's win over the Chargers, but he didn't see as much work during Sunday's Week 4 defeat. Despite his encouraging performance Week 3, Austin has been limited to just one catch in three of the first four games of the regular season and hasn't yet established himself as a consistent fantasy option.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Not on injury report
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Austin (undisclosed) was not listed on Wednesday's injury report.
Austin spent time in the blue medical tent late during Sunday's win over the Broncos, but he isn't carrying an official injury as Week 3 practice kicks off. In addition to returning five punts for 27 yards versus Denver, Austin reeled in one of two targets for six yards. He'll fill a depth role at receiver for Pittsburgh in Week 3 against the Chargers.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Targeted twice against Atlanta
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Austin secured one of two targets for seven yards during Sunday's 18-10 win over Atlanta.
The Steelers' offense struggled to generate much production during Sunday's low-scoring matchup, but Austin was one of three wide receivers to draw at least one target. Austin impressed during offseason activities, but it's unclear whether he'll develop into a fantasy-relevant option in 2024 after securing 17 of 30 targets for 180 yards and a touchdown while appearing in every game last year.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Paces team in receiving yards
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Austin secured two of his three targets for 49 yards during Friday's 20-12 preseason loss to the Texans.
Austin had a limited impact on offense in 2023, securing 17 of 30 targets for 180 yards and a touchdown while rushing 11 times for 57 yards and another score. However, the Steelers lost Diontae Johnson, Allen Robinson and Miles Boykin during the offseason, so there should be more targets available during the 2024 campaign. Austin impressed during OTAs and minicamp this spring and has carried that momentum into the start of training camp, showcasing his versatility by lining up on the outside as well as in the slot. While the Steelers also have several other receivers competing for targets during the preseason, Austin had a strong start Friday by leading the team in receiving yards.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Building momentum
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Austin has continued his momentum from spring practices into training camp, according to Alan Saunders of Steelers Now.
A 2022 fourth-round pick, Austin missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury and then got just 30 targets and 11 carries last year. He's now part of a wide-open competition for WR roles behind No. 1 George Pickens, with the other leading candidates being Van Jefferson and rookie third-round pick Roman Wilson. Austin is one of the smallest players in the league at 5-foot-9, 162 pounds, but he's reportedly been getting some work on the perimeter in addition to expected slot reps.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Held in check in 2023
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Austin secured 17 of 30 targets for 180 yards and a touchdown while rushing 11 times for 57 yards and a touchdown over 17 games in 2023.
Austin had a relatively solid start to the season with double-digit receiving yards in each of the first four games, but he logged single-digit receiving yards in 11 of the final 13 weeks of the year and was held without a catch in five consecutive games to close out the regular season. The 24-year-old missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury, so it was encouraging to see him appear in every game in 2023. However, he'll need to get more involved in the passing game if he hopes to be a fantasy-relevant option.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Scores first rushing touchdown
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Austin failed to secure either of his targets while rushing once for seven yards and a touchdown during Saturday's 34-11 win over the Bengals.
Austin hasn't been a major part of the Steelers offense for most of the 2023 campaign, but he reached the end zone during Saturday's blowout win on an end-around run in the first half for his first career rushing touchdown. Over 10 appearances since Pittsburgh's Week 6 bye, Austin has secured five of eight targets for 37 yards while rushing eight times for 46 yards and a touchdown.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Two touches in Week 10
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Austin secured his lone target for three yards while rushing once for six yards during the Steelers' 23-19 win over the Packers on Sunday.
Austin has recorded at least one rushing attempt in four consecutive games, but his fantasy impact has still been limited. Over his four appearances since the Steelers' Week 6 bye, he's secured three of four targets for 22 yards while rushing six times for 27 yards. Unless several of Pittsburgh's receivers deal with injuries at some point, Austin doesn't have much fantasy relevance.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Limited production Sunday
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Austin secured both of his targets for 19 yards while rushing twice for 10 yards during the Steelers' 20-10 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.
Austin saw slightly more playing time Sunday with 16 offensive snaps after being on the field for just seven last week. He tied his second-highest total of the season with four touches, but he was unable to generate much yardage in the defeat. The 2022 fourth-rounder has secured 14 of 24 targets for 162 yards and a touchdown while rushing five times for 14 yards over the first seven games of the season.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Plays seven offensive snaps
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Austin rushed once for one yard during the Steelers' 24-17 win over the Rams on Sunday.
Austin scored his first career touchdown via a long reception against the Raiders in Week 3, but his workload has dropped off over the last few games. He's been targeted just once over the last two matchups and played a season-low seven snaps Sunday with Diontae Johnson back in action. As long as the Steelers' other receivers remain healthy, Austin is unlikely to be a reliable fantasy option.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: No receptions in win
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Austin failed to secure his lone target during the Steelers' 17-10 win over the Ravens on Sunday.
Austin was held without a catch for the first time this season during the Steelers' Week 5 win, but he saw a slight decrease in playing time since he was evaluated for a concussion during the game before being cleared to return. The 2022 fourth-rounder had an encouraging Week 3 performance by securing two of six targets for 72 yards and a touchdown, but he's had limited fantasy value in his other appearances this year.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Targeted four times on MNF
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Austin secured one of four targets for 10 yards while rushing once for minus-two yards during the Steelers' 26-22 win over the Browns on Monday.
Pittsburgh's offense struggled to generate much production once again Monday, and Austin was held in check even though Diontae Johnson (hamstring) was unavailable. However, Austin saw an increased snap count in the narrow win, playing 76 percent of the team's offensive snaps after playing 56 percent in Week 1. Austin's playing time should remain elevated over the next few weeks since Johnson is on injured reserve, but Monday's performance showed that his increased snaps won't necessarily translate to an uptick in offensive output.
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Steelers' Calvin Austin: Should see added opportunities
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With Diontae Johnson expected to miss time with a hamstring injury, Austin is on track to see increased opportunities in the Steelers' passing game, Teresa Varley of the team's official site reports.
It remains to be seen how long Johnson will be sidelined, but he's not expected to play Monday night against the Browns, at a minimum. In that context, Austin has a chance to yield fantasy utility in deeper formats, while seeing an increased profile in a WR corps that also includes George Pickens and Allen Robinson. In the Steelers' Week 1 loss to the 49ers, Austin logged 35 snaps (Johnson saw 27 snaps prior to being injured) en route to catching all six of his targets for 37 yards.
