Heidenreich should only be drafted in very deep leagues and Dynasty leagues. The seventh-round pick out of Navy is a unique prospect. Though listed as a running back, he is much more than that. Heidenreich caught 51 balls for 941 yards and six touchdowns for the Midshipmen last season. He carried 77 times and averaged 6.5 yards per carry. He is a multipurpose offensive weapon, but will likely struggle to get playing time as a rookie.
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Steelers' Eli Heidenreich: Works mostly at RB during OTAs
Rotowire
Heidenreich, who is currently listed as both a running back and wide receiver on the Steelers' official website, "overwhelmingly lined up in the backfield" in team drills and worked mostly with the running backs for individual drills during OTAs, Mike DeFabo of The Athletic reports.
Heidenreich excelled as both a wideout and running back in college with Navy, and Steelers running backs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. has fittingly referred to the rookie as a "Swiss Navy knife." That seemingly boosts Heidenreich's chances of making the opening 53-man roster, but DeFabo still sees the seventh-round draft pick as more likely to begin his NFL career on the practice squad. Still, Heidenreich is an intriguing young player due to his unique skill set, which also includes the ability to return kicks. Should Pittsburgh decide to open up the playbook more, Heidenreich could fit in as a change-of-pace weapon, though he's probably going to need to prove capable in pass protection -- something he was rarely asked to do while at Navy.
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Steelers' Eli Heidenreich: Listed as both RB and WR
Rotowire
The Steelers list Heidenreich as both a running back and wide receiver on their official website, Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com reports.
The team roster and Heidenreich's player page both show 'RB/WR' as his position, reflecting uncertainty about his NFL future after a three-year run at Navy yielded 169 carries and 109 catches (for 3,151 yards and 23 TDs). A 4.44 40 at the combine confirmed that Heidenreich has NFL-caliber athleticism, but he's thin for a running back (6-feet, 198 pounds) and doesn't have much experience running routes from the perimeter. While there's always some chance the Steelers create a unique role in their offense for Heidenreich, the more likely reality for a seventh-round pick (230th overall) is that he'll need to show value on special teams and/or as the backup for a more conventional role (e.g., third-down back, slot receiver).
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Steelers' Eli Heidenreich: Finds home with Steelers
Rotowire
The Steelers selected Heidenrich in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 230th overall.
Heidenrich is arguably the most versatile back in the draft, racking up not only 77 carries for 499 yards and three touchdowns, but also adding 51 catches for a whopping 941 yards and six touchdowns in a triple-option Navy offense that doesn't typically throw the ball that often. He figures to be more of a receiving back similar to a Danny Woodhead or Darren Sproles but could be a unique player with a creative offensive coordinator. Heidenrich's top-end speed isn't off the charts, and he's not the most elusive back in the draft. He'll have to earn his way up the depth chart in the Steel City and may be asked to contribute on special teams to keep his spot on the 53-man roster.
