Week 10 injury report: Steelers’ WR Chase Claypool ruled out

The Detroit Lions Week 10 opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers, have declared their injury designations and they will be without their best pass catching option, wide receiver Chase Claypool. There are several other Steelers injured, but despite being on a quick turnaround (they played last Monday night) none of them carry injury designations into this weekend’s game.

Let’s take a look at the Steelers’ injury report, with the starters bolded.

Ruled out

• WR Chase Claypool (toe)

Claypool injured his toe and was unable to finish the Steelers game last Monday night. Initial projections were not good, but mid-week it was reported that his injury was more week-to-week, rather than season-ending.

The Steelers run their passing game through the talented sophomore and with him out—along with JuJu Smith-Schuster being on injured reserve—they will likely funnel passes through Diontae Johnson and their tight ends, along with a heavy dose of Najee Harris in the running game. Additionally, the Steelers are expected to turn to James Washington as the primary player to pick up starting receiver snaps.

No injury designation

• QB Ben Roethlisberger (pectoral/right shoulder)
• RB Najee Harris (foot)
• TE Eric Ebron (hamstring)
• C Kendrick Green (hamstring)
• DL Cameron Heyward (ankle)
• DL Isaiah Buggs (hip)
• LB Robert Spillane (ankle)

Rothlisberger typically gets a three-day rest period following a game, due to age and lingering injuries, so missing a Thursday practice didn’t raise any eyebrows in Pittsburgh. He was back in full on Friday, and with no injury designation, is expected to start.

Harris was a surprise addition to the injury report on Thursday—he was not on the estimated report for Wednesday’s walkthrough—but he got in a full practice on Friday and appears ready to start.

Ebron missed the last two weeks with a hamstring injury but was able to practice in full all week. In his absence, rookie Pat Freiermuth had assumed the starting tight end role and performed very well. So, it will be interesting to see if the Steelers are willing to drop him back into the starting lineup, or if they will split the role as he reacclimates.

Heyward and Buggs were both full participants on Friday, and with no injury designations, they appear ready to start on the Steelers’ menacing defensive frontline.