Eli Heidenreich Fantasy Stats

Former Navy star Eli Heidenreich is listed as an RB/WR with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he was assigned a RB number (No. 29) and has been working with the RBs during individual drills and "overwhelmingly lined up" in the backfield during team drills during offseason workouts, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. RBs coach Ramon Chinyoung Sr. called Heidenreich the "Swiss Navy Knife," but how much the Steelers open up their playbook in 2026 under new head coach Mike McCarthy might ultimately determine whether the 22-year-old will have a shot to make the 53-man roster for the regular season. How well he performs in pass protection, something Heidenreich wasn't asked to do much in college, could determine his fate early in his rookie season. DeFabo thinks Heidenreich will need to play his way onto Pittsburgh's roster during training camp, and it might take an injury for that to happen. Most likely, the former Midshipman will start his NFL career on the Steelers' practice squad.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Navy running back prospect Eli Heidenreich with the 230th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. A three-year contributor in college, Heidenreich posted elite numbers in the passing game. Last season, he had 499 rushing yards, 51 catches, 941 receiving yards, and nine total touchdowns. He also set a new all-time program record with six touchdown receptions in a single season. The pass-catching numbers are very impressive, and he should continue to have a role on passing downs at the next level. There's a decent chance that he'll be able to carve out some third-down snaps in the Steelers' backfield behind Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle.