Pittsburgh Steelers rookie offensive lineman Troy Fautanu (knee) suffered an MCL sprain in the team's preseason debut on Friday, but it was expected to be a minor injury. After an update from Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it looks like the rookie will only miss two weeks. While that means he's likely to miss most of the preseason, he should be ready to go when the regular season starts. Fautanu is still listed as second on the depth chart behind Dan Moore Jr. right now and this injury may delay his shot at getting into the starting lineup. The Steelers used their first-round pick on the Washington product, so there's still an expectation of getting him in the lineup to help boost their run blocking.
Troy Fautanu Suffers Minor MCL Sprain In Preseason Opener
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Troy Fautanu (knee) suffered a minor MCL sprain during Friday's preseason opener. The injury is not expected to be serious for the team's first-round pick. The 20th overall pick in the 2024 draft made his preseason debut on Friday night but sustained a knee injury during the game. Fautanu was listed as the No. 2 left tackle behind Dan Moore Jr. on the team's first depth chart of the preseason. The initial plan was for Fautanu to demonstrate enough potential at right tackle during the preseason to secure the starting role, allowing 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones to shift to left tackle. However, this plan will be disrupted if Fautanu's injury sidelines him for an extended period. In his absence, Moore, who has been a starter in his first three seasons with Pittsburgh, is expected to return to the starting lineup. Fautanu was the best run-blocker in the draft, so running back Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren hope he fully recovers soon to help boost their fantasy values.
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected offensive tackle Troy Fautanu with the 20th overall selection of the NFL draft. Fautanu is six feet four inches tall and has long arms, which gives him good balance in pass protection. The 23-year-old started 31 games for Washington, with 29 of them at left tackle and two at left guard. Russel Wilson will get some much-needed blindside protection with this selection. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren will also benefit from having Fautanu leading the way for them.
