Mason Rudolph

Rudolph appeared to be the leading candidate to serve as the Steelers' starting quarterback immediately after Ben Roethlisberger announced his retirement, but Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett subsequently joined the team during the offseason. While Rudolph will likely have an outside chance at earning the starting role during training camp, either Trubisky or Pickett seem more likely to claim the assignment. Rudolph has appeared in just seven games over the last two years and isn't guaranteed to win a roster spot to begin the 2022 season.

Rudolph filled in as a starter for most of the 2019 season after Ben Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending injury, but he returned to a backup role in 2020. He appeared in five games last year and completed 25 of his 43 passes for 324 yards, with two touchdowns and one interception. Roethlisberger re-signed with the Steelers on a one-year deal in March, so Rudolph should serve in a depth role once again during the 2021 campaign. Rudolph will also have to compete for the No. 2 job after Pittsburgh signed Dwayne Haskins in January.

A season-ending elbow injury to starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger forced Rudolph into action early in 2019 after going his entire rookie season without taking the field. Playing in 10 games -- including eight starts -- he performed adequately before dislocating his shoulder. Offseason surgery was successful, and he should be ready to step in again if Roethlisberger is not fully recovered from his own surgery. However, Rudolph's fantasy value is limited, as he would likely be on a short leash, facing competition from second-year quarterback Devlin Hodges.

Just as fellow QB Josh Dobbs did in his rookie season, Rudolph failed to take a single regular-season snap in 2018. The two will battle for the backup quarterback job behind Ben Roethlisberger this summer, with Rudolph listed behind Dobbs on the depth chart entering training camp. Roethlisberger is signed through the 2021 season, so even if Rudolph overtakes Dobbs, his fantasy utility is limited, so long as Pittsburgh's long-time franchise remains healthy.

A rookie third-round pick, Rudolph will back up Ben Roethlisberger this season. While Roethlisberger didn't miss time to injury last year, he's usually good for sitting out a game or two, which means Rudolph could actually see the field at some point. At 6-5, 235, Rudolph has the size, strength and willingness to stand strong in the pocket, able to withstand pressure to make plays. He is an accurate downfield passer but lacks arm strength, and while he quickly processes information, he played in a simplistic spread offense at Oklahoma State, which could slow his transition to the NFL. If he does play this season, he'll have two of the best weapons in football at his disposal in Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell, which is about as good as it gets for a rookie.