According to Steelers beat writer Mike DeFabo, rookie WR Germie Bernard “showed confident hands and good body control, especially near the sideline” this offseason. That's on brand for Bernard, who exited a four-year college career with a low 2.5% drop rate.
What They're Saying
DeFabo also highlighted Bernard’s ability to play across the formation while projecting him to settle in as a “big slot.” That doesn’t mean Week 1 snaps are guaranteed, though.
“He also will be in a bit of an ongoing competition through training camp and into the season,” DeFabo wrote via The Athletic. “During the offseason, Roman Wilson got almost all of the first-team reps in three-receiver sets. Bernard’s challenge will be to form chemistry with Rodgers (who isn’t the most rookie-friendly QB) and push Wilson for playing time. One way or another, Bernard should definitely have a role in the rotation this year. It’s just a matter of how much he plays and how often he’s deployed in high-leverage situations.”
2026 Fantasy Football Impact
Pittsburgh will enter the season with Michael Pittman and D.K. Metcalf atop the depth chart, but Bernard should eventually win the No. 3 role. While we didn’t love his dynasty profile, he brings a pro-ready skill set. Plus, there hasn’t been any reason to believe a Wilson breakout is coming. He didn’t play as a rookie, then totaled only 12 catches across 13 games last season.
Our projections have Bernard for a modest 13.8% target share, a distant third among Steelers pass catchers. It’s not a particularly attractive spot, though. Aaron Rodgers is a long shot to rebound at age 42 after an underwhelming 2025. Among 38 QBs with 200+ dropbacks, Rodgers ranked 18th in adjusted completion rate, 29th in yards per attempt, and 31st in completion rate over expected.
That leaves Bernard as a late-round flier who’ll likely need a Metcalf or Pittman injury to reach fantasy relevance.
