WR Germie Bernard broke out in Week 6, catching 11 of 12 targets for 87 yards and a TD. His 25.7 PPR points made him the WR3 on the week. Roman Wilson went on IR and Ben Skowronek was ruled out, so Bernard moved inside, playing 61% of his snaps from the slot after a 44% rate over the first five weeks. He led the Steelers with 54 routes and drew a 28% target share. He and DK Metcalf combined for 27 of Pittsburgh’s 43 targets.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact
Bernard’s first start came in Week 5, when he caught 6 of 9 targets for 80 yards and finished as the WR21. In Week 6 he added three targets, five catches and a TD while moving to the slot. With Wilson on IR, that role should stay his for now.
Pittsburgh’s shorthanded receiver room funneled targets to the top two. Brandon Smith, elevated from the practice squad, played 41 snaps as the third WR but drew zero targets on 28 routes. Kaden Wetjen, the only other WR on the roster, still hasn’t been used on offense. Bernard earned a target on 22% of his routes and caught 11 of 12, though the slot role kept him short at 7.9 yards per catch. He was a popular waiver pickup last week and should be rostered in every league now.
The Saints allow the 22nd-most adjusted PPR points to WRs (29.2). However, they ranked 24th in our pass defense power rankings heading into Week 6, with a 25.8 pass DVOA. Cleveland is the tougher test in Week 8. The Browns ranked eighth in pass defense power (-2.8 DVOA), despite allowing the 11th-most PPR points to WRs. Bernard should be added everywhere and is a WR3 with WR2 upside against New Orleans before Pittsburgh’s Week 9 bye.
