Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Players Whose Stock Has Gone Up


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5 Players Whose Stock Has Gone Up

Steelers
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Believe it or not, there are actually some players on the Pittsburgh Steelers that have looked good during the team’s 0-4 start to the 2013 NFL regular season. Amidst the Steelers’ injury woes, inconsistent play in all phases of the game, and questionable coaching, a few players still have managed to shed some light on a hazy start to the year.

Yes, the offense’s running game and aerial attack has been held back by the atrocious play of the front five. Yes, the offense has committed 11 turnovers, while the defense has yet to cause a turnover of their own. Yes, the defense’s pass rush has been virtually nonexistent. Yes, the special teams has looked below average. Yes, even the coaching staff’s inability to pull things together has been problematic.

Even though the offense’s stagnant stage, the defense’s inability to get takeaways, the special team’s mediocrity and the coaching staff’s sticky situation has prevented the Steelers from win No. 1, there’s still some hope for their season.

Despite all of the chaos, Pittsburgh will have to build on the few things that have gone right for them so far this year in order to get things going in the right direction. The play and resurgence of some key veterans and the late arrival of a rookie has given Steeler fans a reason to believe that the season isn’t over.

There wasn’t much to pick from, but looking over the Steeler’s entire roster, I have selected five players whose stock in on the rise after the first quarter of the season.

Clyde A. Speller is an NFL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClydeASpeller, or add him to your network on Google+

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5. Ben Roethlisberger

Steelers
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Despite being responsible for nine of the Steelers’ 11 turnovers, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger still is the team’s most valuable player, and has proven so even in the team’s four losses. Roethlisberger is fifth in the league in passing with 1,231 yards, with 789 of those yards coming in the last two games.

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4. Troy Polamalu

Steelers
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past couple of season, safety Troy Polamalu struggled with injuries, and many wondered if his career was soon to be over. This year, Polamalu has looked much better than he has in the recent past, and could be returning back to his ball-hawking ways very soon.

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3. Heath Miller

Steelers
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sport

After having offseason reconstructive knee surgery, tight end Heath Miller added a much-needed spark to a team that only scored a total of 19 points in the first two weeks of the season. Though Miller has yet to find the end zone, he is already the team’s leading tight end with nine receptions for 105 yards.

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2. Antonio Brown

Steelers
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, wide receiver Antonio Brown was given a hefty contract extension, and this year, he’s showing that he’s worth every penny. After putting up modest numbers in Weeks 1 and 2, Brown responded with career performances with 196 yards receiving and 12 receptions in Weeks 3 and 4 respectively.

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1. Le'Veon Bell

Steelers
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Even though he’s only played one game this season, rookie running back Le’Veon Bell has breathed new life into the Steelers’ running game, and in their offense as a whole. Bell scored the team’s first two rushing touchdowns of the year in Week 4, and is already the Steelers’ second-leading rusher. In his short amount of time on the field, the second-round draft pick has already solidified his spot as Pittsburgh’s feature back.


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