The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into the fifth week of the 2026 regular season and are back home to face the Indianapolis Colts. With four inactive lists down for the season, it could be slightly easier to predict outside of the injuries if it were not for new players being added to the 53-man roster. For Week 5, the Steelers have two players ruled out (plus one who had his 21-day window opened this week but is not back on the 53-man roster) and two players listed as questionable.

The rules in the 2026 season when it comes to the players active on game day have been carried over from the last six seasons with one additional caveat introduced three years ago. As long as a team has eight offensive linemen who will be dressing for the game, they will have 48 players on their active roster. If the Steelers elevate any players from their practice squad, their inactive list would increase by the same number of players. The one change from a few seasons ago is one quarterback on the inactive list can be designated as the “third quarterback” and will be in uniform, but they can only enter the game if the other two quarterbacks are injured. The player must be on the 53-man roster and will be designated when the inactive list is released 90 minutes prior to kickoff.

Playing on Sunday, the Steelers have until 4 PM today to make any roster moves or practice squad elevations. If there is any roster move done later today, an update may be added.

Game Status

OUT:

WR Michael Pittman Jr. (foot)
CB Jamel Dean (ankle)
*S DeShon Elliott (knee)

*Not on the 53-man roster

QUESTIONABLE:

RB Rico Dowdle (toe)
S Jalen Ramsey (wrist)

Here are the possibilities to end up inactive for the Steelers against the Colts:

Definitely:

WR Michael Pittman Jr.– The only way Pittman doesn’t land on the inactive list is if he ends up on IR instead.

CB Jamel Dean– I think the Steelers are encouraged that Dean won’t be out too long, but he won’t be there this week.

Most Likely:

QB Will Howard– What else is there to say…?

QB Drew Allar– About either of the young quarterbacks?

Possibly:

DT Kevin Jobity Jr.– It looks like a “two dogs, one bone“ situation on the defensive line this week. Jobity has a chance to play…

DT Gabriel Rubio– But Rubio, being a draft pick from this past year, might have a slight advantage.

CB Terell Smith– He was just added to the Steelers 53-man roster off of Washington’s practice squad. Is he ready to play?

CB Sean Murphy-Bunting– Substitute Tampa for Washington and it’s the same explanation as Smith.

S Jalen Ramsey– He’s questionable for the game, but he was last week as well. I think Ramsey gets on the field, but it’s not certain.

RB Rico Dowdle– That dislocated toe sounds nasty. Is it really worth it to get Dowdle back this week?

RB Eli Heidenreich– Every game Rico Dowdle has missed, the Steelers have amplified the running back room from other places and had Heidenreich inactive.

Unlikely:

None– Is there anyone left who it could be?

Projected Inactive List:

Will Howard+
Drew Allar
Kevin Jobity Jr.
Jamel Dean
Michael Pittman Jr.
Rico Dowdle*
Eli Heidenreich*
Terell Smith*

+3rd quarterback and will dress

This one is not easy at all.

First, I included eight names on this one because there has to be at least a decent chance the Steelers place Michael Pittman on IR. If so, and they elevate two players, there would need to be this many names. I don’t know that it would be two players plus a signing, because the numbers just don’t seem to work out. Just in case, I included an eighth name of one of the two new cornerbacks. Why did I pick Smith? Because I recognized Murphy-Bunting‘s name before the Steelers signed him and that’s the only reason. I really have no idea. But in all honesty, I don’t think it’s going to come to that.

My prediction before roster moves are made later today is that Jalen Ramsey will play but Rico Dowdle will not. For that reason, the Steelers will have Lew Nichols and Doneiko Slaughter ready to go again from the practice squad. While some have been reporting that Slaughter can’t be elevated, that does not appear to be the case according to NFL.com. Here is what it says about practice quad elevations, and pay special attention to the very last sentence:

I assume the Steelers would like to have as many cornerbacks available just to see how things are going to work with whomever they have to put on the field. Yes, it’s more important to slow down Jonathan Taylor, but I think they have the liberty of having all of those players active.

As for the defensive lineman, I’m hoping Rubio gets the helmet.

The moves the Steelers make ahead of 4 PM today will ultimately paint more of a picture of how this in active this might go down. So we are once again in “wait-and-see“ mode…

As always, feel free to list your projected inactives in the comments below.