Steelers vs Chiefs Injury Report – Updates on Najee Harris, Tyreek Hill, and Darrel Williams
- The Chiefs host the Steelers in an AFC wild card playoff game Sunday night
- The Steelers will get wide receiver JuJu Schuster-Smith back from shoulder surgery
- The Chiefs will again be without running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Chiefs are both relatively healthy going into the AFC wild card playoff game at 8:20 p.m. ET Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.
Steelers rookie running back Najee Harris had been listed as questionable as late as Friday because of an elbow injury but was cleared to play Saturday. Pittsburgh (9-7-1) will also get wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster back after he missed the final 12 games of the regular season following shoulder surgery.
The Chiefs (12-5), though, have concerns at running back. The Chiefs injury report states Clyde Edwards-Helaire (collarbone) has been ruled out. Backup Darrel Williams sustained a toe injury last week in the win over the Broncos in the regular-season finale in Denver but has been cleared to play. The Steelers on the other hand seem to be in the clear, as the Steelers injury report states no injuries.
The Steelers vs Chiefs odds have Kansas City as a whopping 12.5-point favorite.
Steelers Get Schuster-Smith Back
When Smith-Schuster was injured Oct. 10 in a win of the Denver Broncos, it was generally assumed he would not return this season. However, he made a quicker-than-expected recovery and will the give the underdog Steelers another weapon.
God answered my prayers & I’ve recovered from my season-ending shoulder injury earlier than expected. I can’t believe I get another chance to take the field with this team and play in a playoff game to keep our season alive. Steelers Nation, #HereWeGo! pic.twitter.com/SdAKl3SrYx
— JuJu Smith-Schuster (@TeamJuJu) January 15, 2022
Just how effective Smith-Schuster will be remains to be seen after a three-month layoff. He had 15 receptions for 129 yards in five games during the regular season and his season-best yardage total was 52 in an opening-week win over the Buffalo Bills.
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Steelers Injury Report
NOTE: Steelers report no injuries.
However, Smith-Schuster has been a favorite target of Ben Roethlisberger throughout his five-year career. He had 111 receptions in 2018 when he made the Pro Bowl then had 97 catches last season.
Having Harris available is also a plus for the Steelers, who were 29th in the NFL in rushing during the regular season. The rookie first-round draft pick from Alabama has rushed for 1,200 yards, caught 74 passes for 467 yards, and scored 10 touchdowns.
The Steelers vs Chiefs Props show that the oddsmakers expect Harris to be a key part of Pittsburgh’s offense.
With Harris’ removal Saturday, the Steelers now have no one on the injury report.
https://twitter.com/steelersketchup/status/1480314367942045702
Offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. (ankle), linebacker Rob Spillane (knee) and wide receiver James Washington (COVID-19/reserve list) are all expected to play after their status was in question early in the week.
Chiefs’ RB Depth Tested
Edward-Helaire also missed the last two regular season games. He was injured in the Chiefs’ 36-10 rout of the Steelers on Dec. 26 in Kansas City.
The second-year back was limited to just 10 games in the regular season because of injuries. He had 517 rushing yards along with 19 receptions for 219 yards.
Chiefs Injury Report
| Player | Position | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | RB | Collarbone | Out |
Williams has taken advantage of the extra playing time when Edwards-Helaire has been sidelined and leads the Chiefs in rushing with 558 yards and six touchdowns on 144 carries. Williams also has 47 catches for 452 yards and two scores.
WHAT. A. GRAB. 🤯
Darrel Williams STOLE that ball for the TD!
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/MGLxtnAvLx
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 15, 2021
Reserve running backs Derek Gore and Jerick McKinnon have gotten an uptick in snaps because of Edwards-Helaire’s injury. Gore has carried 51 times for 256 yards and two touchdown while McKinnon has 62 yards on 12 attempts.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was the Chiefs’ leading rusher against the Broncos with 54 yards on nine carries.
There was some question about wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s availability after he injured a heel during pregame warmups in Denver. However, he is a full go for Sunday.
How Could Steelers vs Chiefs Injuries Affect Betting Lines
Injuries haven’t affected the odds in this game. Edwards-Helaire is the only player listed on the injury report and Chiefs have already played six games without him this season.
The Chiefs opened as 13-point favorites and the line has gone down 0.5 point over the course of the week.
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John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
