Russell Wilson's Calf May Make Justin Fields Pittsburgh's Starting QB

Approximately a week after the months-long quarterback competition for the starting job in Pittsburgh between Justin Fields and Russell Wilson was decided in favor of the latter, the former may take the field in Week 1 as QB1 for the Steelers on Sunday.

Practicing in advance of Pittsburgh opening their season against the Falcons in Atlanta, Wilson aggravated a lingering calf injury that previously caused him to miss time on Thursday and now is in danger of being held out of Sunday's game.

If Wilson, who originally injured the calf while pushing blocking sleds around the practice field even though he should never be blocking anyone, is forced to sit out, Fields, who completed 19-of-27 passes (70%) for 199 yards across 56 preseason snaps, will step in as Pittsburgh's starting quarterback.

Speaking on ESPN’s Unsportsmanlike Conduct on Friday, Dan Graziano confirmed Wilson's injury was an aggravation of the calf that previously kept him sidelined in training camp.

"They did tests yesterday, they’ll do more tests today, and we’ll see," he said. "There is a chance he doesn’t – I mean, it was the same calf that knocked him out for the first couple weeks of training camp. He did not have it before practice,” Graziano said. “He did a walkthrough with the first team. He did individual drills and then when it was time to do the team drills yesterday, Justin Fields was playing with the ones and Russell was not on the field."

A legit dual-threat who has been more effective as a runner than a passer during his first three years in the NFL, Fields took a lot of sacks and turned the ball over frequently when he was quarterbacking the Bears. That being said, a fresh start in Pittsburgh could be just what the doctor ordered for the former Ohio State star and a start against the Falcons may give him the chance to seize the QB1 job from Wilson.

Discussing Pittsburgh's quarterback situation on ESPN’s Get Up on Friday, Dan Orlovsky called starting against Atlanta "the best opportunity" Fields is "ever going to have in his career."

“It’s the opportunity that many of us have been clamoring for," he said. "It’s, I think, the best opportunity for Pittsburgh to be a competitive football team this year. It’s not the preseason, it’s when it matters now, and Justin’s finally got a team around him that can give him the opportunity."

When Pittsburgh's next practice report comes out, it'll tell us if Wilson's balky calf will give Fields the opportunity to start against the Falcons.