Steelers Rule Out Brandin Echols, Ben Skowronek for Paris
The Pittsburgh Steelers will enter the NFL’s first regular-season game in Paris without two important depth and special-teams pieces. Cornerback Brandin Echols and wide receiver Ben Skowronek were ruled out Friday for Sunday’s Week 7 matchup with the New Orleans Saints.
What Pittsburgh confirmed Friday
Echols has a hamstring injury, while Skowronek is dealing with a calf injury. Both players were listed as nonparticipants Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The Steelers did not hold a Friday practice, so the final participation line was an estimation, but the out designations are official.
The rest of Pittsburgh’s Friday news was more favorable. Jalen Ramsey, T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith were all upgraded to full participation and carry no final game designation. Safety DeShon Elliott and running back Rico Dowdle are questionable.
Why Echols’ absence matters
Pittsburgh’s current depth chart lists Echols behind Ramsey at nickel cornerback. That means the Steelers still have their primary slot defender available, but they lose an experienced contingency option who can work inside or outside.
Echols has started 22 games and appeared in 73 across his first five NFL seasons. His value is less about changing the starting lineup and more about preserving the secondary’s flexibility if the Saints force Pittsburgh into extended sub-package work or an in-game injury creates an emergency.
The Steelers can lean on their broader cornerback group, but replacing a versatile reserve is rarely one-for-one. How Pittsburgh handles dime personnel and special teams will be more revealing than any nominal change to the starting three.
Skowronek leaves a wider hole than his fantasy totals suggest
Skowronek is listed as the backup behind DK Metcalf and has three receptions for 32 yards and one touchdown in four games this season. Those numbers do not make him a fantasy starter, but they undersell his game-day value.
The Steelers credit Skowronek with 41 special-teams tackles since the start of the 2023 season, tied for third-most in the NFL over that span. His absence removes an experienced coverage player and physical blocker while Pittsburgh is already managing a thinned receiver room.
Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson are on injured reserve. Germie Bernard and Kaden Wetjen therefore remain important depth options behind Metcalf, while Marquez Valdes-Scantling is on the practice squad. Pittsburgh could use more two-tight-end looks with Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington or ask the remaining receivers to absorb Skowronek’s rotational work.
Fantasy football impact
Neither absence creates a priority fantasy pickup. Skowronek’s role was more valuable to Pittsburgh than to fantasy lineups, and Echols was a reserve behind a healthy Ramsey.
Metcalf’s target outlook remains driven by his established place in the offense, not Skowronek’s absence. Bernard and Wetjen may see additional snaps, but managers should treat them as deep-league watch-list options until route participation and targets confirm a larger role. Freiermuth and Washington are the cleaner candidates to benefit if Pittsburgh compensates with heavier personnel.
Matchup impact against New Orleans
The Saints can test the Steelers’ defensive depth with quick throws, motion and matchup hunting, but Ramsey’s clearance keeps Pittsburgh’s preferred nickel structure intact. Echols being out becomes more significant if New Orleans sustains long drives or forces extra defensive backs onto the field.
Skowronek’s absence is most likely to show up in field position, coverage units and the smaller details of the receiver rotation. In an international game where travel, timing and hidden-yardage plays can matter, Pittsburgh will need replacements to handle those jobs without weakening the offense.
What to watch Sunday
The final inactive list will reveal whether Pittsburgh elevates additional receiver or defensive-back help. During the game, watch the nickel rotation behind Ramsey, special-teams coverage personnel and the snap distribution among Bernard, Wetjen, Freiermuth and Washington.
The bottom line: Pittsburgh’s stars largely escaped the final report, but Echols and Skowronek remove dependable depth from two units. The losses do not overturn the matchup, yet they narrow the Steelers’ margin if the Paris game becomes a test of substitutions, field position or secondary endurance.
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