Player
Calvin Austin III
WR
The yards-per-game trajectory (16.4 → 32.2 → 26.6) shows the 2024 step was real but the 2025 dip means he hasn't kicked the door fully open — typical WR3 ceiling, not a WR1 climb.
Austin's per-game receiving has barely moved across 3 PIT seasons — 16.4 → 32.2 → 26.6 yards/game.
TrendCalvin Austin III regular-season production by year
| Year | G | Rec | Yds | TDs | Yds/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 11 | 17 | 180 | 1 | 16.4 |
| 2024 | 17 | 36 | 548 | 4 | 32.2 |
| 2025 | 14 | 31 | 372 | 3 | 26.6 |
Receiving yards by year
| Season | Yards |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 180 |
| 2024 | 548 |
| 2025 | 372 |
Why it matters. The yards-per-game trajectory (16.4 → 32.2 → 26.6) shows the 2024 step was real but the 2025 dip means he hasn't kicked the door fully open — typical WR3 ceiling, not a WR1 climb.
6 different QBs have thrown him a pass — Rodgers, Wilson, Pickett, Fields, Rudolph, Trubisky.
AnomalyCareer targets by PIT quarterback
| QB | Targets | Catches | Yards | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Rodgers | 55 | 29 | 342 | 3 |
| Russell Wilson | 43 | 27 | 406 | 3 |
| Kenny Pickett | 24 | 13 | 143 | 1 |
| Justin Fields | 17 | 10 | 167 | 1 |
| Mason Rudolph | 10 | 6 | 45 | 1 |
| Mitchell Trubisky | 4 | 4 | 37 | 0 |
Why it matters. Sustained chemistry is a major receiver development factor — Austin has had to re-learn a new QB voice every single year, which helps explain why the breakout never fully compounded.
67% of Austin's career receiving TDs (6 of 9) came on plays of 20+ yards — pure deep-threat scoring.
RareCalvin Austin III career receiving TDs by play length
| TD play length | Count |
|---|---|
| 72 yards | 1 |
| 55 yards | 1 |
| 29 yards | 1 |
| 26 yards | 1 |
| 23 yards | 2 |
| 18 yards | 1 |
| 17 yards | 1 |
| 7 yards | 1 |
Why it matters. Two-thirds of his scoring comes downfield, not on schemed slot looks — usage pattern for a vertical specialist, which sets the ceiling on red-zone target volume.
His 2024 4 TDs as a WR3 was 2nd-most by any PIT receiver that year.
ComparisonPIT 2024 receiving TD leaders
| Player | TDs |
|---|---|
| Pat Freiermuth | 7 |
| Calvin Austin III | 4 |
| George Pickens | 3 |
Why it matters. Out-scoring Pickens — the supposed WR1 — in receiving TDs signaled red-zone trust in Austin's vertical game, even though the season-yards gap (548 vs Pickens) stayed wide.
He's been to the playoffs in 3 of his 3 healthy seasons — all PIT WC losses.
SplitAustin playoff appearances
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2023 | WC L |
| 2024 | WC L |
| 2025 | WC L |
Why it matters. Three straight WC exits is the defining frame of Austin's early career — every playoff snap he's taken has been in a losing effort, which colors his postseason resume regardless of personal stat lines.
His career-high is just 95 yards (Week 3 2024 vs LAC) — he's never cracked the 100-yard mark in 42 NFL games.
MilestoneCalvin Austin III: top 5 single-game receiving lines
| Year | Wk | Opp | Rec | Yds | TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 | LAC | 4 | 95 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | CLE | 3 | 78 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 | LV | 2 | 72 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | NYJ | 4 | 70 | 1 |
| 2024 | 15 | PHI | 5 | 65 | 0 |
Why it matters. A WR with 3 seasons and no 100-yard game is a clear secondary-option profile — every breakout flash has been deep-shot dependent rather than steady volume, capping his fantasy ceiling.
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