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Ed Zurga/Associated Press

Scheme: West Coast/Hybrid

Starter: Antonio Brown

NFL1000 Scores: 72.7/100

NFL1000 Position Ranking: 5/155

By his lofty standards, 2016 might have been a down year for Antonio Brown.

The Central Michigan product caught 106 passes for 1,284 yards and 12 touchdowns, but those numbers were down a bit from his 136 receptions for 1,834 yards in 2015. However, by any standard, Brown is one of the elite wide receivers in the NFL today. He is a master of his craft, with the ability to get open on every single route in the passing tree.

Brown is quick with his feet and keeps most defensive backs guessing as he enters and exits cuts on a given play. His well-rounded nature was on full display Thanksgiving night against the Indianapolis Colts, when he caught five passes for 91 yards and three touchdowns. On his first scoring play, he made a great adjustment to the ball in flight and manages to get both feet down for the score. On his second TD, he executes an out-and-up pattern to perfection, selling the defender on the short route and exploding down the field to get separation off the break.

But perhaps his true value shone on Christmas night, when the game and likely the division were on the line late in the contest against the Baltimore Ravens. Ben Roethlisberger hit Brown with a pass short of the goal line, but the receiver was able to fight his way into the end zone.

Brown is 28 and in the peak years of his career as a football player. In coordinator Todd Haley's versatile West Coast offense, the Steelers find many ways to get him involved, whether it's in the quick screen game, on shorter routes or on plays down the field. Brown is able to deliver in each situation and should continue putting up big numbers for the foreseeable future.

Starter: Darrius Heyward-Bey

NFL1000 Scores: 61.4/100

NFL1000 Position Ranking: 117/155

After posting a blazing 4.30 40-yard dash at the 2009 NFL combine, the Oakland Raiders selected Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall pick, making him the first WR selected in that draft.

Despite his early selection, the Maryland product has never quite lived up to the expectations. His best season came in 2011, when he caught 64 passes for 975 yards and four touchdowns with the Raiders. Oakland released him in 2013, and he spent one year in Indianapolis before signing with the Steelers as a free agent in 2014.

While in Pittsburgh, he has served as a reserve receiver. In 2015 he appeared in 16 games and caught 21 passes for 314 yards and two scores. Last season, he saw action in only 10 games as he battled an ankle injury midway through the year. While healthy, he caught six passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns. With his speed, Heyward-Bey remains a vertical threat, but injuries and inconsistency have plagued a once-promising career.

Backup: Sammie Coates

NFL1000 Scores: 64.2/100

NFL100 Position Ranking: 83/155

Similar to Heyward-Bey, inconsistency has been one of Sammie Coates' hallmarks, albeit at a much earlier time in his career. Drafted in the third round of the 2015 draft, Coates appeared in six games as a rookie, notching one catch in Week 4 against the Ravens. But he had a big opportunity last season, as Martavis Bryant was suspended for the year. Coates saw action in 14 games with five starts, and he caught 21 passes for 435 yards and two scores, both of which came against the Jets in Week 5.

The Steelers have used Coates primarily as a vertical threat, but at times in 2016, he struggled to get separation on these routes. In addition, he has mixed results when facing press coverage, and he has more success when running routes against zone or off coverage. Coates also struggled with drops at times last season. He underwent surgery for a sports hernia in February, and perhaps he can show more growth in 2017 as he enters the season fully healthy.

Backup: Martavis Bryant

NFL1000 Scores: Did not have enough snaps to qualify

The league suspended Bryant for the entire 2016 season for violating its substance-abuse policy. But he's expected to be reinstated for the upcoming year, per Alex Marvez of Sporting News, and gives the Steelers’ receiving corps a bit of a boost. When on the field, Bryant is a dynamic playmaker, with the speed (4.42 40-yard dash) and size (6'4" 211 lbs) to serve as an ideal X receiver across from Brown.

Backup: Justin Hunter

NFL1000 Scores: Did not have enough snaps to qualify

The Titans selected Justin Hunter with the 34th overall pick in the 2013 draft, and they expected him to play a big role in their growth. However, Hunter never reached his potential in Tennessee. As a rookie, he caught 18 passes for 354 yards and four touchdowns. After he suffered a fractured ankle late in 2015, the Titans placed him on injured reserve.

Before the start of the 2016 season, Tennessee waived Hunter. He spent a few weeks with the Dolphins before the Bills signed him after placing Sammy Watkins on IR. Pittsburgh signed the former Volunteer as a free agent.

Hunter has prototypical size for an X receiver, standing 6'4" and weighing 203 pounds. But despite his size and his speed—he ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at his combine—he has never lived up to the potential he showed in college.

For example, Hunter was targeted three times in Week 15 against the Browns. Two of his targets were on red-zone fade routes, the perfect scheme for a player with his size and his skill set. On both, he failed to complete the play. Earlier in the season, during Week 13, he saw four targets against Oakland and struggled to get consistent separation. He even bobbled the football at the catch point on his one reception.

Team Need: 3/10

Potential Draft Fits: JuJu Smith-Schuster (USC Trojans); Carlos Henderson (Louisiana Tech Bulldogs); Zay Jones (East Carolina Pirates)