Steelers move Michael Pittman Jr. to injured reserve with foot injury

The Pittsburgh Steelers are placing wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. on short-term injured reserve with a foot injury, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Saturday afternoon. A short-term IR stint means he will miss at least four games.

What is confirmed

The Steelers had already ruled Pittman out for Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts, his former team. He did not practice Thursday or Friday, according to the team's injury report.

Head coach Mike McCarthy said Thursday that Pittman aggravated the injury in Wednesday's practice. "It's the same foot, so it's going to be a multiple-week injury," McCarthy said, adding that the team was still evaluating his roster spot. Pittman has been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot, and the same problem kept him out of the Week 2 loss at New England.

What the IR move means

The IR placement is the step McCarthy hinted at on Thursday. The team has not yet posted the transaction, so the exact timing could shift slightly, but the four-game minimum is the important part for owners.

Pittsburgh traded for Pittman in March and signed him to a three-year, $59 million extension, per ESPN. The return has been slow so far: seven catches on 12 targets for 89 yards.

Who plays instead

DK Metcalf stays the clear top receiver. Local coverage from ESPN, TribLive and PennLive points to Roman Wilson moving into the No. 2 role, with rookie Germie Bernard in line for more snaps.

What RSO owners should do

If Pittman is still in your lineup for Sunday, take him out. Move him to an IR slot if your league has one so you do not burn a roster spot for a month.

Do not cut him in a contract league. He is signed through a long deal in Pittsburgh, and a foot issue that has flared twice is a reason to lower expectations for his return, not to drop him outright.

Wilson is the best pickup target here, and Bernard is a deeper-league stash. Watch how targets split behind Metcalf on Sunday, and watch for the official transaction and any update on whether the foot needs more than rest.