Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is coming off of a tremendous 2018 campaign in which he hauled in 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns, but he did that as the No. 2 receiver.
Antonio Brown was the Steelers' No. 1 wideout for each of Smith-Schuster's first two seasons in the NFL, but now that Brown is playing in Oakland, Smith-Schuster will get his first crack at being the top guy in 2019.
Article Continues BelowHe will get his first chance to shine in Pittsburgh's season opener against the New England Patriots on Sunday, and All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who will be shading Smith-Schuster throughout the game, isn't sure if the youngster is ready to take on such a big role:
If you think this is a diss, it's not, because Gilmore is right.
He isn't saying that Smith-Schuster isn't capable of carrying the load as the No. 1; he is just stating that he hasn't proven he can do it yet, which is a fact.
Most likely, Smith-Schuster will be just fine in that role, as he is an uber-talented player coming off a Pro Bowl season, but it does remain to be seen how he handles all of the double teams defenses are about to throw at him now that Brown is no longer playing on the other side.