The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2023 NFL season as one of the overlooked teams in the AFC. Even with a rookie quarterback, a leaky defense, and a subpar offensive line, the Steelers managed to finish 9-8 last year, and the team made significant improvements in the offseason.

First-round pick Broderick Jones and free agents Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig strengthen the offensive line, while offseason pickups Elandon Roberts and Nick Holcomb give the Steelers a much needed upgrade at the linebacker position.

Pittsburgh did not make too many additions at offensive skill positions — a trade for veteran wideout Allen Robinson being the only exception — but this young group will continue to improve as they gain experience and familiarity with each other in 2023.

We largely know what to expect from big-name players like T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick by now, but who are some underrated gems that could break out in 2023? Here's the inside scoop:

Steelers: 4 underrated sleepers who could break out in 2023 NFL season

Jaylen Warren

An undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State, Jaylen Warren surprisingly earned the backup running back spot behind Najee Harris and showed he was deserving of the role with an efficient rookie season. Warren averaged 4.9 yards per carry and 7.6 yards per reception — both at least 25% better than the marks posted by Najee Harris.

Harris finished fifth in the NFL with 272 carries in 2022 and averaged less than four yards per attempt while dealing with a foot injury. Coach Mike Tomlin will certainly place more trust in Jaylen Warren in 2023 as he looks to keep Najee Harris healthy. A more prominent role signals a breakout year for the second year back.

Calvin Austin III

A fourth-round pick in 2022, Calvin Austin missed the 2022 season with an injury but already has Steelers fans excited about his speed. Austin had a pair of 1,000-yard receiving seasons and 22 total touchdowns in his final two years at the University of Memphis and ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at last year's NFL Combine.

Calvin Austin is currently the Steelers' fourth receiver, yet he is the only true down-the-field threat among this group — giving the Pittsburgh offense a dimension it has sorely lacked in recent years.

George Pickens

Pickens' rookie season was notable for his catalog of otherworldly catches. The Georgia product finished the year with a solid 801 yards receiving — fourth among rookie receivers — and four touchdowns. As Kenny Pickett continues to grow in the Steeler offense, so will George Pickens' ceiling. Expect at least 1,000 receiving yards in 2023 and a much higher touchdown total as Pickens asserts himself as the Steelers' red zone threat.

DeMarvin Leal

Injuries shortened the rookie season of the 2022 third-round pick, who has the flexibility to play anywhere across the defensive line. Leal has weighed anywhere between 283 and 315 pounds over the last year and now finds himself at 290 pounds, thus cementing himself as something of a “tweener.”

“When I first got here my rookie year, it was focusing on strictly inside,” Leal said, “but then T.J. [Watt] got hurt, so I expanded to inside and out. On the edge there, I needed to get that speed stuff down, and win 4, 5, 0r 6 steps. I adjusted well. So, going into this offseason and knowing what to expect, I trained like I would be a tweener.”

Leal currently slates as a key depth piece along the defensive line, but there is certainly the opportunity for a larger role for the second-year player.