​The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of unfortunate roster decisions to make ahead of the NFL cutdown deadline, and an insider has predicted that a fan-favorite rookie wouldn’t make the 53-man squad.In Mark Kaboly’s new 53-man roster prediction, the Steelers opted to keep Jaylen Warren, Rico Dowdle, Kaleb Johnson, and Riley Nowakowski (fullback) over Pittsburgh native and fan-favorite seventh-rounder Eli Heidenreich in their running back room.”This may be the hardest decision McCarthy is going to make,” Kaboly wrote via X. “Can the Steelers afford to go with only two true running backs and use the practice squad elevation rules when needed, or do they have to keep three? Even though Eli Heidenreich is a fan favorite and a local product and might not make it to the practice squad, it’s between Johnson, Travis Homer, and nobody. One can play special teams (Homer), and the other can’t. If that’s the deciding factor, then Homer makes the team. I have a hunch that it’s not.”Heidenreich, who was drafted by the Steelers with the 230th overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft, set impressive records at Navy thanks to his wide receiver-running back versatility. And it’s this pass-catching ability, paired with his raw athleticism, that has even drawn comparisons to the likes of Christian McCaffrey.Heidenreich finished the preseason with 44 rushing yards and one touchdown on just 11 carries, but really wasn’t able to highlight his receiving ability. He did make a special teams play, but it’s hard to say if that was enough to earn him a spot on the 53-man squad.For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any roster news and injury updates, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers cut ties with fan-favorite rookie in 53-man roster projection