CARSON, Calif. — Steelers receiver Donte Moncrief is back in the lineup for the Sunday night game against the Chargers after being inactive for two of the past three games.
Moncrief, who began the season as the starter opposite JuJu Smith-Schuster, was benched for the Ravens and 49ers games. He dressed for the Monday night home game against the Bengals, but he played for just two plays.
Moncrief is dressing because second-year receiver James Washington is out with a shoulder injury. He lost the trust of the coaching staff after he dropped five passes in the first two games against the Patriots and Seahawks. His fifth drop deflected into the hands of a Seahawks defender and led to the go-ahead touchdown in the second half of a game the Steelers lost by two points.
The only healthy scratch among the players that were deactivated was defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs. The Steelers previously ruled out quarterback Mason Rudolph, fullback Roosevelt Nix, running back Jaylen Samuels, linebacker Mark Barron and cornerback Steven Nelson.
The Chargers will be without a couple of starters as well, including linebacker Melvin Ingram. They’ll also be without safety Nasir Adderley, running back Justin Jackson, receiver Andre Patton, place kicker Michael Badgely, defensive tackle Cortez Broughton and quarterback Easton Stick.
Ray Fittipaldo: rfittipaldo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @rayfitt1.
First Published: October 13, 2019, 11:09 p.m.