The Steelers could be without two of their top three offensive weapons for their Week 1 game against the Patriots.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, receiver Martavis Bryant is facing a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. The suspension is currently under appear, per Schefter.
In 10 games as a rookie in 2014, Bryant proved that he was a legitimate down-the-field threat, catching 26 passes for 549 yards eight touchdowns for a whopping 21.1 yards per reception.
If Bryant's suspension is upheld, he'll be one of three Steelers starters forced to sit when Pittsburgh travels to Gillette Stadium for the NFL's season-opener on Thursday, Sep. 10.
Running back Le'Veon Bell is set to serve a two-game suspension to start the season after violating the league's substance-abuse policy last year, and center Maurkice Pouncey will miss the early part of the season after suffering a broken left leg in a preseason game against the Packers last week.
Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount will also serve a one-game suspension to start the season for his involvement in the same incident for which Bell has been suspended. Blount and Bell were teammates with the Steelers last season before Blount was released.
All three of those suspensions expected to impact the Patriots-Steelers game will take a back seat to Tom Brady's four-game ban if it is upheld by judge Richard Berman prior to the start of the season. Even if Brady's suspension is vacated or if a settlement is reached between the NFL and NFLPA, the Deflategate saga and its resulting fallout is sure to dominate the conversation when the defending Super Bowl champions take the field for the first time in 2015.
New England Patriots
But while everyone is talking about Brady, the Steelers could be missing three of their most important offensive players.