Diontae Johnson has been a key cog in the Steelers offense, becoming just the fourth receiver in team history in Monday night's 26-14 win over the Browns to reach 100 receptions in a season.
It's likely he won't get to add to that total Sunday when the Steelers (8-7-1) travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens (8-8) in a game they need to win to keep their scant playoff hopes alive. Johnson was among two players placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 List by the Steelers on Thursday.
Rookie center Kendrick Green, who missed Monday's game with a calf injury, also was placed on the list, joining starting cornerback Joe Haden, who was placed on the list on Wednesday along with defensive coordinator Keith Butler.
Johnson has 100 receptions for 1,110 yards and eight touchdown catches this season -- all team highs -- in his third NFL season as he's blossomed into the team's No. 1 receiver. By reaching 100 catches Monday night, he joined Hines Ward, Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster as the only players in team history to record 100 receptions in a season. Ward and Smith-Schuster did it once each, while Brown did it in six consecutive seasons.
Johnson could still test out of the league's new COVID-19 protocols, but it seems unlikely given that he was placed on the list just four days before the Steelers face the Ravens needing a win and a loss by the Colts (9-7) at the Jaguars (2-14) to slide into the AFC playoffs as the No. 7 seed.
Johnson, who missed a game earlier this season with a knee injury, had eight receptions for 105 yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers' 20-19 win over the Ravens Dec. 5 at Heinz Field.
Baltimore's defense ranks dead last in the NFL in stopping the pass, giving up 281.7 yards per game. The Ravens also have allowed 30 touchdown passes, second-most in the league and give up an NFL-worst 12.9 yards per catch.
With Johnson out, the Steelers would be forced to rely more on Chase Claypool, James Washington and Ray-Ray McCloud at the wide receiver position in what will be quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's final regular season game of his 18-year career.
Green had started the Steelers' first 15 games at center before missing Monday night's home regular season finale against the Browns. J.C. Hassenauer started in Green's place and was in line to do so again this week after Green was a limited participant for the Steelers in their practice on Wednesday.
The Steelers rushed for a season-high 190 yards in the win over the Browns, with rookie running back Najee Harris gaining a career-high 188 yards.
"J.C. brings such a knowledge of our system in the offense and certainly of our protection," said offensive coordinator Matt Canada. "To be able to step in, after not doing it all year, he did a great job making the calls, doing those things. He and Ben had a great rapport back and forth.
"Whatever it was, we got the win, and there was certainly some production in parts of our game."