Russell Wilson injury update: Steelers insider reveals QB's chances of playing

The Week 1 status of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson remains up in the air with less than 24 hours to go until kickoff with the Atlanta Falcons , and his chances of playing reportedly aren't looking good.

Wilson reported calf tightness during practice on Thursday after dealing with the same issue during training camp, which led to him missing multiple weeks. He turned in limited practices on Thursday and Friday before being listed as questionable.

According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Wilsons is set to get more treatment Saturday night and Sunday morning, and while he has yet to be ruled out, Wilson's chances of playing are "very slim."

"Russell Wilson still holding out hope he can play vs Falcons, though chances are very slim, per sources," Dulac wrote on Twitter . "Another treatment tonight and tomorrow am. He has not been ruled out…yet."

With an entire season left to play, it wouldn't be at all shocking if the Steelers opted to keep him out, even if he's healthy enough to play. The last thing Pittsburgh wants is for this to be a recurring issue like it already has been this offseason.

If Wilson doesn't go, fellow signal-caller Justin Fields will get the nod against the Falcons in what will be a homecoming for the Georgia native. Fields has played in Atlanta once during his career, which came in 2022 with the Chicago Bears .

In that game, Fields completed 14-of-21 passes for 153 yards and one touchdown to one interception while also adding 85 yards and a score on the ground. The Bears lost the contest, 27-24.

It's not impossible to think that Fields could wrestle away the starting job from Wilson is he can show out and help the Steelers beat the Falcons, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.