Is Chase Claypool playing tonight vs Packers in Week 4?

Chase Claypool has been quite the revelation since being drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. At 6'4" and running a 4.42 40-yard dash, it's easy to see why Steelers fans are salivating anytime he takes the field.

Unfortunately, this will not be the case today as Chase Claypool is out for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they travel to Wisconsin for a big game against the Green Bay Packers. Claypool is the Steelers' number one wide receiver, and his absence is a big blow for an ailing, anemic offense.

Claypool will miss the game in Green Bay because of a hamstring injury. The speedy sophomore wideout was injured last week as the Steelers lost to the Bengals. One of the best young receivers is out, and this is an advantage for the Packers.

The loss of Claypool is a dagger.

The Steelers' abysmal offense is one of the worst in the NFL. Despite possessing elite players at receiver, the Steelers can't get anything going on the offensive side. Diontae Johnson's return from a knee injury should help, so should the presence of Juju Smith-Schuster. However, they are not true X receivers like Claypool.

Claypool is the Steelers' answer to Davante Adams. The Canadian-born player is a physical specimen with a solid catch radius, good speed, and strength. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin eulogized Adams before the game:

"A No. 1 receiver is a guy you cannot diminish schematically. Do you think the San Francisco 49ers had some efforts in place to minimize his ability to get the ball in the waning moments of last week's game? I'm sure the 49ers worked all week on minimizing him, particularly in those situational moments. And with 39 seconds left to go in that game, he went down the field and converted two significant gains, he and Aaron Rodgers, and put them in position to win the game. That's what the No. 1s do."

Claypool's absence now leaves struggling quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in a tricky spot. Short of his best pass-catcher, Roethlisberger is even more limited than usual. The veteran quarterback has difficulty pushing the ball consistently downfield. Losing his best weapon will compound Roethlisberger's troubles.

Hamstrings are challenging injuries for all players. For explosive wideouts, it is even more challenging. They'll want to wrap Claypool in cotton wool in order to keep him off of the field. In the meantime, the offensive struggles might continue for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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