ESPN’s biggest breakout candidate for the Steelers is going to shock more than a few people given the start to his career
ESPN has named its top-32 breakout candidates for every NFL team ahead of the 2026 season, and the name chosen for the Steelers will be a surprise to many given how well he has started his career in Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a legitimate case for the best center in football, and ESPN agrees that Zach Frazier is on the verge of claiming that title. ESPN’s Benjamin Solak included the Steelers center on his top 32 breakout candidates list for the 2026 NFL season, and while some fans might question how a player who has dominated since Day 1 qualifies as a “breakout” candidate, the reasoning holds up.
Solak’s argument isn’t that Frazier is about to announce himself to the league. He’s already done that. The argument is that Frazier is poised to take the next step and become the best center in the NFL. And honestly, I don’t think that’s a stretch at all.
Zach Frazier 2025 stats
(Per PFF)
- 74.7 pass blocking grade.
- 71.6 run blocking grade.
- 73.5 overall grade (ranked 8th among all centers).
Frazier could be Pittsburgh’s best offensive lineman in 2026
Since the Steelers drafted Frazier out of West Virginia, Frazier has been a plug-and-play starter who has improved year over year. What he does on a snap-to-snap basis goes beyond just anchoring the middle of the offensive line. He orchestrates protections, sets the calls, and serves as an absolute menace in the run game. His athleticism allows him to set reach blocks, climb to the second level, and do just about anything you’d ask of a modern-day center.
I believe Frazier will be the best offensive lineman on Pittsburgh’s roster in 2026. The Steelers have shuffled their offensive line this offseason, moving Troy Fautanu to left tackle and Mason McCormick to left guard. The right side of the line remains a question that training camp will need to answer in about three weeks. But from center left, there is real continuity, and Frazier is the foundation of that stability.
There’s still another level to reach
The pushback from fans is understandable. How can a player who has been dominant since he stepped foot in the NFL be a breakout candidate? The answer is that “breakout” doesn’t always mean going from unknown to known. Sometimes it means going from great to elite.
Frazier is already one of the best centers in the league. But there is a difference between being one of the best and being the best, and that gap is what Solak is projecting him to close. If you told me Frazier became the best player on the Steelers’ roster in 2026, I wouldn’t be surprised. If you told me he became the best center in the NFL, I wouldn’t be surprised by that either. The tools and the trajectory both point in that direction, and I believe Frazier will hit that level.