One Day Out: Final Injury Report Clears the Steelers — Only Harmon's Activation Is Left

One day out, the Pittsburgh Steelers have the cleanest injury picture they have carried into a big game all season — and one Saturday decision left to make. Pittsburgh (6-2) visits the Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) on Sunday, November 15, at 8:20 p.m. ET at Paycor Stadium on NBC and Peacock, with sole possession of first place in the AFC North on the line. The Steelers won the first meeting 30-27 on September 27, so a win completes the season sweep — Pittsburgh's first over Cincinnati since 2023 — and locks in the head-to-head tiebreaker. Head coach Mike McCarthy's team has won four straight and is coming off its bye and a 27-6 home win over Cleveland on November 1. The final injury report: Friday's final report is where this game turned in Pittsburgh's favor. Every Steeler on the report practiced fully on Friday, and only one carries a game designation: DT Derrick Harmon (foot) is questionable — the 2025 first-round pick opened his 21-day return window this week after missing four games on injured reserve, progressed from limited to a full practice Friday, and must be activated by Saturday afternoon to play Sunday. S DeShon Elliott (ankle) has no designation and is cleared to return. WR Ben Skowronek (calf) and CB Brandin Echols (hamstring) also have no designation and are set to return. T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward were rest listings only. For Cincinnati, safety Kyle Dugger (quad) is ruled out — a real loss against Aaron Rodgers. Guard Dylan Fairchild (pectoral) and cornerback DJ Turner II (ankle) are expected to play, keeping Joe Burrow's starting line intact. Three Bengals designated for return from IR — CB Jalen Davis, WR Andrei Iosivas and G Brian Parker II — are doubtful and would need a Saturday activation. What decides it: Rodgers comes in with 1,871 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions through eight games, and he threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns in the first meeting, with DK Metcalf saying this week Pittsburgh exploited Cincinnati whenever they played man coverage. Metcalf (33 catches, 378 yards, one touchdown) gets a secondary missing Dugger, and Jaylen Warren produced 127 rushing yards plus 49 receiving yards in that first meeting — the ground game Cincinnati never solved. The counterweight is Burrow at home with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, neither carrying an injury designation. Projection (labeled as such, not a report): if Harmon is activated Saturday, Pittsburgh's interior rotation is finally whole, and that plus a healthy Elliott tips a close one. Steelers 27, Bengals 24. First place, outright, heading into the stretch run.