What is Riley Nowakowski's Speed Score?

Riley Nowakowski's Speed Score ranks in the 74th percentile among NFL prospects at the position.

What round was Riley Nowakowski drafted in?

Riley Nowakowski was selected in Round 5, Pick 157 by the PIT.

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Riley Nowakowski

TE · #69

PIT · TE · Age 24

Redraft rank

TE80

TE80 · Depth

Tier

Overall

#553

ADP

TE80

Consensus

Tight

Value vs ADPat market

Our rank

TE80

Market ADP

TE80

Priced right where they project.

What’s driving the season rank

Case for

Age / role

age 24 TE

Minor

Case against

Projection rank

TE80 · proj. consensus

Notable

Neutral: ADP value, Source agreement

Analysis

Riley Nowakowski is a 23-year-old fifth-round (169th overall) rookie fullback/H-back who joins Pittsburgh on a four-year deal as the roster's only true fullback after Connor Heyward left in free agency. His realistic role is blocking and special teams: he sits behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington in the TE room with no credible path to receiving volume. The one flicker of upside is that the Steelers deployed him at TE 'more than' fullback during OTAs, and he showed real backfield receiving chops at Indiana (32-387-2 in 2025), so a hybrid Juszczyk-type niche isn't impossible under Arthur Smith. For dynasty purposes, though, this is a deep-roster/taxi flyer with a sub-1,000 trade value and minimal startable ceiling. Recommendation: HOLD only in 30+ man TE-premium leagues as a zero-cost stash; otherwise SELL/avoid — he carries no standard-league dynasty relevance over the next 1-2 years.

Prospect Profile2026 Class

17.6Composite Score

Composite Breakdown

Each row compares Riley Nowakowski to other 2026 prospects in that signal — except Class × Draft Slot, which shows the editorial multiplier applied to Riley Nowakowski's 2026-class + draft-slot combo (baseline 1.00× = neutral).

Computed from 3 of 6 signals

Draft Capital25%~averageRound 5, Pick 157
Combine Athletic17%~average
Rookie ADP17%
Expert Consensus17%
College Production15%
Class × Draft Slot9%+5% (1.05×)+5% (1.05×)0.60

Class rank: 22nd percentile

40-Yd74%

Vertical52%

Broad70%

Speed74%

Burst64%

HaSS63%

SPARQ-x72%

BMI88%

Catch Rad.19%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Riley Nowakowski's Speed Score?: Riley Nowakowski's Speed Score ranks in the 74th percentile among NFL prospects at the position.

Risk & Opportunity Analysis (5 flags)

Risk Flags

Usage & Volume
Drafted as a fullback/H-back and listed at FB on the depth chart — a near-zero-target role behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington in the PIT TE room. Fullback usage rarely produces fantasy-relevant volume in any format.
Draft Capital
Fifth-round pick (169th overall) on a four-year deal signals depth/special-teams projection, not an offensive investment. Low capital limits guaranteed snaps and dynasty floor.
Target Competition
Freiermuth is the entrenched starter and Washington is the ascending move/blocking TE; both are signed and ahead. There is no realistic path to a receiving role barring multiple injuries.

Opportunity Flags

Role Expansion
Steelers reportedly deployed him at TE 'more than' fullback during OTAs, and he caught 32-387-2 out of the backfield at Indiana in 2025 — leaving a sliver of pass-catching versatility if PIT leans into multi-TE/H-back looks.
Youth Upside
Young TE (23) — still in value appreciation phase

Format Comparison