The Pittsburgh Steelers, led by head coach Mike Tomlin, will start Justin Fields as quarterback in their preseason opener against the Houston Texans on Friday night due to the absence of seven veteran players, including Russell Wilson. Along with Fields, the starting offense will be missing veteran left guard Isaac Seumalo, allowing some younger guys a chance to impress with the first unit.

However, that opportunity will be restricted. Tomlin mentioned this during a press conference on Wednesday to promote the preseason opener against the Texans. “I’m probably going to give that quote unquote first unit and [Fields] included in that, a couple of series,” Tomlin told reporters in a video posted on the Steelers’ YouTube page.

That comes as no surprise given that it is the Steelers’ first preseason game, while it is the Texans’ second preseason game after playing in the Hall of Fame Game against the Chicago Bears in Canton, Ohio last week. Houston’s head coach, DeMeco Ryans, has confirmed that his starters will play against Pittsburgh. Despite the absence of seven veterans, Pittsburgh will benefit from an early look. The Texans are one of football’s deepest teams, and many believe they have the potential to be one of the best in the AFC.

Following a successful training camp, Fields will have the opportunity to showcase his abilities in-game with the Steelers under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith. Though he won’t have Seumalo to protect him, the Steelers’ starting offense will be available, and all eyes will be on them as they hit the field for the first time with OC Arthur Smith calling the plays.

According to the depth chart posted by the Steelers on Tuesday night, second-year player Spencer Anderson would be the next man up behind Seumalo. Veteran interior offensive lineman Nate Herbig is the starter at center. However, Tomlin noted Wednesday that the Steelers have yet to pick who will start in place of Seumalo.

We haven’t even discussed it yet. “I’m just committed to not playing Isaac,” Tomlin stated. “As I indicated today, we still have a Steelers vs. Steelers practice scheduled for this morning. And so, as we come off the field this afternoon, we’ll really start to discuss how we split the labor, and particularly how much time folks will play and when.

Though it is the first game for Smith’s new-look offense, Tomlin is unconcerned that Wilson will not see any reps against the Texans, given his veteran status, resume, and the fact that the free agent signee is still recovering from a calf injury. The Steelers and Texans will face battle at 7 p.m. on Friday at Acrisure Stadium. The game may be streamed on NFL+ or locally on KDKA-TV and KDKA+, as well as listened on 102.5 DVE and the Steelers Radio Network.