Steelers QB Russell Wilson will 'probably' be active and back up Justin Fields against the Raiders

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson will “probably” be active for the first time this season on Sunday in Las Vegas, head coach Mike Tomlin said Friday.

Wilson practiced fully all week and is nearing a return from a calf injury that's forced him to sit out Pittsburgh's first five games.

“I thought he had a good week,” Tomlin said. “He has proven his health, and now it’s just a matter of knocking the rust off.”

Justin Fields will make a sixth straight start for the Steelers (3-2), though Wilson could be the backup after spending the first five games as the emergency quarterback behind Fields and Kyle Allen.

“I like what I’ve seen out here, but again, health and rust are two different things,” Tomiln said. “I thought he had a good week displaying his health, his ability to protect himself, and now it’s just the process of getting reacclimated to the ball.”

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler signed to a one-year deal in March, said Thursday he believed he would be ready to play and help the Steelers in whatever capacity Tomlin saw fit.

“It’s a process, a process that I don’t love in terms of just having to go through what I’ve been going through, but also at the same time you get to figure out your fortitude, the mental fortitude,” Wilson said, “and also understanding that you can always lead in different ways and everything else.”