We had previously published an article talking about contributions coming from undrafted players thus far in the 2016 season, but are now inclined to update that list with a new article, as two more undrafted players made the leap from the Steelers practice squad, to the starting lineup, against the Kansas Chiefs on Sunday night.

If you told me B.J. Finney and Jordan Dangerfield, both practice squad players for Pittsburgh over the last year, would have a significant impact early on in the 2016 season, I would’ve stared at you as though you needed mental help.

However, that’s precisely what a rash of injuries has done: it has given two more underdogs an opportunity to perform on the grandest stage; and perform they did.

According to Pro Football Focus, Finney and Dangerfield both graded in the top five of their respective offensive and defensive units against the Chiefs:

Top offensive grades:

• RB Le’Veon Bell, 79.7
• LG B.J. Finney, 78.7
• WR Sammie Coates, 76.3
• RG David DeCastro, 75.9
• WR Antonio Brown, 75.3

Top defensive grades:

• DE Stephon Tuitt, 86.0
• DE Cameron Heyward, 83.5
• S Jordan Dangerfield, 78.3
• CB William Gay, 78.1
• OLB James Harrison, 77.2

Finney, in particular, has graded in the top five in the last two games, having stepped in for Ramon Foster during the Steelers Week 3 game against the Eagles. That’s twice in as many weeks that the undrafted guard has graded higher than fellow Pro Bowl linemen Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro.

His performance thus far has solidified something that the Steelers staff knew, but we didn’t, when Finney was given a raise late last season, to persuade him to remain on the Steelers auxiliary 10-man roster, and not leave for greener pastures. Finney remained, made the 53-man roster following this preseason, and has had an impact thus far.

One of Finney’s highlights from the Chiefs game is shown below, where he clears a hole for RB Le’Veon Bell, en route to an 18 yard run:

Ben Roethlisberger was equally enamored with Finney’s performance on Sunday:

“I was proud of the way he stepped up tonight. I’m not going to tell him how proud I am because we need him to keep playing well, but he is a guy that is a grimy, tough.

I saw him get down on a screen on one of the first plays of the second half. You know, he is 10 yards downfield and past the guy.

He is a very passionate football player, a very passionate person and it shows in his play.”

A life-long Steelers fan, it’s hard not to root for Finney, who’s childhood dream is coming true before his very eyes. His progress is worth noting, and adds incredible depth that’s needed for a banged-up Steelers offensive line, which may be without another stellar component on Sunday: RT Marcus Gilbert, who has been playing with an elbow injury, but now has an ankle injury added to his list of growing pains.

With Ramon Foster looking to return this Sunday, Finney could slide over to center, shifting our perennial All-Pro at that position (Pouncey) over to Gilbert’s tackle spot, in order to fill the holes necessary to patch up the line with only a week’s notice.

Can Finney pull another rabbit out of his hat this week? I’m not certain, but I do like him at center, than the alternative scenario (where Chris Hubbard either plays right tackle or center instead).

Jordan Dangerfield is another feel-good story, about a guy hanging around the Steelers South Side complex for the better part of the last 2 seasons, after being cut by the Buffalo Bills in 2013. He was a final roster casualty with the Steelers in 2014, where he left for two months to play in the Fall Experimental Football League, before boomeranging back to the Steelers in November 2014. Dangerfield would go through a number of other re-sign/release transactions before making the 53-man roster, after longtime fellow re-sign/release safety Ross Ventrone was injured during training camp.

It appeared Dangerfield was just a body to fill a quota of safeties on the roster, with the Steelers incredibly thin at the position: they would get even thinner heading into Sunday Night Football last weekend, when starting safety Robert Golden was ruled out, and backup safety, rookie Sean Davis, did not appear clear to play as well.

This left the door open for not only Dangerfield’s first meaningful action in a regular season game, but his first NFL start.

Dangerfield went on to not only play, but impress in this game, playing 68 of a possible 75 snaps.

One of his biggest contributions on Sunday was this blitz, which hurried Chiefs QB Alex Smith into a pass, which was tipped by Cameron Heyward, and intercepted by Jarvis Jones:

Dangerfield’s coverage throughout the game limited the Chiefs ability to move downfield. Jordan was only targeted twice in the game, allowing a single catch of 3 yards.

Safety Mike Mitchell echoed the sentiments for Dangerfield stepping up into the starting role on Sunday:

“I thought Jordan came in and did a great job. The standard is the standard, as we always say.

Jordan came up and stepped up big.

He had some huge tackles for us and played his position, and played it on a high level. I expected nothing less.”

The contributions of these two players cannot be understated. It may have only been one game, but in a season with only 16 of them, coming up big, and getting a victory, is the only statement which needs made.

Finney and Dangerfield did just that against Kansas City; it’s good to know the “standard is the standard” in the event they may be leaned upon again to contribute in the same manner, in the near future.