Nov 6, 2012 3 min read

PITTSBURGH – It was a good news/bad news kind of day for Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

The good news? The injury-riddled Steelers should be getting running back Jonathan Dwyer back for their Monday night game at Heinz Field against Kansas City, and strong safety Troy Polamalu, right tackle Marcus Gilbert and running back Rashard Mendenhall are expected to resume practicing at some point this week.

The bad news? Wide receiver Antonio Brown is likely to miss the Kansas City game after suffering a sprained ankle Sunday in Pittsburgh’s 24-20 victory over the New York Giants.

It’s more of the same for Tomlin, who has been shuffling the lineup all season because of injury.

“We’ll see where the week takes us,” said Tomlin of Brown, the Steelers’ MVP last year after becoming the first player in NFL history to have 1,000 yards both receiving and in kick returns.

“We’ll leave the door ajar, but usually those aren’t positive things, particularly for someone who earns a living the way he earns a living, which is his short-area quickness and things of that nature.”

Despite all the injuries, the Steelers have rebounded from a 1-2 start to reach 5-3, including winning their last three games.

But Brown has been a big part of the offense. He leads the Steelers with 42 catches for 499 yards and also is the team’s top punt returner. He’s tied with Mike Wallace for the team lead in third-down receptions with 12.

If Brown is unable to play, Emmanuel Sanders will replace him while Jerricho Cotchery would move to the No. 3 receiver spot.

Sanders has 24 receptions for 302 yards and a touchdown, and Cotchery has eight receptions for 92 yards, though he led the Steelers with four catches for 50 yards against the Giants.

Behind Wallace, Sanders and Cotchery? Well, that’s an issue. The Steelers have only four receivers on the active roster, though Toney Clemons and David Gilreath are on the practice squad.

Compounding the issue is that rookie running back Chris Rainey, the team’s kickoff return man and No. 2 on the punt return depth chart, has a painful rib injury.

“It’s going to be big-time uncomfortable, but he has an opportunity to play,” Tomlin said. “We’ll see where it takes us as we push through the week.”

Sanders had a 63-yard punt return against the Giants after Brown and Rainey were injured and could handle both kick and punt return duties against the Chiefs.

Tomlin noted Wallace has returned kicks and Cotchery has been a punt returner.

“We have some other guys who are capable and willing,” Tomlin said.