Rookie offensive tackle Troy Fautanu said he “felt good” in taking part in Pittsburgh Steelers practice Wednesday as he continues to ramp up after suffering a knee injury during the preseason opener 3½ weeks ago.

“I feel like I am progressing on time with what we had talked about when I initially hurt it,” Fautanu said Wednesday after practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “It felt good out there. It felt good to be out on the grass and go out there and take some live reps. So it’s just keep on progressing and making sure this thing gets back to 100%.”

Fautanu was listed as a limited participant at practice on the first official league-mandated injury report of the season. The Steelers’ opener is Sunday at the Atlanta Falcons, and coach Mike Tomlin has not yet ruled out that Fautanu — a first-round pick in April — could start his debut.

If Fautanu does start — a sizable “if” at this juncture — it would be at right tackle. Fautanu revealed Wednesday that he prefers right tackle to left. Last season for College Football Playoff finalist Washington, Fautanu played left tackle.

“(Right and left tackle) both come with their (unique challenges),” he said. “I actually like right tackle better than left. It’s weird. (Maybe because) I am right-hand dominant.”

Regardless of preference, Fautanu said he will “play whatever position they ask me to, if need be” Sunday.

Before Fautanu starts, though — indeed, before he even is cleared to play — he will have to prove he is healthy. No small task seeing as how it’s a regular-season game week with kickoff less than 96 hours away.

“When you come back from any injury, it’s about just making sure you have the confidence to go out there and play fast and not think about it,” Fautanu said. “I would say it’s going to take some time, so just trying to speed up that process as soon as possible.

“Today, I just felt really good playing confident and going out and playing fast. Just trying to get back to what it was before.”

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