Heckingbottom, Bradford City's player of the year last season, has been in and out of the Wednesday side this season mainly because of injury.
Brought in to be the first-choice left-back, the former Darlington and Norwich defender has been steady yet unspectacular in the first three months of the season.
And with Sturrock now seeming to favour Paul Smith in the position, Heckingbottom will have a fight on his hands when he returns from a spell on the sidelines.
It is unlikely that any loan signings will be brought in for the Barnsley game on Sunday and Owls fans could see the return of forgotten man Craig Armstrong to the squad.
The ex-Huddersfield and Nottingham Forest midfielder was frozen out by Chris Turner and has not even been allocated a squad number as of yet this season although Sturrock is keen to give everyone a chance.