No George Pickens, no problem, as the Pittsburgh Steelers dominated the Cleveland Browns on both sides of the ball in a 27-14 win this past Sunday. Though their performance seemed shaky in the first half, the team came alive in the second half and performed at the level that has made them one of the top teams in the AFC for much of the season.
Here is a rundown of the fantasy football stock following Week 14, heading into Week 15.
-Offense-
Quarterback Russell Wilson struggled in the first half to find his targets but adjusted beautifully in the second half, making completions to six different Steelers pass catchers in Pickens' absence. In the end, he finished with 158 yards on 15 completions, two passing touchdowns, and no interceptions. This marked his fourth game this season with two or more touchdown passes, as the Steelers continue to climb the rankings in the AFC. For his performance, Wilson moved up two spots to No. 28 among quarterbacks with 119.8 fantasy points.
His most effective target was tight end Pat Freiermuth, who finished with 48 yards on three receptions and a touchdown, his fifth of the season. Despite increasing his fantasy points total to 119.0, he still remains at No. 12 among tight ends.
Among the receivers, Scotty Miller rose to the occasion in Pickens' absence, finishing with 38 yards on three receptions. As it stands, Miller has not yet made the Top 100 at his position. Mike Williams made the most of his snaps by recording 36 yards on three receptions. Even with an admirable performance, Williams is currently not in the Top 100 at his position.
With 72 total yards (47 rushing, 25 receiving), running back Jaylen Warren made his presence felt in the second half of the game. For his efforts, Warren moved up just one spot to No. 39 among players at his position with 89.1 fantasy points. As for Najee Harris, he registered his fifth touchdown of the season against the Browns, along with 53 rushing yards. He moved up two spots to No. 20 among running backs with 171.6 fantasy points.
-Defense-
When it comes to consistency on the field, veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward has arguably displayed this better than anyone on the Steelers' roster. In their win over the Browns, Heyward was a disruptive presence, finishing with five tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits. For his incredible performance, he moved up to the No. 4 spot among defensive linemen with 101.2 fantasy points. Keeanu Benton was equally impactful, registering his first career interception and a pass defended. For this week, he stands 96th among defensive linemen with 37.5 fantasy points.
In his return, linebacker Alex Highsmith quickly made an impact with a sack and a tackle for loss early in the game. He finished with three tackles, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits. Though he is not in the Top 100, expect that to change now that he's healthy. One linebacker who is in the Top 100 is Patrick Queen, who recorded 10 tackles and a pass defended in Sunday's win. He currently sits 38th with 90.5 fantasy points. Rookie Payton Wilson moved up one spot to No. 78 among linebackers with 61.5 fantasy points after registering four tackles, including one for a loss.
In the secondary, safety DeShon Elliott was the major story of the game. For the majority of the season, Elliott has proven to be one of their most reliable playmakers, no matter the team in front of him. Week 14 was no different as he registered a team-high 13 tackles and one pass defended. Elliott has been one of the most valuable players in fantasy football for the Steelers and continues to be so as he moved up two spots to No. 3 among defensive backs with 110.0 fantasy points. It's only a matter of time before he takes over that No. 1 spot.
Week 15 Steelers Fantasy Stock
- Buy -
QB Russell Wilson
DL Cameron Heyward
DB DeShon Elliot
LB Patrick Queen
LB TJ Watt
TE Pat Freiermuth
WR Mike Williams
RB Najee Harris (low)
- Sell -
RB Cordarrelle Patterson
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
CB Joey Porter Jr.
CB Donte Jackson
TE Darnell Washington
DL Larry Ogunjobi
WR Van Jefferson
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