In Russ we trust? Well, after his performance in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 37-15 win over Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets, he gave everyone, including fantasy team owners, every reason to feel confident about him going forward.
-Offense-
For the first quarter and a half, things were a little shaky for quarterback Russell Wilson in his first start of the season. Once he settled in late in the second quarter, he was in total control from that point onwards. Wilson completed passes to five different receivers and was masterful at creating opportunities for everyone. In the end, he finished the game with 264 passing yards on 16 completions, three total touchdowns (two passing, one rushing), and a passer rating of 109.0. For his strong performance, Wilson earned 23 fantasy points and jumped up to No. 36 among quarterbacks with 24.9 total fantasy points. Despite not playing, Justin Fields remains at No. 8 with 113.3 fantasy points.
The biggest beneficiary of Wilson's performance was receiver George Pickens, who made his usual brand of stellar catches and ended with 111 receiving yards on five receptions and a touchdown. After earning 11.6 fantasy points, Pickens jumped up 20 spots to No. 22 among receivers with 81.4 fantasy points. Veteran receiver Van Jefferson earned his first touchdown of the season with 15 yards on two receptions. He currently stands at No. 100 with 23.7 fantasy points. Calvin Austin III finished the game with 36 yards on just one reception and sits 75th among receivers with 37.3 fantasy points.
A significant factor in the team's offensive success against the Jets was the performance of tight ends Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Washington kickstarted the game with an 18-yard reception and finished with 36 yards on four receptions. After this strong showing, Washington moved up to the 36th spot among tight ends with 25.1 fantasy points. Freiermuth dominated the Jets' defensive backs, who struggled to contain him. After finishing with 51 yards on two receptions, Freiermuth dropped just one spot to No. 9, with 58.5 fantasy points.
On the ground, running back Najee Harris was a force to be reckoned with, recording his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game. After a slow start to the season, Harris's stock has been rising, making him a must-start for fantasy teams. This week, Harris moved up five spots to No. 18 among running backs with 87.3 fantasy points. As for Jaylen Warren, he currently sits at 60th among running backs with 25.9 fantasy points. Despite his current standing, expect him to rise quickly now that he's healthy.
-Defense-
As expected, the Steelers' defense did not register many sacks against Rodgers. Yet, what emerged was a breakout performance from UDFA rookie Beanie Bishop Jr. Bishop Jr. came up big when it mattered, registering two crucial interceptions, along with six tackles and a tackle for loss. His efforts pushed him up to No. 89 among defensive backs with 30.8 fantasy points.
Speaking of standout defensive backs, DeShon Elliott was his usual reliable self, making timely plays when it mattered. After finishing the game with six tackles, Elliott moved up one spot to No. 7 among defensive backs with 57.0 fantasy points.
In the middle, rookie linebacker Payton Wilson led all Steelers defensive players with 10 tackles. Despite not making any splash plays, Wilson moved up seven spots to No. 88 among linebackers with 29.5 fantasy points. After a big performance last week, Patrick Queen was a bit quiet against the Jets, registering only four tackles. This week, Queen dropped 10 spots to No. 53 with 40.5 fantasy points. All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt moved down only two spots to No. 6 among linebackers with 69.2 fantasy points. Despite not making any splash plays against the Jets, his overall value remains high.
On the defensive line, Larry Ogunjobi registered the team's only sack and two tackles. For his performance, he moved to No. 53 among defensive linemen with 27.1 fantasy points.
Week 7 Steelers Fantasy Stock
- Buy -
QB Russell Wilson
WR George Pickens
LB TJ Watt
DL Cam Heyward
DB Beanie Bishop
RB Najee Harris
DL Larry Ogunjobi (low)
- Sell -
QB Justin Fields
LB Patrick Queen
DL DeMarvin Leal
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
RB Jaylen Warren
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