Notes: - All games will be available Friday
- Green highlight indicates plus matchup (top eight)
- Red highlight indicates negative matchup (bottom eight)
- Lines and totals updated Sunday morning
While Pickens has been the most obvious beneficiary of the switch
from Justin Fields to Russell Wilson, Warren’s numbers have ticked
up noticeably as well. In four games since the quarterback change,
Warren is averaging 13.5 touches for 70 yards. He still hasn’t
found the end zone this season, but if he continues seeing that
level of usage it should be just a matter of time. Perhaps it’ll
happen this week. Coming off a physical battle with the Ravens
on Sunday, the Steelers could look to lean on their backs to possess
the ball and keep their own defense on the sidelines. Cleveland
ranks 24th against the run this year (131.7 yards per game), and
they were absolutely steamrolled by the Saints in Week 11, giving
up 214 yards and 3 TDs on 28 attempts (7.6 YPC). You could use
Warren as a flex or RB3 on Thursday night.
Statistically, Wilson endured his worst game of the season versus
Baltimore, which was a disappointment considering the Ravens rank
last in the NFL against the pass. He ended the day with 205 yards,
0 TDs, and 1 INT, as the Steelers settled for six field goals.
The Browns have been a disappointment this year, no doubt. They
still have some high-level talent along the defensive front, though,
and you’d expect Pittsburgh to prioritize ball security
with an opponent that likely needs to force takeaways to compete.
Don’t be surprised if Wilson looks like more of a game manager
this week, leaving him well outside of QB1 territory.
PIT FPts Allowed vs. QBs: No.30
PIT FPts Allowed vs. RBs: No.20
PIT FPts Allowed vs. WRs: No.25
PIT FPts Allowed vs. TEs: No.18
The insertion of Jameis Winston into the starting lineup has
been a revelation for the Browns passing attack, at least in terms
of volume. While all three top wideouts have seen their numbers
spike, we’ll focus on Tillman and Jeudy here as Elijah Moore is
primarily an underneath target. Jeudy, acquired during the offseason
from Denver, has finally started to look like an impact player,
racking up 18 receptions (on 30 targets) for 294 yards and a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Tillman has 16 grabs (on 28 targets), 221 yards, and
three TDs. That duo is going to be needed if the Browns have any
hope of taking down the Steelers on Thursday night. Pittsburgh
is one of the NFL’s top run defenses, so through the air is the
way to go after them. That makes Jeudy a possible WR2 this week
with Tillman checking in as a WR3/flex.
In three starts, Winston is averaging 321 yards, 2 TDs, and 1
INT. That only tells part of the story, though, as he’s played
one excellent game (versus Baltimore in Week 8), one atrocious
game (versus the Chargers in Week 9 when he took six sacks and
turned the ball over three times), and one mediocre game (versus
the Saints last week). It’s all on the table. As noted, the Steelers
are tough to run on, so Cleveland will need Winston to move the
offense with his arm. That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy. Pittsburgh
ranks 18th against the pass but is one of only five teams with
more INTs than TD passes allowed. That could spell trouble for
Winston, who won’t shy away from trying to make plays no matter
what the score is. He has QB1 upside alongside significant risk.
Chubb’s return from a gruesome knee injury is a feel-good
story. For fantasy owners, though, the numbers have failed to
impress. Through four games, he’s averaging just over 40
yards per game and an unsightly 3.1 yards per carry. How you want
to divvy up blame is up to you, but the bottom line is Chubb hasn’t
looked anything like the guy that averaged better than 5.0 yards
per carry in each of his six seasons. Chubb is unlikely to get
things going against the Steelers, either, with Pittsburgh allowing
the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game (90.8) in the NFL. Maybe
you could talk yourself into sliding Chubb into your flex slot,
but even that has an air of optimism.
