Steelers Fantasy Perspective: Week 10 vs. Colts

At 6-2, the Steelers come out of their bye week rested and ready to make a second half push this season. There is no better way to get that started than with a favorable matchup with the Colts. Which Steelers playmakers are poised to have solid fantasy games this week?

Ben Roethlisberger – Start

*Insert narrative about how badly Ben Roethlisberger plays on the road* … I know what you’re thinking. Big Ben hasn’t played like himself this season and he’s playing on the road, so why would I start him? Well, let me throw some numbers your way: 1,107 yards, 13 touchdowns, 72.2 completion percentage, 0 interceptions, and 0 sacks. Those are Roethlisberger’s combined stats over his last three matchups with the Colts. For whatever reason, Ben does well against Indianapolis and with this Colts’ defense being arguably the worst he has faced (especially when you consider the injuries in the secondary), this creates a prime matchup for Roethlisberger to prove his doubters wrong.

Also, consider this. Last week, Tom Savage became the first quarterback all season to not finish the week in the top-15 in quarterback fantasy points when facing the Colts. The Colts are also 31st in the NFL in passing yards, allowing 279.7 yards per game. I like Roethlisberger’s odds.

Le’Veon Bell – Start

I shouldn’t have to explain this at this point, but I will anyway: Le’Veon Bell is a must start in your fantasy lineup each and every week. Bell consistently has an amazingly high floor with an elite ceiling due to his potential to explode statistically at any moment. The Colts are middle of the pack against the run, ranking 17th and allowing 113.9 yards per game, but a player like Le’Veon Bell will be able to have a solid day, much like he did last season when he put up 120 rushing yards on 23 carries (5.22 yards per carry) and a touchdown while also totaling 22 yards on 4 receptions. Like always, plug Bell in as an elite RB1.

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Antonio Brown – Start

Just as with Bell, this should come as a no-brainer: Antonio Brown is a must start in your fantasy lineups. In his last three matchup against the Colts, Brown has 342 yards on 30 receptions and 7 touchdowns. With the injury and release of Vontae Davis, there are no cornerbacks on the Colts roster that truly matchup with Brown and his elite skills. Expect to see him and Ben connect on plenty of passes in this one.

JuJu Smith-Schuster – Start (with caution)

After his record breakout performance, JuJu Smith-Schuster has been one of the hottest names in the NFL right now and has by far been the most productive rookie receiver in the NFL. JuJu has certainly began carving out a role for himself in this offense, but to see a repeat performance like he had against the Lions again this week shouldn’t be a realistic expectation. I think he has potential as a WR3 or a decent flex play, but with Bryant returning to the offense this week, he won’t be leaned on nearly as heavily as he was against the Lions. Still, he has been a reliable target for Roethlisberger for the most part and will likely see his fair share of snaps moving forward. Against a weak secondary, that could mean a potential big play for the 20-year old rookie.

Martavis Bryant – Sit

Reports from the team indicate that Martavis Bryant has seemingly put all of the previous drama behind him and is ready to take some steps forward this season. Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bryant rebound a little bit and have an impact, especially considering the state of the Colts secondary. But based on what we have seen so far this season, I wouldn’t be confident enough to start him until we see some consistent progress to proves that his involvement moving forward will be more than speculative. Keep an eye on him for future weeks as we see if the Steelers do indeed find ways to get him the ball in a more involved role.

Jesse James/Vance McDonald – Sit

The Steelers have been using their two tight ends in various roles to help their offense. But at the end of the day, both players are simply too touchdown dependent to warrant plugging them into your starting lineup. This gives them an extremely low floor, which is not something you want to have in your fantasy lineup. Keep them on your bench, or off your roster all together.

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Steelers D/ST – Start

This defense has been one of the biggest improvements in the NFL this season. And this matchup with the Colts should give them another opportunity to prove why. The Colts offense is allowing opposing defense to have the most fantasy points per game of any team in the NFL right now (yes, even more than the Browns). With the Steelers’ opportunistic defense and ability to allow opposing offenses to not score, this is one of the best fantasy matchups in the NFL this week.

Chris Boswell – Start

Chris Boswell might not get the national recognition of some of his kicking counterparts, he has quietly been one of the most consistent kickers in the league yet again. While he doesn’t have a heavy, powerful leg like Justin Tucker or Matt Prater, he has singlehandedly won the Steelers games over the years. The Steelers seem poised to put up some points in this one, giving Boswell plenty of opportunities to score via field goals or extra points. Have him in your lineups.


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