Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC North | 12-4-0
Avg PTS
26
Rank: 12th
Avg Yds
354.9
Rank: 22nd
Avg PYds
272.4
Rank: 10th
Avg RYds
82.5
Rank: 31st
Posted 4/10/2021 3:26 am UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger ranked 31st in yards per pass attempt from Week 10 to the end of the season, and he threw at least one interception in five of his final six starts.
Huddle Up: The slow finish to the regular season led into a four-interception performance in a playoff loss, and while he opted to return in 2021, fantasy owners shouldn't expect more than QB2 production out of the veteran.
Posted 3/25/2021 10:46 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers TE Eric Ebron has agreed to restructure his contract, which created around $3.9 million in salary cap space for the team, according to sources.
Huddle Up: Ebron finished the 2020 season with 558 yards and five touchdowns and was a popular target for Ben Roethlisberger. He should have a similar role next season and can be a low-end No. 1 or a high-end No. 2 tight end in fantasy leagues.
Posted 3/19/2021 5:28 pm UTC
Free agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster on Friday, March 19, decided to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, accepting a one-year deal worth $8 million according to a source. In doing so, Smith-Shuster bypassed better offers from the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs.
Huddle Up: JJSS had a strange season in 2020, finishing with a career-high nine TDs but averaged a career-low 8.6 yards per reception as he produced only 831 yards on 97 catches. He still finished second on the team with 128 targets (8 per game) and is a solid low-end WR2 selection.
Posted 3/18/2021 4:27 pm UTC
Free agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster has been in recent conversation with the New York Jets, according to sources on Thursday, March 18. The Jets are still looking to add offensive playmakers despite their recent signing of free agent WR Corey Davis.
Huddle Up: Despite 97 catches and a career-high 9 TDs, JuJu Smith-Schuster only totaled 831 receiving yards (8.6 per catch) and finished 16th among wideouts with 234.1 PPR points. Going to the Jets with their unproven QB situation wouldn't help JJSS' fantasy value.
Posted 3/12/2021 12:21 am UTC
Impending free-agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers) strongly hinted he will not be re-signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers when he personally responded 'that's a negative' to an Instagram poll that asked if he will be back with the team that drafted him in 2017.
Huddle Up: Instagram polls are rarely ever newsworthy items unless the focus of the subject matter makes his opinion public knowledge. The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets appear to be the two teams most likely to pursue the 24-year-old, who is technically not needed in Pittsburgh with Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool establishing themselves as big-time threats. A departure to the Raiders or Jets would likely relegate Smith-Schuster to WR3 status in most leagues.
Posted 3/07/2021 6:18 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers impending free-agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster likely will leave in free agency since the team will not be able to offer him a lucrative contract because of their salary cap situation.
Huddle Up: Smith-Schuster should receive plenty of interest in free agency and can be a starter on most teams. He has a chance to be at least a No. 3 receiver in most fantasy leagues.
Posted 3/04/2021 7:25 pm UTC
Updating a previous report, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger signed a restructured contract Thursday, March 4. He agreed to reduce his pay to $14 million from $19 million in the final year of his contract and spread the cash payment through 2022, per source. The moves lowered his cap hit to $15 million in 2021, giving the team more flexibility.
Posted 2/26/2021 5:22 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger likely will be playing with a restructured contract in 2021, and Steelers president Art Rooney II is confident Roethlisberger can guide the franchise to success. 'We think Ben played at a high level last year,' Rooney recently told the team's website. 'We won our division and set a franchise record for most consecutive wins to open a season, so there was a lot of good stuff. Ben was as disappointed as anybody the way it ended. That last game is just hard to swallow, and I think in part Ben wants to come back and leave on a high note. We're still confident he has the ability to do that. His arm, I would say, is as strong or almost as strong as ever, so I think he's certainly capable of getting the job done. Part of the concern is putting a (competitive) team around him, and we had a good discussion about that. We know there are still a lot of pieces to the puzzle that still have to fall into place this season, and we're hard at work trying to make that happen.'
Huddle Up: At 38, Big Ben finished 14th among fantasy QBs last season -- his lowest finish for a full or near-full season (at least 15 games played) since a 20th-place fantasy finish in 2008. He's still a capable QB, but he's now mired in the mid-QB2 range in terms of fantasy.
Posted 2/25/2021 2:52 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers impending free-agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster could re-sign with the Steelers, but it'll be very difficult with their salary cap situation. The Steelers can't use their franchise tag on him with their cap situation.
Huddle Up: Smith-Schuster hasn't been the same receiver since Antonio Brown left, but he has been a decent one. He'll be a WR2 target in fantasy.
Posted 2/24/2021 3:33 pm UTC
Updating a previous report, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger will return in 2021, according to team president Art Rooney II.
Huddle Up: Roethlisberger was 14th in fantasy points at the position last season in 15 games. The big question will be - how will they supplement around him? JuJu Smith-Schuster is a free agent, and the tight end and running back positions need addressed. He also lost his longtime center to retirement. Big Ben is a mediocre QB2 target in drafts.
Posted 2/19/2021 8:14 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger had 41 of his passes dropped by his pass catchers this season. He has only 26 over the previous two seasons.
Huddle Up: Roethlisberger did not have a great since coming back from elbow surgery, and his status with the Steelers is uncertain at this point. Fantasy players should consider him a No. 2 quarterback if he plays next season.
Posted 2/17/2021 6:18 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has told the team he wants to continue playing, but general manager Kevin Colbert said the team is still evaluating the situation. Colbert said the two sides will need to figure out the finances if Roethlisberger wants to return.
Huddle Up: Fantasy players will need to keep an eye on the situation over the next few weeks to see where Roethlisberger will be playing in 2021. He played well at times this past season but did not put up the same numbers he did in the past. He probably will be a No. 2 quarterback in most fantasy leagues next season.
Posted 2/15/2021 1:09 am UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson's 144 targets ranked eighth in the NFL, but his 61.5 receiving yards per game ranked 30th.
Huddle Up: Issues with drops didn't help his disparity between targets and yards, but there is a good chance that Johnson enters 2021 as Pittsburgh's No. 1 receiver. As long as the quarterback situation remains stable, WR2 production is more than possible.
Posted 2/11/2021 3:14 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers impending free-agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster has heavy interest from the Las Vegas Raiders, according to 710 ESPN's John Clayton.
Huddle Up: He'll be an interesting case in free agency as he showed WR1 ability, but it was only when Antonio Brown was opposite of him. He'll be a WR2 target in PPR leagues if he stays with Pittsburgh, but it's a roll of the dice if he's elsewhere.
Posted 2/09/2021 12:04 am UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson was charged with a league-high 15 drops in 2020, according to Pro Football Focus.
Huddle Up: In Johnson's defense, nearly half of his drops (seven) came during a three-game period from Week 12 to Week 14. Johnson's star is clearly on the rise and should remain that way as long as Pittsburgh has someone competent throwing him the ball. The 24-year-old can make a strong case to be considered a low-end WR1 in fantasy next season.
Posted 2/08/2021 7:32 am UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is set to meet with team officials during the upcoming week to discuss his contract situation and future with the club, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Huddle Up: Here's what we know: Roethlisberger won't play for the team in 2021 under his current cap hit of $41.2 million. Beyond that, it's wait-and-see time. The most likely scenario involves a restructure of some kind, but we could know a lot more by week's end.
Posted 2/03/2021 9:06 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers impending free-agent WR JuJu Smith-Schuster said he would like to re-sign with the Steelers this offseason.
Huddle Up: The Steelers will not have much salary cap space this offseason, so Smith-Schuster may be able to find better offers in free agency. He should be at least a top-three receiver wherever he plays next season and can be a No. 3 receiver in fantasy leagues in 2021.
Posted 1/30/2021 3:13 am UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Chase Claypool finished 11th in the NFL in receiving yards on deep targets in 2020, and he drew a league-high seven pass interference penalties on deep targets.
Huddle Up: Claypool's big-play ability made him a boom-or-bust flex play as a rookie, but with JuJu Smith-Schuster's future in Pittsburgh in doubt, Claypool could make a leap in 2021.
Posted 1/28/2021 10:58 pm UTC
Updating a previous report, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is not only open to restructuring his contract, but he told Ed Bouchette of The Athletic on Thursday, Jan. 28, that it was his idea 'to basically help the team however I can this year.'
Huddle Up: Roethlisberger is reportedly set to count $41.2 million against the cap in 2021, so something will need to get done regardless of whose idea it was. It's debatable if Pittsburgh should even bring him back given how the season ended, but the Steelers really don't have any better - and certainly no proven - options at the moment. Expect the two sides to iron this thing out in the coming weeks.
Posted 1/28/2021 7:51 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is wanted back for an 18th season, Steelers president Art Rooney II said Thursday, Jan. 28, but Rooney added that Roethlisberger and the team will have to reach an agreement over his 'significant' salary-cap hit for the 2021 season.
Huddle Up: Pending he returns, Big Ben projects as a mid-level QB2. In 2020, he posted his second-highest single-season TD pass total (33) but threw for his fourth-fewest yards (3,803) in a season in which he played at least 15 games.
Posted 1/16/2021 6:02 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is eliciting optimism within the organization that he'll return for an 18th season in 2021, according to a report Saturday, Jan. 16.
Huddle Up: Big Ben will turn 39 in March, and he's definitely now more a mid-level QB2 after finishing 14th at the position in 2020.
Posted 1/14/2021 1:31 am UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger's future with the team is unknown as he heads into the final year of his contract at a cap hit of $41.25 million. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Wednesday, Jan. 13, there's a decent chance Roethlisberger is back in 2021. 'I don't have a clear assessment of the overall depth of the cap ramifications, but I think it's reasonable to assume there's a chance he'll be back, certainly,' Tomlin said. Releasing Roethlisberger would leave Pittsburgh with $22.25 million in dead cap, according to Spotrac.
Huddle Up: Roethlisberger finished the season with 3,803 passing yards and 33 touchdowns against 10 interceptions, but he faded down the stretch and had arguably his worst game of the season against the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Wild Card Round. The soon-to-be 39-year-old will be a mid-tier QB2 if he returns to Pittsburgh next season.
Posted 1/09/2021 1:14 am UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) fully participated in practice Friday, Jan. 8, and is not on the injury report for the Wild Card playoff game.
Huddle Up: Smith-Schuster returned to the field Friday and should be able to handle his normal workload against the Cleveland Browns. He likely will see plenty of targets in the passing game and can a starting option in fantasy leagues.
Posted 1/08/2021 12:24 am UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (knee) was added to the injury report and did not participate in practice Thursday, Jan. 7.
Huddle Up: There's no word yet on the seriousness of the issue Smith-Schuster is dealing with, but he'll need to practice in some capacity Friday for fantasy owners to feel OK with using him in playoff leagues and/or DFS. The 24-year-old did not miss a game during the regular season, so it seems likely he'll be available Sunday against the Cleveland Browns. If he cannot go, James Washington would immediately become a decent fantasy option.
Posted 1/03/2021 9:49 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Mason Rudolph went 22-for-39 for 315 yards, two touchdowns and one interception against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17. RB James Conner rushed for 37 yards on nine carries and caught five passes for 25 yards during the game. WR Chase Claypool caught five passes for 101 yards and one touchdown on 11 targets, WR Diontae Johnson caught three passes for 96 yards on four targets and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster caught six passes for 65 yards and one touchdown on eight targets.
Posted 1/02/2021 8:56 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers TE Eric Ebron on Saturday, Jan. 2, was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list and will miss the regular-season finale Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
Huddle Up: Those hoping to roll with Ebron at tight end in Week 17 obviously will need to find another option.
Posted 1/01/2021 10:26 pm UTC
Pittsburgh Steelers WR Diontae Johnson (illness) did not participate in practice Friday, Jan. 1, but is not on the injury report for Week 17.
Huddle Up: The Steelers will be holding out several of their players for Week 17, so fantasy players will need to check the inactive list to see if Johnson sits out. He would be playing with Mason Rudolph if he is active for the game and can be avoided if better alternatives are available.
Posted 1/01/2021 9:29 pm UTC
Updating a previous report, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (non-injury) did not practice all week and has been ruled out for Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns.
Huddle Up: It's been widely reported for a few days that Roethlisberger will sit out the regular-season finale in favor of Mason Rudolph, and this confirms it. Rudolph has done very little in his limited opportunities to show that he is worthy of fantasy consideration, so owners would be wise to look elsewhere for a Week 17 quarterback option.
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