Steelers RB Najee Harris turned in a solid Week 9, totaling 76 yards and a score in Thursday night's win over the Titans. RB Jaylen Warren was the more explosive player (as usual), but Harris ran tough, scored a 10-yard TD, and even broke off a 25-yard run in the third quarter. This was his third straight useful fantasy outing, following RB13 and RB22 PPR finishes the previous two weeks. Harris continues to lose significant work to Warren but has tallied 12+ opportunities in seven straight games, averaging 13.4 carries and 2.7 targets per game over that span. That's enough to at least make Harris a solid RB3 play. Week 10 brings a plus matchup vs. the Packers' 25th-ranked RB defense.
Steelers RB Jaylen Warren totaled 113 yards on 14 touches in Thursday night's win over the Titans. Four of his 14 touches went for 13+ yards, highlighted by a 22-yard near-TD in the fourth quarter. Warren's foot landed out of bounds just before he got the ball over the goal line. It was still a nice fantasy performance against a tough Titans run defense. Warren's 11 carries and 88 rushing yards were both season highs, but his 3 catches give him 3+ grabs in seven of eight games this season. He remains the 1B in this backfield behind Najee Harris, but Warren is getting enough work to be a RB3 or flex play, especially in PPR leagues. He gets a plus Week 10 matchup vs. the Packers before a tough draw against the Browns in Week 11.
Steelers WR George Pickens finished Thursday night's game vs. the Titans with negative-one yard. He caught two of his five targets -- the first for two yards and the other for a loss of three. Pickens failed to get his second foot in bounds for what should have been a relatively easy 12-yard TD in the third quarter. In his defense, one of the other misconnections was a sailed pass from QB Kenny Pickett on a crossing route for what could have gone for a big gain. But Pickens wasn't good in this one. And, more importantly, he was out-targeted nine to five by WR Diontae Johnson. That gives Johnson 23 targets over the last two weeks to Pickens' 10. So we're right back where we started, with Pickens as the No. 2 WR in a bad passing game. Consider him a risk/reward WR3 going forward.
Steelers LB Cole Holcomb left in the first half of Thursday night's game against the Titans with a left knee injury. He needed to be carted off. Afterward, play-by-play man Al Michaels called it an injury that didn't need to be shown again. Pittsburgh quickly ruled Holcomb out for the game, and this seems likely to be a season-ender. We'll watch for more details. Kwon Alexander and Elandon Roberts would lead the position if Holcomb is out. Roberts has topped 44% playing time just once through seven games. Alexander has played more, with five games of 54% snap share or more. But he has yet to reach 70% in a game. Alexander looks like the better bet for more playing time while Holcomb is out.
The Steelers have activated DL Cameron Heyward from IR. The veteran has been out since suffering a groin injury in Week 1 that required surgery. His return should boost a Pittsburgh run defense that has slipped to 14th in DVOA this season after ranking fifth in that category last year. Heyward, of course, is also a pass-rush asset at full strength. He tallied 20.5 sacks over the past two seasons and tied his career high with 23 QB hits at age 33 last year. It's tough to recommend playing Heyward in Week 9 IDP lineups after an eight-week layoff. We wouldn't be surprised if Pittsburgh brings him back at less than full playing time. But Heyward is worth stashing now in plenty of leagues for whenever he does get back to full use.
Bears HC Matt Eberflus said in a Monday radio appearance that QB Tyson Bagent will start this weekend's game vs. the Saints. QB Justin Fields remains "week-to-week" with his thumb injury, Eberflus said. The fact that Fields is being ruled out on a Monday doesn't bode particularly well for his chances of returning in Week 10. We'll continue to track his recovery.
The Steelers have already ruled S Minkah Fitzpatrick out for Thursday night's game against the Titans, in the wake of his Sunday hamstring injury. Safeties Keanu Neal (97%) and Damontae Kazee (94%) each played season-high snap shares against the Jaguars and figure to be the top two against Tennessee. Neal -- who logged 7 solo tackles in the game -- is the better fantasy bet between them. Neither approaches Fitzpatrick's upside.
Steelers WR George Pickens managed just 1 reception among 5 targets in Sunday's loss to the Jaguars. He did, at least, turn that catch into a 22-yard TD. Pickens saw just 1 target from Kenny Pickett before the QB left with a rib injury. That was eight fewer than WR Diontae Johnson's target total with Pickett. Mitchell Trubisky threw Pickens' way four times, though, just one fewer than he threw at Johnson. We wouldn't panic over Pickens' target count just yet. But we'll certainly be watching to see whether Johnson reclaims his role as clear top target.
Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick injured his right hamstring in the first quarter against the Jaguars. The team quickly labeled him doubtful to return, which doesn't bode well for Fitzpatrick's Week 9 status. We'll certainly be watching for more updates.
Update: Pittsburgh downgraded him to out before the end of the first half.
Bears QB Justin Fields (thumb) has a chance to practice next week, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. How that goes figures to impact whether Fields is able to play vs. the Saints. We'll continue to keep you updated on his progress.
Steelers DL Cameron Heyward returned to practice this week after being out since Week 1 with a core injury. He close out the week with a full Friday practice. Pittsburgh hasn't yet activated him from IR, though. Steelers Depot says he won't play against the Jaguars in Week 8. But the veteran appears to be trending toward a return by Week 9. Heyward's return could alter a Pittsburgh run defense that has played soft this season. We'll watch for further developments in his status.
Bears QB Justin Fields (thumb) is out for Sunday night’s game vs. the Chargers. He remained sidelined in practice all week. QB Tyson Bagent gets another start this weekend. He completed 72% of his passes in the Week 7 win over the Raiders but averaged just 5.6 yards per attempt on a laughably low 2.1 air yards per attempt.
Bears HC Matt Eberflus said Monday that QB Justin Fields is doubtful for Sunday night's game against the Chargers because of his right thumb injury. That would mean a second straight start for undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent. The backup performed solidly in the win over the Raiders. But it's also worth noting that Chicago catered the game plan to him. Bagent's 2.1 air yards per attempt in that game marks the shortest average depth for any qualifying QB game this season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That's obviously not a knock on the player or the game plan. Just a reminder to keep your expectations in check for Bagent's stat line in Week 8.
Steelers WR George Pickens hauled 5 of 8 targets for a team-leading 107 receiving yards in Week 7 vs. the Rams. Sunday also saw the return of veteran wideout Diontae Johnson after missing the last four games due to a hamstring injury. Johnson recorded 5 catches for 79 receiving yards in the contest. Though the Steelers’ passing game hasn’t been potent in 2023, the 65.2% target share that this duo received confirms where fantasy managers can look for points on this roster in Week 8 vs. the Jaguars, even if TE Pat Freiermuth returns from his hamstring injury.
For the first time in 2023, Steelers RB Najee Harris out-scored his teammate Jaylen Warren in PPR scoring. Harris ended Week 7 vs. the Rams with 53 rushing yards and a TD on 14 carries to go along with 3 catches and 15 yards as a receiver. Warren also scored on a 13-yard rush in the contest, though he only saw 2 targets on Sunday. His lack of pass-catching involvement hurt him and was rather surprising considering he’d seen at least 4 targets in four of five games prior to their Week 6 bye. Next Sunday, the Steelers will face off against the Jaguars.
NFL Network reports that Bears QB Justin Fields' thumb injury is "considered to be a two-to-three week injury -- though one source said Fields already is regaining grip strength and shouldn't be entirely ruled out for next week against the Chargers." The Bears did not place Fields on IR, which means that they expect him back before Week 11. It sounds like Week 9 or 10 is his most likely return date. We'll keep you updated on his progress.
The Steelers have placed TE Pat Freiermuth on IR for the hamstring injury he aggravated in practice this week. That means Freiermuth will miss at least the next four games. Fortunately, though, Pittsburgh has already had its bye. Whether to dump Freiermuth for something else or wait for him to return will depend heavily on your situation. He's worth hanging on to in many cases, given how difficult it has been to land a quality fantasy TE this year. But Freiermuth is also averaging just 2 receptions and 13.3 yards through his four appearances so far, and has yet to exceed 4 targets in a game. So he's far from a must-hold.
Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) is officially out for Sunday's game vs. the Rams. He reinjured his hamstring on Thursday and is expected to miss more time beyond Week 7, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Darnell Washington and Connor Heyward have tag-teamed TE duties with Freiermuth out. Neither is a viable fantasy play. WRs Diontae Johnson and George Pickens should pick up more volume with Freiermuth out.
Bears HC Matt Eberflus said Friday that the team doesn't plan on putting QB Justin Fields (thumb) on IR. Eberflus labeled Fields "week-to-week," but no IR means that the team expects him back before Week 11. We'll continue to keep you updated on Fields' recovery. He remains worth stashing in most fantasy leagues.
Bears QB Justin Fields (thumb) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Raiders. He didn’t practice all week and, although Fields won’t have surgery, he isn’t a great bet to make it back for Week 8. Undrafted rookie QB Tyson Bagent makes his first career start this weekend. He’s not a viable fantasy play and makes WR D.J. Moore and TE Cole Kmet much riskier starts.
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