Football season is right around the corner with Week 1 of the preseason coming this weekend. That means that it’s also time to start thinking about fantasy football. The Pittsburgh Steelers have some very talented and enticing stars on their roster in 2023. Unfortunately, stardom sometimes doesn’t transfer over into fantasy success. The Steelers, in recent history, have struggled to produce consistent fantasy stars due to the team’s play style. The biggest thing is to win games, and worrying about stats and fantasy scores isn’t usually the first thing that comes to the coach’s mind. With that being said, there are going to be some fantasy studs for Pittsburgh in 2023 and there are going to be players who do not produce consistently. Here is a list of who you should draft, avoid, and stash from the Pittsburgh Steelers in your fantasy football drafts.
Pittsburgh Steelers Team Fantasy Outlook: Who To Draft, Stash, Avoid
Despite having success in terms of their final record, the Pittsburgh Steelers often struggle with fantasy success. The Steelers have had five total skill players finish in the top ten fantasy scorers in the past five seasons. That is actually a good thing, but 80% of this success came in 2018 or 2019. Without Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers offense is now in a different era, one that flaunts second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett. As the team tries to ease Pickett and other offensive starters into the league, there will be some growing pains. The offensive scheme is much more likely to be balanced between run and pass, and not heavy on one. Teams like the Chiefs and Chargers are pass-reliant, and as a result, have stronger fantasy performances. The Chargers aren’t necessarily more skilled than the Steelers; it’s just that their certain play style impacts fantasy football standing quite a bit.
As Kenny Pickett grows and the rest of the offense with him, things should start to take shape. We’ll see what the true offensive identity will be for Pittsburgh for years to come. Because the team will at least start out with a balanced run-pass scheme, there aren’t any Steelers players who immediately jump out as fantasy studs. However, they do have two guys who will get the ball a lot, three guys who are still question marks, and many more who likely won’t have a fantasy impact. Here are the players from the Steelers who you should draft with comfort, avoid like the plague, or stash for safekeeping.
*These rankings/categorizations are for leagues of a standard size of about 8-12 teams.
Draft With Comfort
This section includes four skill players who will almost certainly make an impact. All four find themselves in the top 100 of the PPR fantasy football rankings this season, meaning all of them should be drafted by the tenth round.
Najee Harris, RB
Harris should be healthy and should hopefully return to his rookie-season form. Despite battling some adversity through injuries last year, Harris finished with ten total touchdowns and over 1,250 all-purpose yards. His 313 touches ranked sixth in the NFL and it’s believed he’ll continue to see a heavy workload. For Kenny Pickett’s offense to work in 2023, the Steelers are going to need a consistent running game. Harris should help with that tremendously and it should reflect in his fantasy football production. Harris is currently around the 30th overall pick and in the RB 10-12 range. He should be in starting lineups just about every week and potentially even as the better of two backs in your lineup.
Diontae Johnson, WR
Johnson certainly had a down year with scoring in 2022 as he failed to collect a single touchdown. But, he led the team in targets, yards, and receptions also. As the offense hopefully improves, so should Johnson’s offensive production. He is a dependable target who excels in route running and simply getting a few yards. He starts as the Steelers’ top receiver and that should warrant him, along with Pickens and Freiermuth, plenty of looks. His WR27 fantasy ranking gives him WR3/flex consideration in your lineup every week, and his overall ranking puts him around the fifth or sixth rounds.
George Pickens, WR
There isn’t much not to say about Pickens. His flair for the exceptional catch and big-time play certainly echoes on the field. However, that doesn’t always reflect to fantasy football. Pickens starts the year as the WR37 which doesn’t even guarantee him a spot in fantasy lineups. Pickens finished third in receptions and second in yards on the team but with plenty of mouths to feed his volume might just be the same. Despite not being a top receiving option yet, Pickens should still be drafted in the seventh or eighth round. He may not warrant a start every week but there will be a few breakout weeks where he looks like a top receiver. Still, draft him with comfort and he could be a valuable bench piece that turns into a starter.
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Pat Freiermuth, TE
Freiermuth is ranked as the TE9 in pre-season rankings which means he should be in a starting role in your fantasy lineup just about every week. Freiermuth is very talented and has proven to be a dependable receiver for the young Kenny Pickett. Unfortunately, the Steelers just have too many weapons that will need the ball, and that takes away from his draft stock. Top tight ends like Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews are the best receivers on their team so they’re going to get a very high target share. Freiermuth is elite and can play similarly to these two, but the fact is he just won’t get enough looks to be considered a top option in fantasy. Despite all this, he still ranks in the top ten of tight ends and projects to be a tenth-round pick in a draft.
Late Picks/Pieces To Stash
Kenny Pickett, QB
Pickett is looking to make that big leap forward in year two. He has the offensive weapons to do so and this season will be a testament to his NFL ability. If he and the offense start producing, there’s no doubt he will start to rise in fantasy football consideration. Right now, he’s being drafted around the QB20 spot which maybe earns him a backup role on some teams. If you’re a believer, he might not be a bad last-round pick for your team. If he starts to settle in and play well, then boom, you have a steal waiting there. He is worth a selection in the last few rounds and is a valuable player to stash/trade if his stock rises.
Jaylen Warren, Allen Robinson
Both Warren and Robinson will be part of the team substantially but not as part of the starting 11. Warren will be Najee Harris’ backup, and that won’t grant him much more than a few points a game when Harris is there. But, Harris has been injury prone, and having a handcuff to your fantasy running backs isn’t a bad idea. He is quite skilled and did rather well filling in last year. If he’s available in the last few rounds and you want a handcuff to Harris, look no further than Jaylen Warren.
Robinson, a long-time veteran receiver, should start the year as the WR3 on the depth chart. He will play quite a bit, but once again he won’t be out there on early or run-specific downs. If for some reason Johnson or Pickens were to get hurt, Robinson would immediately catapult into a strong position to get targets. Like Warren, he won’t start and should only get a few points a game regularly. But as a receiving handcuff to Pickens or Johnson, he could serve a purpose later in the year.
Do Not Draft/Use Free Agency If Necessary
Calvin Austin, Darnell Washington
Despite all of the hype you’re hearing about these two, please do not draft them. They are both young guys who have three other players ahead of them on the depth chart. Yes, they are both very talented and could end up serving some role to the team. But there are plenty of veterans ahead of each of them who will get the ball well before they do. Austin is speedy and known for his catch-and-run ability, but he has yet to appear in a game in his second season. Washington has a big frame but also surprising speed and a nice receiving ability. Both of these guys don’t even fall into the top 300 which means they shouldn’t even be considered in the draft.
Now, things can happen like injuries and breakouts that make these two have bigger roles. If for some reason they do have a larger role, they will be available to pick up via free agency. With six other veterans ahead of both of them, it will be hard for them to show their worth early on. They might be worth a dart throw in dynasty formats.
Main Photo Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
