The Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Cleveland Browns in Week 14. Here’s fantasy football start-sit advice for every Steelers skill player who has the potential to make a fantasy impact during the game.
Looking for more lineup advice? Head over to our Week 14 Fantasy Start-Sit Cheat Sheet, where we cover every fantasy-relevant player in every game.
Russell Wilson, QB
Russell Wilson threw a pick-six on his third pass last week and was essentially perfect after that.
Against the Bengals, the veteran completed 76.3% of his passes for — checks notes — 414 yards, three scores, and that one interception. As explosive as Cincinnati is, Wilson supported five players in the first half of Week 13 who had more receiving yards than any Bengal.
With his ability to spread the ball around while mixing in occasional deep balls to George Pickens to keep defenses honest, he’s been able to blend extreme aggression within a conservative game plan, and it’s created an offense that now has loads of upside.
In a snowstorm, Wilson completed 75% of his passes (9.6 yards per attempt) against the Browns in Week 12. Cleveland is on a short week after putting up very little resistance in Denver, a form that leaves me no choice but to rank Wilson as a top-10 QB.
Cleveland allows more yards per completion than anyone in the league, and that is why I’m playing Wilson over Patrick Mahomes, Jared Goff, and plenty of others in Week 14.
Jaylen Warren, RB
That’s now three straight games with four targets for Jaylen Warren, a total he didn’t reach a single time previously. He was on the field for just 37.9% of Pittsburgh’s offensive snaps on Sunday, something that may have been impacted by the game script. When the Browns beat the Steelers in Week 12, Warren posted his highest snap share of the season (56.7%) and got 14 touches as a result.
Last week served as a reminder as to why I’m not comfortable in Flexing Warren. Najee Harris was banged up early and was on the sideline for a bit, something that you’d expect to open the door for Warren.
Not so much.
His 29-yard grab late in the second quarter was his only opportunity (rush attempts plus targets) in the first half. Mike Tomlin is the master of maximizing his teams, and he clearly hasn’t deemed getting Warren consistent looks as a priority.
We know that Warren will be on the field, and given the type of game both of these teams just played, this game has shootout potential. That profile makes him a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency Flex option, though you have to be aware that a single-digit PPR performance is more likely than not.
Najee Harris, RB
Early last week in Cincinnati, it looked as if we were approaching a huge day for Najee Harris, and that was glorious. On Pittsburgh’s first drive, their starting running back was trusted with six touches (50% target share) and turned them into 51 yards.
He got dinged up early and spent some time sidelined, but at the end of the day, 22 touches for 129 yards and a score is plenty profitable. Of course, you don’t get to face the Bengals every week, but the state of Ohio struggles to stop the run these days (you can decide if that is this Penn State alum taking a shot at the Buckeyes coughing up 173 yards on the ground to Michigan over the weekend).
This season, the Browns allow rushing touchdowns to running backs at the sixth-highest rate in the league and the most yards per short completion. Harris is a firm RB2 for me this weekend and should help you earn an important win — enjoy it, it could be a bumpy ride to the finish line.
- Week 15 at Philadelphia Eagles
- Week 16 at Baltimore Ravens
- Week 17 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
George Pickens, WR
George Pickens’ 17-yard touchdown on the first drive last week extended his streak to seven straight games with an end-zone target or a score, a role that locks him into fantasy lineups every week.
In the snow, Pickens was able to turn seven targets into just 48 yards in the first game against Cleveland this season. I’m not too worried about the underwhelming performance after watching the Browns chase around the Broncos without much success on Monday night.
He has a deep catch in every Russell Wilson start this season, giving him extreme upside to complement an increasingly stable floor (12 catches on 15 short targets over his past three games).
Pittsburgh is going to need its WR1 to produce at a high level with three elite offenses coming up after this week — you should be sitting pretty if you’re counting on Pickens during your fantasy playoffs.
Mike Williams, WR
I suspect that we will look back at the 2024 NFL trade deadline in six weeks and acknowledge the value added by some of the true contenders. Diontae Johnson joining the Ravens might pay off with time, and Mike Williams with these Steelers could too, but that doesn’t help us today, and I don’t think that’s going to change this week.
Williams’ weekly snap shares with Pittsburgh:
- Week 11 vs. Baltimore Ravens: 31.1%
- Week 12 at Cleveland Browns: 28.4%
- Week 13 at Cincinnati Bengals: 24.2%
Williams’ big catch with Pittsburgh was the 32-yard touchdown that we all remember, but he’s otherwise been an afterthought. Are they saving him? Is he struggling with the playbook?
I like the idea of him in this offense, but at this point, I think it’s safe to say that redraft fantasy managers can stop holding onto hope. Even if Williams sees his role expand, there’s not enough time left in the fantasy season for him to emerge into a Flex-worthy name.
Pat Freiermuth, TE
Pat Freiermuth has now cleared 55 yards in consecutive games (one such game in Weeks 1-11) and has caught 17 of 18 targets over his past five games. The 25-yard touchdown in Cincinnati over the weekend was a productive play, but I was more encouraged by the process behind it than the numbers it resulted in.
Russell Wilson was scrambling and felt comfortable in going to someone not named George Pickens when under pressure. I find it unlikely that we are getting seven targets from Freiermuth on any sort of consistent basis, but if we can safely pencil in 4-5 receptions in an offense that all of a sudden looks potent, that’s the type of profile that I’m comfortable with this time of year.