Vance McDonald
The one thing Ben Roethlisberger missed last season was having a receiving threat at tight end. Yes, Jesse James is a quality end in the NFL, but his receiving game isn’t as good as Roethlisberger is used to having.
McDonald is one of the best moves Pittsburgh made all offseason, and it’ll show right from the start. He’ll see plenty of target down the middle of the field, and with his speed, he’ll get a ton of attention from his tight end loving quarterback.
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In the redzone, James may be the go-to for Ben, but making their way to the endzone, the Steelers will love using McDonald. With one or two big receptions and maybe even a touchdown, the former 49er is looking at a double-digit fantasy week, with ease.
Also, you have to account for the Browns. Without Myles Garrett, Cleveland barely has a pass rush. Then, you put their top two corners on Brown and Bryant and likely leave Jabrill Peppers on either Eli Rogers or JuJu Smith-Schuster. Which means whoever is left gets the job of covering McDonald. Unfortunately, the Steelers’ new tight end is talented enough to beat most defenders who aren’t some of the best on their team.
McDonald could be anywhere from 10-15 points this week. If Cleveland is too focused on stopping Pittsburgh’s wideouts, he could be looking at even more.