Pittsburgh Steelers Fantasy Football: Start ’em/Sit ’em vs the Bucs

The Pittsburgh Steelers have some increased fantasy value as they take on the red-hot Buccaneers in Tampa Bay.

Quarterback:

Ben Roethlisberger: Start

I’m on the fence about Big Ben in this one. The game is on the road which has been notoriously hard on Roethlisberger’s fantasy output. However, the Tampa Bay secondary is not very good when they’re at full strength. Right now, however, they are not even at full strength. Vernon Hargreaves went down for the season in week one, and Brent Grimes didn’t play last week and might not play this week. Normally I wouldn’t start Ben on the road but this is a lot better opportunity than most.

Running Back:

Le’Veon Bell: Sit

He isn’t even on the team’s roster anymore.

James Conner: Start

James Conner had a down week in week 2 after having a huge outing. He still produced almost fifteen fantasy points which is a very solid output. I see Conner as an every week starter, at least until something happens with Bell. I also like that the game is on the road as the team seems to play a little more conservatively outside of Hines Field.

Wide Receiver

Antonio Brown: Start

AB has been in the news a lot this week and not for a reason. That doesn’t mean the issues will carry over to Monday. I expect Brown to be his usual self, especially against the banged up secondary of the Bucs.

JuJu Smith-Schuster: Start

JuJu is becoming an obvious every week starter in his new role as the clear-cut number two pass catcher in the Steelers offense. He has scored double-digit fantasy points in each of the first two weeks of the season and that shouldn’t change this week either. The Buccaneers secondary isn’t good enough to slow him down especially with AB on the other side.

James Washington: Sit

We are approaching a time where Washington is a start that time is just not here yet. He had a respectable score in week 2 after scoring his first touchdown. More encouraging than that was how often he was on the field. In week one Justin Hunter got the start but was a healthy scratch last week. All of this suggests the team is feeling more comfortable with Washington. I expect him to get more targets as the season moves on, even if he isn’t a start this week.

Justin Hunter: Sit

This is probably the last week I include Hunter after a healthy scratch in week 2.

Tight End

Vance McDonald: Sit

The likelihood of McDonald every becoming a legitimate fantasy starter is fading in my eyes. He simply can’t overtake Jesse James for the majority of the tight end volume. Until I see different I am looking elsewhere for my tight end.

Jesse James: Sit

Jesse James had a huge week 2. That isn’t enough for me to trust him. He was the beneficiary of a game that the Steelers were losing big almost immediately. I simply don’t think he can maintain that production as long as Vance McDonald is around.