The Steelers have their first true test this week against the Browns, and here are the fantasy players to start and sit for their Sunday matchup
The Steelers struggled more than they probably should have against the Eagles last week, but they still left week five as winners. There seems to be a new budding star on the offense in rookie Chase Claypool, who I successfully predicted would have a solid fantasy outing. The Steelers secondary was also further exposed, leaving behind more questions as teams may begin targeting this struggling group.
The biggest miss prediction I had last week was Eric Ebron. In a favorable matchup against an Eagles core that had been shredded by tight ends recently, Ebron had a disappointing stat line and a critical fumble late in the game that allowed the Eagles to hand around longer than they should. No matter though, as the Steelers enter this week’s matchup with the Browns with some more favorable conditions.
The obvious starts for the Steelers are still Ben Roethlisberger, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and the defense. Roethlisberger is playing clean football right now, and while Smith-Schuster was overshadowed last week, he is still the top option for the Steelers offense. As for the defense, the struggling secondary is a concern, but the pass rush is still ferocious and can cause some turnovers. As for the Browns, the must starts are Kareem Hunt, Odell Beckham, and Jarvis Landry, as they make up the core of an offense that will likely be in a high scoring game.
That isn’t the end of the list either, as there are a handful of other players that could either start or sit in week six. All of this said, here are the three players to start and three to sit for the Steelers week six matchup with the Browns.
Eric Ebron
Verdict: Sit ’em
There was so much hope surrounding Ebron’s matchup last week. While he wasn’t horrible by any means, his overall play paled in comparison to some of the other tight ends that had torched the Eagles defense in recent weeks. The problem was, besides his fumble, he failed to make any big plays with the ball. He picked up a few first downs which was a plus, but all of his catches lacked much excitement when he had the ball in his hands.
All of this said, he is getting steady targets, which would make him a potential start ‘em candidate. The real reason he is trending down though is Claypool, who is a similar build to Ebron but is obviously much more explosive. With his sudden emergence in the offense, Ebron’s targets, especially in the red zone, could end up being given to Claypool.
Expect Ebron to see his usual targets, but assuming he doesn’t provide much after the catch, it is hard to justify starting him this week. He is a touchdown-dependent target right now, but with Claypool showing up, some of those red-zone targets could shift away from Ebron. Until Ebron gets more explosive after the catch, he will need a score to justify starting him, making him a risky start going forward.
Baker Mayfield
Verdict: Start ’em
Baker Mayfield may be one of the most frustrating quarterbacks to watch on Sunday, as he shifts from throwing interceptions to absolute dimes seemingly every other play. He is a fiery competitor that isn’t afraid to take risks, and while that can work for him sometimes, it has also led to a high number of turnovers early in his career. While those turnovers are likely to continue against the Steelers defense, he has a chance to score more and get some big plays as well.
It has become clear that the Steelers secondary has regressed from last season. The corners are struggling to consistently cover, and the safeties have given up some plays over the middle. Worse yet, the Steelers are especially bad on deep routes. Considering the talent that Beckham and Landry have to win deep, this weakness could be exposed by Mayfield and the Browns. In what looks like it will be a high scoring game, the Steelers secondary needs to tighten up, or else they could easily be the culprits for a potential loss.
While it’s a safe bet that Mayfield turns the ball over once or twice, he has the chance to find wins on deep throws and toss multiple scores. His good plays will likely outweigh his bad, and it should lead to a decent fantasy output overall. Expect a solid fantasy day from the former first overall pick as he looks to exploit this weak Steelers secondary.
Diontae Johnson/James Washington
Verdict: Sit ’em
It is time to trend down on the other Steelers receivers not named Smith-Schuster or Claypool. While both James Washington and Diontae Johnson have obvious talent, neither have been able to find much footing in this offense so far. Johnson has proven to be wildly inconsistent, making an amazing play one minute and then dropping an open pass the next. As well, he hasn’t been able to finish either of the past two games, furthering the need to keep him on your bench.
As for Washington, the former second-round pick does a great job at winning contested catches deep. The issue is the Steelers aren’t relying heavily on the deep pass right now. While Washington has great hands, he struggles to do much after the catch in terms of making someone miss. Until the Steelers are regularly attempting deep passes, Washington won’t be a viable play.
On top of all of this, with the emergence of Claypool, it is likely that both Johnson and Washington see a decrease in overall snaps. This will limit both of their fantasy potentials as the season goes forward. While both of these players have obvious talent, the questions with their play and targets going forward will cause both of them to trend down.
Chase Claypool
Verdict: Start ’em
While it is highly unlikely Claypool has a repeat fantasy performance this week, he is quickly becoming the Steelers’ second-best option at receiver. Given his size, athleticism, and confidence from Roethlisberger, Claypool is a fantasy option with limitless potential. While he won’t score every week, he should be the favorite to see 5-8 targets per game. Given his talent, those targets can turn into big gains.
While the Browns secondary hasn’t been horrible, there isn’t a clear matchup that presents them with a mismatch against Claypool. Their best corner, Denzel Ward, is tiny in comparison to Claypool, and will more than likely follow Smith-Schuster as he has had success there before. As for the duo of Kevin Johnson and Terrance Mitchell, while neither has been horrible, both are physically mismatched if they cover Claypool.
The best bet would be to try and double cover Claypool, which if they do, it would leave the other talented receivers in better matchups. More than likely, Claypool will pick up where he left off in week six. Unless the Browns solely game plan to stop Claypool (which would weaken their defense elsewhere), he will likely have a strong performance on Sunday.
Austin Hooper
Verdict: Sit ’em
While Mayfield seems primed for a big day statistically, his tight end Austin Hooper is less likely to have a solid fantasy outing. While the Browns signed him to a mega-contract in the offseason, he has yet to completely find his footing with their offense. As well, the Browns have had David Njoku and Harrison Bryant rotating in regularly and seeing targets in the passing game. Given the number of bodies at the position, it may be hard for Hooper to have a big day.
While the target share will be an issue, the Steelers’ defense should prove to be the other. The Steelers essentially took Zach Ertz out of the game last week against the Eagles, and while they have had some issues close to the end zone covering tight ends, they have yet to allow a huge performance to a tight end. This likely means a long day for Hooper, and one that doesn’t allow for a great fantasy output.
Similar to Ebron, Hooper will likely be a touchdown-dependent fantasy option during week six. That makes him a risk to start in fantasy, as his production will likely be limited by the defense and snap rotation he will be on. There should be some better options to start over Hooper, so keep him on your bench during week six.
James Conner
Verdict: Start ’em
James Conner has had a decent start to his 2020 season. Despite exiting the week one game with an injury, he has consistently produced in the previous three games. As well, he has securely had the most carries over the past through games, signifying his lead-back status. Better yet, the Steelers are actually rotating running backs this year. While this may take some snaps away from Conner, it helps keep him healthy and fresh allowing him to play at a high level through the majority of the game.
While he is coming off a bad performance against an almost elite front seven from the Eagles, Conner should be licking his lips at the idea of going against the Browns. He didn’t play against the Browns when healthy last year, but he was a force against them in 2018. Through two games, he logged over 400 total yards and four scores. Conner has had a knack for running hard against the Browns and being a true workhorse back in their matchups.
While the Browns have yet to give up a huge day statistically to runners, much of that is due to them taking early leads forcing teams to throw. Assuming the Steelers keep the game close, Conner should continue to see a lot of burn in week six. Even if the Steelers fall behind, Conner can catch the ball well, which would still allow him to be a viable fantasy option. Start him in all formats and expect a solid week from him in your fantasy lineups.
The week six matchup against the Browns has the potential to lead to a shootout which should allow for a surplus of strong fantasy matchups this week. Keep the above players in mind when setting your lineup in order to maximize your fantasy potential this week.