With the Steelers on to week seven in Tennessee, here are the fantasy football players worth starting and sitting against the Titans
Huh, this kind of seems like déjà vu for the Steelers, as the team was originally tasked with playing the Titans in week four. This game was later moved due to a COVID outbreak with the Titans, and now the teams prepare to square off with each other. While I covered the potential fantasy starters before week four, much has changed in between those weeks.
Before that though, last week I nailed some of the picks, but I missed on most of my obvious starts. Ben Roethlisberger had a slow day, but most of that was due to the Steelers’ heavy reliance on the running game. As well, JuJu Smith-Schuster was a dud, as he only caught two passes and totaled six yards. Things weren’t all bad though, as Chase Claypool and James Conner strong weeks and were well worth a start.
Looking to this week, the obvious starts this week are the defense, Conner, Claypool, and Roethlisberger for the Steelers and Ryan Tannehill, A.J. Brown, and Derrick Henry for the Titans. I expect a bounce-back performance for Roethlisberger who will likely have to throw more this week in a more competitive matchup. Conner and the defense have been consistent over the past few weeks. As well, Claypool has quickly become the Steelers’ best threat on offense, and he should continue to see heavy usage.
As for the Titans, Henry is the best running back in the league, and although the Steelers have had success stopping running games, he may be good enough to counter that on his own. Brown reintroduced himself to the league last week and going against a softer Steeler secondary could lead to some big gains. Finally, Tannehill has emerged as an elite quarterback since becoming the starter last year, and while his numbers may dip, he is still worth a start.
That isn’t the end of the list though, as there are still a plethora of players that could be considered for fantasy play. All of this said, here are the players to start or sit for the Steelers week seven matchup against the Titans.
Eric Ebron
Verdict: Sit ’em
Eric Ebron has been a disappointment this season. He was brought in as this big and dynamic receiving threat yet has struggled to see a lot of targets and hasn’t done much with the ball in his hands. As well, he has only scored once despite being a top scorer with the Colts a few years back. The biggest plus for him right now is that he has developed more as a blocker, but he is still far from an elite blocker on the line.
With the emergence of Claypool, it could continue to diminish Ebron’s role on the offense. Claypool is an aggressive blocker as a receiver, and he even saw snaps close to the offensive line when the Steelers were pounding the ball late in the game against the Browns. Moving forward, Claypool may continue cutting into Ebron’s opportunities while on offense.
The only upside for him this week is the fact that the Titans have been lackluster covering tight ends so far. Considering the Steelers offense is heating up, Ebron may be able to find a score and salvage a respectable fantasy day. Despite that, he is far too risky to count on this week. Keep him on your bench this week and look for better options moving forward.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
Verdict: Start ’em
While Smith-Schuster has struggled in recent weeks to be relevant in fantasy, better games may be ahead for him. For starters, he has faced some stiff coverage as the top option for the Steelers which has resulted in quite a few disappointing outings. That said, the Titans have struggled against the pass recently, which gives Smith-Schuster an opportunity to bounce back.
Considering the successes of the Steelers’ other receivers, the Titans would be wise to spread out their coverages more. While this could hurt an option like Claypool, I could help open the door for Smith-Schuster to make some plays. All he needs is a couple of single coverages to show off his physicality and surprising speed.
While on paper it looks like he has been phased out of the passing game, Smith-Schuster has a good opportunity to rebound against the Titans. He can be a mismatch in the slot or a big-play threat on the outside. Given his struggles, week seven needs to be a good one for him. He should be in line for around five receptions, and if he can score, he could be a sneaky good fantasy play this week.
Corey Davis
Verdict: Sit ’em
Corey Davis was playing well early in the season before landing on the COVID list, but despite those early successes, he seems destined for a reduced role. While Tannehill has been playing at an elite level, the return of Brown in the passing game will likely result in a reduced role. As well, this offense rolls through the running game, meaning that his role will be reduced even further in the offense.
What benefits Davis is his size, as he has red-zone target written all over him. If the Titans look to a receiver in the red zone, Davis could be the go-to target. That said, they would be more likely to trust Henry with the ball than anyone else, so it may still limit his opportunities. While a chance score may benefit his final fantasy output, he shouldn’t be relied on as a starter this week.
While the Steelers defense has given up some big plays through the pass so far this season, it doesn’t present Davis with enough upside to start. While he could reestablish his role going forward, that isn’t likely to happen this week against the Steelers. Keep him on your bench and seek out some other options this week.
James Washington
Verdict: Start ’em
James Washington took advantage of the single coverage he faced last week and had a solid fantasy outing overall. While he will likely be streaky, especially with the amount of talent in this room, he should fare well this week against the Titans. The Titans have been susceptible to some deep plays. Considering Washington will likely see a lot of single coverage, he can do what he does best: win deep.
Most important to his success is the fact that Roethlisberger has started to connect deep once again. Earlier on when he was still shaking some rust off, he and Washington were off on their deep passes and that limited his fantasy scores. Last week, Washington saw some more looks deep, including his 28-yard score against the Browns. He should be in line for a similar stat line by the end of this week.
If the Steelers go back to all short passes, Washington may fade back into obscurity. Considering this game has the potential to be high scoring, the Steelers may take a couple of extra shots deep in order to find a quick score. If that is the case, Washington should continue to find success in this offense, even if it is only as the third option.
Diontae Johnson
Verdict: Sit ’em
While Diontae Johnson was leading the Steelers in targets before he was bit by the injury bug, his prospects for this game doesn’t look great. The Steelers offense has exploded with Johnson away, and it may be hard for him to get right back on track this week against the Titans. While he will certainly see a few targets if he is healthy, it is hard to imagine he resumes his spot as a top target.
While Johnson was the top target before his injury, he was struggling with consistencies despite the heavy workload. For every great play he made, he would follow it up with a horrible one. Dropped passes and fumbles plagued him, and it is clear he needs to get these inconsistencies out of his game before he can truly become a top target.
As the season goes on and he works his way back into the offense, expect to see Johnson make his way back onto the starter list. Until then, he is a risky play as he needs to prove he will still be a true threat in the receiving game before he can be trusted as a producer. Keep him in mind for future weeks, as his role will likely expand, but he needs to get to that point before he can be trusted as a starter.
As you set your fantasy rosters this week, keep in mind the players above as potential fantasy starters and bench options. Adding the right player to your lineup could make or break your fantasy success in week seven.