Ranking the 5 most valuable Steelers in fantasy football
By Scott Long
The Steelers boast some talented players, here are the 5 most valuable ones to own in fantasy football leagues this year.
Fantasy Football has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, and younger fans can’t help but think of how the game will affect their fantasy teams.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of players who could make a significant impact for fantasy football players this year, and for the first time in a long time, due to the depth at the quarterback position, Ben Roethlisberger is not one of the five most valuable Steelers to own in fantasy leagues, but that’s not to say he is not a player who should be owned, as he does still have plenty of value.
The following are the five most valuable Steelers in fantasy:
5. Steelers Defense
While it may look strange to put a defense among the most valuable fantasy selections from the Steelers, they are one of the league’s best units and thus possess plenty of value.
This is not to say that the Steelers defense should be drafted before Ben Roethlisberger, rather it is saying they are more valuable due to the fact that they are going to be starting for their fantasy owners, and are a top-five defensive option this season, and potentially the best.
With a defensive front that boasts All-Pros, T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward, as well as Stefon Tuitt, Alex Highsmith, Tyson Alualu, and newly signed Melvin Ingram, the Steelers will once again challenge for the league’s sack title. This unit was number one in the NFL last year in sacks, tackles for loss, quarterback hits, and sack percentage, per Pro Football Reference.
On the back end, the team has All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Joe Haden, Cameron Sutton, and Terrell Edmunds. This group helped lead the Steelers to the second-most takeaways in the NFL last season while tying for the league lead in interceptions, and leading the league in QBR against.
Combine an elite unit, with budding star Devin Bush returning from a torn ACL, and the Steelers should absolutely be one of the league’s best defenses. Their ability to sack the quarterback and force turnovers makes them an easy top 3 defensive selection in fantasy football this year.