The “Top Five” is an ongoing article breaking down every NFL team’s top 5 best fantasy football
options.
Today’s team: Pittsburgh Steelers
1- Le’Veon Bell- RB
The Steelers are going to try to run a lot this year. After the dismal running game last season, the Steelers got rid of potential star back Rashard Mendenhall, and decided to go young drafting Michigan State’s Le’Veon Bell. Bell won’t wow you with finesse, but he is your typical Steeler running back a bruiser that can run up the middle.
At 6’1, 230 lbs, Bell is the leading candidate to being the Steelers number one back. He’s a terrific blocker and a very underrated pass catcher. Jonathan Dwyer/LaRod Stephens-Howling may steal a few carries here and there, but Bell should be the lead back and the top pick when selecting from the Steelers.
2- Antonio Brown- WR
Big Ben’s top WR’s always seem to produce. They may not get a lot of catches, but the yards and TD’s always seems to be there. Antonio Brown should be no exception to this. A sleeper candidate last season, Brown shockingly regressed a bit, however with Mike Wallace now gone, and Heath Miller still recovering from his knee injury. Brown remains alone as Ben’s go to guy.
He’s got the speed to stretch the defenses, and the hands to be a top possession weapon for Pittsburgh. Expect a big year from this undervalued WR.
3- Ben Roethlisberger- QB
As far as fantasy backup QB’s go, Big Ben remains near the top of the list. Consistently average throughout the years, Ben has managed to quietly put together pretty good numbers for an offense that’s always been based on run first. Although he does get banged up on occasion (he hasn’t played a full season in 3 years and is the most sacked QB in the NFL). With the Steelers going young at RB, and if Le’Veon does turn out to be a disappointment, Big Ben has proven in the past that he’s capable of leading the offense.
Even without Mike Wallace and at the moment Heath Miller, Roethlisberger remains a solid, middle-of-the-road fantasy QB.
4- Pittsburgh DEF/ST
Sure they’re older, lost leader James Harrison in the off-season, and had a pretty bad season (stats wise) in 2012, but it’s still the Pittsburgh Steelers defense! Dick LeBeau has coached longer than most of us have lived. The guy knows what he’s doing. Add Jarvis Jones to stop the run, a healthy Troy Polamalu and a passing defense that gave up the fewest in the NFL last season.
There’s no reason to suspect the Steelers defense will bounce back and once again be a fantasy force this season.
5- Heath Miller- TE
Coming off of a torn ACL last season, cutting his best statistical year of his career short. Heath is a possibility of starting the season on the PUP list (ESPN reported he’s doing great in his recovery and barring a setback he looks to stay off the PUP list), however if he doesn’t Miller is a steal at TE. Over the past three seasons his numbers have increased and is Roethlisberger’s security blanket in the passing game.
With great hands, and a beast in the red zone (Roethlisberger looked to him twice as much more than any other WR now on the roster last season), Miller could be a gem of a TE in the later rounds/deeper drafts.