When it comes to offensive football, it’s hard to overstate what’s going on in Pittsburgh this season.
The Steelers have one of the best-looking attacks in the NFL, and it should only get better as their offensive line gets healthier and stronger.
But the real reason the Steelers are capable of scoring 30-plus points every week is their trio of superstars in quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell and wideout Antonio Brown.
In any given week, all three could rank as the top performers at their respective positions. Since the Steelers are in Miami against an underachieving Dolphins team, Mike Tomlin‘s triplets should be at the top of their game once again.
We like Roethlisberger as the No. 2 quarterback this week behind Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints, but Bell and Brown are at the top of their charts. Also, a familiar name in Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots sits at the top of the tight end rankings.
Quarterbacks
A year ago, Brees might have been filled with trepidation at the thought of facing the Panthers and their overpowering defense. But it’s a different story this year, as the Panthers rank 14th overall in yards allowed and 17th against the pass.
Brees leads the second-most prolific passing attack in the NFL, as he is averaging 304.2 yards per game and has thrown 10 touchdown passes.
The Panthers do not have the talent in the secondary to cover speedster Brandin Cooks on deep throws, and while Cooks may not put another 98-yard TD reception on the board as he did in Week 1 against Oakland, Brees should find him with regularity.
Roethlisberger should successfully operate against a Miami defense that ranks 28th overall. The presence of a former superstar in Ndamukong Suh should make the Dolphins tough to play against, but that has not been the case.
So long as Big Ben gets decent protection from his offensive line—he was sacked just once in Week 5 against the Jets—he should have little problem finding his top receivers.
We also look for another stellar performance from Tom Brady when he returns to Foxborough for the first time this season. His magnificent showing at Cleveland—406 passing yards and three TDs—indicates that he is on top of his game.
The Dallas Cowboys took apart the Bengals in Week 5, and Marvin Lewis’s team regularly performs in an underwhelming fashion on the road against non-division winning teams.
Projections
- Brees: 323 passing yards, three TDs
- Roethlisberger: 305 passing yards, three TDs
- Brady: 288 passing yards, three TDs
Running backs
If Roethlisberger dominates against the Dolphins, Bell may have one of the best days of his season. The Dolphins are ranked 32nd against the run, and Bell should be successful running on the interior, getting to the outside and winning the battle after first contact.
Bell’s ability to read his blocks and change speeds at the appropriate moment separates him from the rest of the pack at the position. The Dolphins do not show the inclination to stop anyone, let alone one of the sharpest running backs in the league.
There is no reason to think that LeSean McCoy of the Buffalo Bills is about to slow down at this point. He is legitimate competition for Bell as the best all-around running back in the league because he is just as strong catching the ball as he is running with it.
The Bills depend on McCoy for the bulk of their offense as a result of the injury to Sammy Watkins (foot, injured reserve), and he has come through. McCoy has rushed for 447 yards with a 5.3 yards-per-carry average, and he has also caught 19 of 21 passes.
Look for McCoy to punish the San Francisco 49ers at home after the Bills registered back-to-back road wins at New England and Los Angeles.
Few things have gone right for the Chicago Bears once again this season, but the running of rookie Jordan Howard is one of them.
Howard was the team’s fifth-round draft pick last spring and the 150th selection overall, but he has run hard in every game this season and has emerged as the team’s No. 1 running back as a result of his consistent production.
Howard ran for 118 yards in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts, and he also caught a late fourth-quarter TD pass that gave the Bears a short-lived lead. He has run for 296 yards and is averaging an eye-catching 5.8 yards per carry. He should continue along those lines when the Bears host the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday.
Projections
- Bell: 127 rushing yards, two TDs
- McCoy: 117 rushing yards, two TDs
- Howard: 107 rushing yards, one TD
Wide receivers
In addition to having as much physical talent as any receiver in the league, Brown is hungry to perform and put big numbers on the board every week.
The Steelers look to Brown to make the tough catches, but he doesn’t stop there because his ability to make tacklers miss is perhaps his best asset once he has the ball in his hands. Brown has already been targeted 56 times by Roethlisberger and has caught 37 passes for 447 yards with five touchdowns. Look for a huge game from him against the Dolphins.
Allen Robinson of the Jaguars is well-rested since his team had a bye week after its victory over the Colts in London in Week 4. T.Y. Hilton of the Colts dismantled the Bears in Week 5 with 10 passes for 171 yards and the game-winning touchdown, and Robinson will have a similar game against a secondary that lacks the talent to stay with him.
Jordy Nelson of the Green Bay Packers is a special receiver who may just be the key to quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ season. The Green Bay passing game stalled last season when Nelson was out with an ACL injury, but he is once again in top form this year.
Nelson has already caught five TD passes in the Packers’ first four games, and it’s clear that they have to look his way when they need a big play. He has caught 21 passes so far, and that number should increase when the Packers host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6.
Dallas ranks 16th overall on defense and 19th against the pass, so it is unlikely the Cowboys are going to slow him down.
Projections
- Brown: 136 receiving yards, two TDs
- Robinson: 122 receiving yards, one TD
- Nelson: 115 receiving yards, one TD
Tight ends
Gronkowski was taking abuse from fantasy football fans in New England through the team’s first four games, as he had been slowed by a hamstring injury and had caught just one pass going into the Patriots’ Week 5 game in Cleveland.
After a solid week of practice, Gronkowski caught five passes for 109 yards against the Browns, as he returned to health and Brady returned to the lineup.
There should be no stopping Gronkowski from this point forward. While fantasy players may be worried because Martellus Bennett caught three TD passes against Cleveland, Gronk is still the man in New England.
We also like Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs this week against the Oakland Raiders. Kelce hasn’t been considered a mini-Gronk in a couple of years, but he is a productive tight end who has caught 22 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns. He is the Chiefs’ No. 2 receiver behind Jeremy Maclin.
The Raiders regularly give up big games and big plays to opposing tight ends, and Kelce may have his best game of the year against a pass defense that is allowing 330.6 yards per game and ranks 32nd in the league.
Projections
- Gronkowski: 123 receiving yards, one TD
- Kelce: 112 receiving yards, one TD
Waiver Projections
Even the best fantasy general managers have to go to the waiver wire, and for those involved in daily fantasy football, assessing the fantasy roster is an ongoing process.
Fantasy players in need at the running back position must pick up Terrance West of the Baltimore Ravens as soon as possible.
Not only has West become the No. 1 running back for the Ravens with 327 yards and a five yards-per-carry mark, but the Ravens have also fired sleepy offensive coordinator Marc Trestman and replaced him with Marty Mornhinweg.
That should help the Ravens improve their offensive performance, and West will be one of the beneficiaries. Mornhinweg knows he can count on West for productivity and will make sure the running back gets the ball.
The Bears have a productive veteran wideout in Eddie Royal who is often overlooked. He still has explosive quickness, and quarterback Brian Hoyer looks in his direction often.
Royal has caught 25 of 31 passes, and that kind of efficiency speaks volumes to the coaching staff.
He should be in for a huge game against the vulnerable Jacksonville defense.
All team rankings courtesy of CBSSports.com.
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