Pittsburgh Steelers running backs Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams looked to be plenty busy on Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens with starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out with an MCL sprain.
With Michael Vick having to learn a simplified offense on the fly, all signs pointed to a run-heavy offense, which probably made fantasy football owners relish the opportunity to play a Steelers running back this week.
Let’s take a look at how both rushers fared during Week 4:
Le’Veon Bell
Once Roethlisberger went down, it was anticipated that Bell, who missed the first two games because of suspension, was going to shoulder a heavy load.
He’s getting plenty of touches Thursday night, with 11 carries midway through the third quarter, and is doing everything he can to support Vick. The NFL Network showed the 23-year-old’s touchdown:
Bell has also been able to show off the hands, hauling in four receptions for 10 yards as he’s proved a secure option for Vick when he is facing pressure.
These are all great signs for Bell’s fantasy owners, who have gotten 12 points out of him before the halfway point of the third quarter.
This performance is coming off a 19-point Week 3 against a very tough St. Louis Rams defense as this looks like a preview of what is to come for Bell during Vick’s time under center in Pittsburgh.
The way he is getting the ball on the ground and through the air, it’s a pretty safe assumption Bell is going to produce a lot for your fantasy team.
DeAngelo Williams
DeAngelo Williams was one of the top running backs in fantasy after the first two weeks of the season while Bell was serving his suspension.
Since then, he’s been used sparingly, recording three carries for seven yards in Week 3 and in the first three quarters of Week 4.
It doesn’t look good for fantasy teams that are carrying Williams on their roster, but it might not necessarily be over for him. Once Bell tires—because he should be seeing a lot of the ball in the coming weeks—Williams could see a bump in his carries.
But that’s an awfully risky chance to take with your fantasy team. I’d drop Williams and look to make a transaction if I were in need of another rusher.
All stats courtesy of ESPN.com.
Read more Fantasy Football news on NerdyFootball.com
Football
NFL
AFC North
Pittsburgh Steelers
Fantasy Football
Fantasy
