Showing posts with label JuJu Smith-Schuster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label JuJu Smith-Schuster. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

New England Patriots 2023 Fantasy Football Projections

Our Fantasy Football Projections will be viewable by both position and team.

Below you will find our 2023 fantasy football projections for the New England Patriots.

MORE: Fantasy football projections for more NFL teams

QUARTERBACKS

PlayerAtt.Comp.YardsTDINTRushYardsTDPoints
Mac Jones522.1343.33680.818.813.0548.5116.40.61211.63
Matt Corral36.322.5250.51.20.9815.455.40.3520.5

Mac Jones: Jones missed some time in 2022, so his counting stats were down, but so were his efficiency numbers — 65.2% completion rate (67.6% in 2021), 3.2 TD% (4.2%), 6.8 Y/A (7.3) and 84.8 passer rating (92.5). Things should be better (than last year) with Bill O'Brien taking over the offense, but Jones' upside is relatively limited. Jones isn't draftable outside of two-QB or super flex leagues.

RUNNING BACKS

PlayerAtt.YardsTDRec.YardsTDPoints
Rhamondre Stevenson203.8927.35.546.6334.21.5191.45
Ezekiel Elliott163.1660.65.3823.4192.60.8134.1

Rhamondre Stevenson: Stevenson is coming off a breakout season (1,040 rushing yards, 69 receptions for 421 yards and six total touchdowns). Damien Harris (106 carries in 11 games) is now in Buffalo, but the Patriots signed Ezekiel Elliott to fill his void (and potentially more). Stevenson had multiple receptions in all but one game in 2022, and only three running backs — Austin Ekeler (107), Christian McCaffrey (85) and Leonard Fournette (73) — had more receptions than Stevenson last year. The biggest concern with the Elliott signing, however, is the potential to lose goal-line carries to the former Cowboy.

Ezekiel Elliott: By signing with the Patriots, Elliott boosted the fantasy stock (or at least diminished a potential concern) for Tony Pollard. Elliott set career lows in his age-27 season (2022) with 231 carries and 876 rushing yards, and he should set new career lows in 2023. That said, the Patriots have only two running backs on their active 53-man roster heading into 2023, which means that Elliott is likely to outperform his ADP.

WIDE RECEIVERS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
JuJu Smith-Schuster74.1815.74.2000143.82
DeVante Parker51.8640.83000107.98
Kendrick Bourne32.4353.81.86.642.90.2368.05
Demario Douglas212281.200040.5
Tyquan Thornton17.4255.51.33.318.20.1744.89
Kayshon Boutte668.80.400012.28

JuJu Smith-Schuster: Smith-Schuster had 78 catches for 933 yards and three touchdowns in his lone season with the Chiefs. It's fair to say the transition from Patrick Mahomes to Mac Jones is a significant downgrade. After all, the Chiefs averaged nearly 90 more passing yards per game (89.8) and more than doubled up the Patriots in passing touchdowns (41 to 19). That said, he's atop New England's target pecking order and could come close to repeating last year's numbers, despite the relatively low weekly upside.

DeVante Parker: Parker averaged 11.5 yards per target and finished with a 66% catch rate, both of which were career highs, but his final numbers (31/539/3) amounted to another year of fantasy mediocrity. The Patriots gave Parker a new "pay-as-he-produces" (incentive-laden) three-year contract, but his fantasy outlook remains about as boring as the team's general offensive outlook.

TIGHT ENDS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Hunter Henry43477.72.800086.07
Mike Gesicki41.9481.62.700085.31
Pharaoh Brown8.282.60.400014.76

Hunter Henry: Henry finished last season with 41 catches for 509 yards and two touchdowns, the lowest numbers of his career when you exclude 2016 (his rookie campaign) and 2018 (missed entire season). The Patriots are expected to significantly increase their usage of 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends) in 2023 after ranking only 25th in that grouping in 2022.

Mike Gesicki: Like Henry, Gesicki is coming off non-rookie lows in receptions (32), targets (52) and yards (362). The uber-athletic tight end will get an opportunity to reset in an offense that should be more likely to fully utilize his skill set.

More New England Patriots pages:

More of our content:

Check out our mock draft databases:

Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) like us on Facebook and/or (3) subscribe to our newsletter.

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, August 7, 2023

New England Patriots 2023 Fantasy Football Projections

Our Fantasy Football Projections will be viewable by both position and team.

Below you will find our 2023 fantasy football projections for the New England Patriots.

MORE: Fantasy football projections for more NFL teams

QUARTERBACKS

PlayerAtt.Comp.YardsTDINTRushYardsTDPoints
Mac Jones522.1343.33680.818.813.0546.3111.10.58210.92
Bailey Zappe36.324.1259.51.380.964.413.20.0415.54

Mac Jones: Jones missed some time in 2022, so his counting stats were down, but so were his efficiency numbers — 65.2% completion rate (67.6% in 2021), 3.2 TD% (4.2%), 6.8 Y/A (7.3) and 84.8 passer rating (92.5). Things should be better (than last year) with Bill O'Brien taking over the offense, but Jones' upside is relatively limited. Jones isn't draftable outside of two-QB or super flex leagues.

RUNNING BACKS

PlayerAtt.YardsTDRec.YardsTDPoints
Rhamondre Stevenson218.2992.8649.6354.61.6205.14
Kevin Harris81.5346.41.839.2690.358.92
Pierre Strong38.6167.90.7717.11300.646.56
Ty Montgomery40.8175.41.0215.4118.20.546.18

Rhamondre Stevenson: Stevenson is coming off a breakout season (1,040 rushing yards, 69 receptions for 421 yards and six total touchdowns) and could be set for an even larger role with Damien Harris (106 carries in 11 games) now in Buffalo. (The Patriots have had several high-profile free-agent veteran running backs in for visits lately, so that's something to continue to monitor.) Stevenson had multiple receptions in all but one game in 2022 and while he had single-digit carries in six of 17 games, the now-departed Harris had more carries than Stevenson in four of those six games.

WIDE RECEIVERS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
JuJu Smith-Schuster73.5817.64.3000144.31
Tyquan Thornton44.1581.22.94.424.20.22101.31
DeVante Parker40.4531.92.500088.39
Kendrick Bourne20.6236.41.26.642.90.2346.81
Demario Douglas7.382.70.400014.32
Kayshon Boutte2.429.60.20005.36

JuJu Smith-Schuster: Smith-Schuster had 78 catches for 933 yards and three touchdowns in his lone season with the Chiefs. It's fair to say the transition from Patrick Mahomes to Mac Jones is a significant downgrade. After all, the Chiefs averaged nearly 90 more passing yards per game (89.8) and more than doubled up the Patriots in passing touchdowns (41 to 19). That said, he's atop New England's target pecking order and could come close to repeating last year's numbers.

Tyquan Thornton: Thornton has elite speed (4.28 40-yard dash), and the second-round speedster could take a step forward as he enters his second season. Despite a whopping 14.9 ADOT (per PFF), Thornton averaged only 5.5 yards per target due to a 48.9% catch rate and 12% drop rate as a rookie.

DeVante Parker: Parker averaged 11.5 yards per target and finished with a 66% catch rate, both of which were career highs, but his final numbers (31/539/3) amounted to another year of fantasy mediocrity. The Patriots gave Parker a new "pay-as-he-produces" (incentive-laden) three-year contract, but his fantasy outlook remains about as boring as the team's general offensive outlook.

TIGHT ENDS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Hunter Henry43.2478.72.800086.27
Mike Gesicki42.1482.72.800086.12
Matt Sokol2.627.60.20005.26

Hunter Henry: Henry finished last season with 41 catches for 509 yards and two touchdowns, the lowest numbers of his career when you exclude 2016 (his rookie campaign) and 2018 (missed entire season). After ranking only 25th in 12-personnel usage (one RB/two TEs) in 2022, it's expected that the Patriots will increase their usage of 12 personnel significantly in 2023.

Mike Gesicki: Like Henry, Gesicki is coming off non-rookie lows in receptions (32), targets (52) and yards (362). The uber-athletic tight end will get an opportunity to reset in an offense that should be more likely to fully utilize his skill set.

More New England Patriots pages:

More of our content:

Check out our mock draft databases:

Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) like us on Facebook and/or (3) subscribe to our newsletter.

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, September 2, 2022

Kansas City Chiefs Fantasy Football Projections 2022

Our 2022 Fantasy Football Projections will be viewable by both position and team.

Below you will find our 2022 fantasy football projections for the Kansas City Chiefs.

MORE: Fantasy football projections for more NFL teams

QUARTERBACKS

PlayerAtt.Comp.YardsTDINTRushYardsTDPoints
Patrick Mahomes612.9405.4475033.7111.6557.42871.87341.46
Chad Henne46.130308.91.610.696.46.40.0618.42

Patrick Mahomes: Mahomes has been a top-four fantasy quarterback lock, when healthy. During his four seasons as a starter, he has finished as fantasy's QB1, QB7 (missed multiple games), QB4 and QB4, respectively. In four seasons as a starter, Mahomes has a 6.5 TD%, 1.6 INT% and 8.1 Y/A with a 17-game pace of 5,129 passing yards and 41.4 touchdowns. Losing Tyreek Hill will have an impact, but Mahomes should remain a top-four option.

RUNNING BACKS

PlayerAtt.YardsTDRec.YardsTDPoints
Clyde Edwards-Helaire150.1660.44.6540.7298.51.9155.54
Ronald Jones106.3462.43.4517126.50.892.89
Jerick McKinnon72.3310.91.8827220.11.486.28
Isiah Pacheco12.855.70.315.4430.316.23
Michael Burton5.116.60.23.527.80.28.59

Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Through two seasons, Edwards-Helaire has missed a total of 10 games including seven last season. The Chiefs signed Ronald Jones II this offseason and re-signed Jerick McKinnon, who handled double-digit carries in all three of the team's playoff games this past season. While the presence of RoJo and McKinnon may frustrate those that roster CEH, his ADP provides a reasonable draft-day cost to get exposure to the top back of one of the league's most potent offenses.

Ronald Jones: Jones' numbers in 2021 were (more than) halved from the prior season. Last season, Jones had only 111 touches for 492 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. Perhaps a change of scenery will serve him well, but he'll be competing with (and appears to be behind) Edwards-Helaire and McKinnon for snaps.

WIDE RECEIVERS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
JuJu Smith-Schuster67.9804.46.32.614.60.13154.43
Skyy Moore55.3708.24.83.821.90.19130.6
Mecole Hardman47.9657.74.38.5510.34122.66
Marquez Valdes-Scantling37.4607.14.1000104.01
Justin Watson13.5169.51.100030.3

JuJu Smith-Schuster: Smith-Schuster missed 12 games last season and he's only averaged 8.6 and 6.2 yards per reception and target, respectively, over the past two seasons combined. While there's little chance that he posts a line similar to his sophomore campaign (111/1,426/7, 2018), he has an excellent chance to bounce back as the WR1 in Kansas City's high-powered offense.

Skyy Moore: Moore had a 95/1,292/10 line and PFF credited Moore with 26 broken tackles after the catch, which led FBS wide receivers. The former WMU Bronco should earn a more prominent role as the season progresses.

Mecole Hardman: Hardman set career highs in targets (83), receptions (59) and yards (693) last season, but he also set career lows in touchdowns (two) and Y/R (11.7). The speedy former second-round pick has an opportunity to build upon those numbers with Tyreek Hill in Miami, but he'll be competing with newcomers Smith-Schuster, Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling for targets.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling: A boom-or-bust type deep threat, Valdes-Scantling exceeded 20 receiving yards in fewer games (five) than he didn't (six games) in 2021. MVS's history of up-and-down performances is unlikely to change, which makes him a better option in best ball formats than regular season-long re-draft leagues.

TIGHT ENDS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Travis Kelce981153.48.3000214.14
Noah Gray9.8108.80.700019.98
Jody Fortson8.188.50.700017.1
Blake Bell3.945.50.40008.9

Travis Kelce: In a down year, Kelce finished with 92 catches for 1,125 yards and nine touchdowns. The 32-year-old tight end now has six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with more than 90 catches in four straight. He's been either TE1 or TE2 for six consecutive seasons and he may even see a bump in target share with Tyreek Hill now in South Florida.

More Kansas City Chiefs pages:

More of our content:

Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) like us on Facebook and/or (3) subscribe to our newsletter.

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, August 1, 2022

Kansas City Chiefs Fantasy Football Projections 2022

Our 2022 Fantasy Football Projections will be viewable by both position and team.

Below you will find our 2022 fantasy football projections for the Kansas City Chiefs.

MORE: Fantasy football projections for more NFL teams

QUARTERBACKS

PlayerAtt.Comp.YardsTDINTRushYardsTDPoints
Patrick Mahomes612.9405.4475033.7111.6557.42871.87341.46
Chad Henne46.130308.91.610.696.46.40.0618.42

Patrick Mahomes: Mahomes has been a top-four fantasy quarterback lock, when healthy. During his four seasons as a starter, he has finished as fantasy's QB1, QB7 (missed multiple games), QB4 and QB4, respectively. In four seasons as a starter, Mahomes has a 6.5 TD%, 1.6 INT% and 8.1 Y/A with a 17-game pace of 5,129 passing yards and 41.4 touchdowns. Losing Tyreek Hill will have an impact, but Mahomes should remain a top-four option.

RUNNING BACKS

PlayerAtt.YardsTDRec.YardsTDPoints
Clyde Edwards-Helaire141.4622.24.3840.3293.41.9149.39
Ronald Jones127.8555.94.1517.9136.60.9108.5
Jerick McKinnon63.8274.31.6624.4207.41.378.13
Isaih Pacheco8.5370.25.440.50.313.45
Michael Burton5.116.60.23.527.80.28.59

Clyde Edwards-Helaire: Through two seasons, Edwards-Helaire has missed a total of 10 games including seven last season. The Chiefs signed Ronald Jones II this offseason and re-signed Jerick McKinnon, who handled double-digit carries in all three of the team's playoff games this past season. While the presence of RoJo and McKinnon may frustrate those that roster CEH, his ADP provides a reasonable draft-day cost to get exposure to the top back of one of the league's most potent offenses.

Ronald Jones: Jones' numbers in 2021 were (more than) halved from the prior season. Last season, Jones had only 111 touches for 492 scrimmage yards and eight touchdowns. Perhaps a change of scenery will serve him well, but he'll be competing with Edwards-Helaire and McKinnon for snaps.

WIDE RECEIVERS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
JuJu Smith-Schuster67.9804.46.32.614.60.13154.43
Skyy Moore55.3708.24.83.821.90.19130.6
Mecole Hardman47.56404.28.5510.34120.09
Marquez Valdes-Scantling37.4607.14.1000104.01
Josh Gordon9.1131.50.700021.9
Cornell Powell2.230.40.20005.34

JuJu Smith-Schuster: Smith-Schuster missed 12 games last season and he's only averaged 8.6 Y/R and 6.2 Y/Tgt over the past two seasons combined. While there's little chance that he posts a line similar to his sophomore campaign (111/1,426/7, 2018), he has an excellent chance to bounce back as the likely WR1 in Kansas City's high-powered offense.

Skyy Moore: Converting to receiver based on WMU team needs, Moore led the Broncos in both receptions (51) and yards (802) as a true freshman in 2019. Last season, he had a 95/1,292/10 line and PFF credited Moore with 26 broken tackles after the catch, which led FBS wide receivers. There is a pathway to Moore being the team's most productive wide receiver as a rookie.

Mecole Hardman: Hardman set career highs in targets (83), receptions (59) and yards (693) last season, but he also set career lows in touchdowns (two) and Y/R (11.7). The speedy former second-round pick has an opportunity to build upon those numbers with Tyreek Hill in Miami, but he'll be competing with newcomers Smith-Schuster, Moore and Marquez Valdes-Scantling for targets.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling: A boom-or-bust type deep threat, Valdes-Scantling exceeded 20 receiving yards in fewer games (five) than he didn't (six games) in 2021. MVS's history of up-and-down performances is unlikely to change, which makes him a better option in best ball formats than regular season-long re-draft leagues.

TIGHT ENDS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Travis Kelce981153.48.3000214.14
Blake Bell10.7108.80.700020.43
Noah Gray8.996.10.700018.26
Jody Fortson773.40.600014.44

Travis Kelce: In a down year, Kelce finished with 92 catches for 1,125 yards and nine touchdowns. The 32-year-old tight end now has six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with more than 90 catches in four straight. He's been either TE1 or TE2 for six consecutive seasons and he may even see a bump in target share with Tyreek Hill now in South Florida.

More Kansas City Chiefs pages:

More of our content:

Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) like us on Facebook and/or (3) subscribe to our newsletter.

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, August 29, 2021

2021 Fantasy Football Projections: Pittsburgh Steelers

Our 2021 Fantasy Football Projections will be viewable by both position and team.

Below you will find our 2021 fantasy football projections for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

MORE: Fantasy football projections for more NFL teams

QUARTERBACKS

PlayerAtt.Comp.YardsTDINTRushYardsTDPoints
Ben Roethlisberger604.8390.14233.630.5410.2826.227.50.26275.25
Mason Rudolph4225.9281.41.950.954.45.50.0217.83

Ben Roethlisberger: After re-signing JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal, Pittsburgh and Roethlisberger return one of the league's best wide receiver trios. In addition, only the one-win Jaguars (66.2%) threw it on a larger percentage of plays than the 12-win Steelers (65.48%) in 2020.

Not pushing the ball down the field the way he had in the past, Big Ben's 9.5 Y/C and 6.3 Y/A in 2020 were the lowest of his career (excluding a two-game 2019 season). Part of that was by design and The Athletic's Ed Bouchette highlights why those peripherals may be better in 2021.

Given that the Steelers used their first-round pick to draft Najee Harris, Alabama's all-time leading rusher, fantasy managers should expect a greater emphasis towards the run in 2021 even though Harris offers a three-down skill set that Roethlisberger could utilize in the passing game.

RUNNING BACKS

PlayerAtt.YardsTDRec.YardsTDPoints
Najee Harris271.21166.2853408.62.6247.58
Benny Snell52.5212.61.319.265.50.241.47
Anthony McFarland Jr.39.4161.50.856.751.90.331.59
Kalen Ballage24.197.60.65.840.60.322.12
Derek Watt1.130.021.290.12.52

Najee Harris: The all-time career rushing leader in Alabama history, Harris rushed for 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns and added 43 receptions for 425 yards and four more scores last season. With few holes in his game, Harris will step in as a Week 1 workhorse. Given the team's propensity to feature its lead back, Harris has the chance to outperform his ADP.

Benny Snell: There is competition on the depth chart, but Snell -- or whichever back ultimately slides into the RB2 role -- would become a top waiver-wire add if Harris were to miss any time, especially given how the team historically features one back.

WIDE RECEIVERS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Diontae Johnson88.89736.93.314.90.02184.71
Chase Claypool69.3952.7710.935.40.87180.68
JuJu Smith-Schuster79871.46.5000165.64
James Washington24.1336.43.300065.49
Ray-Ray McCloud15.4151.30.44.4330.0929.07

Diontae Johnson: Tied with Davante Adams and Keenan Allen, no receiver had more games with double-digit targets than Johnson (10). The second-year receiver averaged only 10.5 Y/R, but he turned his 144 targets into 88 catches for 923 yards and five touchdowns. While he needs to cut down on the drops, Johnson should be one of the league's most-targeted wideouts in 2021 even though the team re-signed JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Chase Claypool: Claypool scored 11 touchdowns -- nine receiving and two rushing -- in the regular season and added two more receiving scores in the team's playoff loss to Cleveland. Re-signing JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal takes some steam out of Mapletron's upside in year two, but it wouldn't surprise me if he performed as the team's most productive wideout in 2021.

JuJu Smith-Schuster: After averaging 65.5 and 89.1 yards per game, respectively, in his first two seasons with the Steelers, Smith-Schuster has averaged 46.0 and 51.9 per game in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The Steelers re-signed Smith-Schuster to a one-year contract and he is a WR3 (both in fantasy and on his own team).

TIGHT ENDS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Eric Ebron45.3467.33.900092.78
Pat Freiermuth16164.80.900029.88
Zach Gentry2.122.60.10003.91

Eric Ebron: In his first season with the Steelers, Ebron finished with 56 catches for 558 yards and five touchdowns. Given the team's talented trio of wide receivers and the likelihood that the Steelers run more often in 2021, Ebron's year-over-year numbers will likely dip.

More Pittsburgh Steelers pages:

More of our content:

Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) like us on Facebook and/or (3) subscribe to our newsletter.

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, August 9, 2021

Fantasy Football Projections 2021: Pittsburgh Steelers

Our 2021 Fantasy Football Projections will be viewable by both position and team.

Below you will find our 2021 fantasy football projections for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

MORE: Fantasy football projections for more NFL teams

QUARTERBACKS

PlayerAtt.Comp.YardsTDINTRushYardsTDPoints
Ben Roethlisberger604.8390.14233.630.5410.2826.227.50.26275.25
Mason Rudolph4225.9281.41.950.954.45.50.0217.83

Ben Roethlisberger: With Pittsburgh re-signing JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal, Roethlisberger has one of the league's best wide receiver trios at his disposal. Only the one-win Jaguars (66.2%) threw it on a larger percentage of plays than the 12-win Steelers (65.48%) in 2020, per Team Rankings.

At this stage of his career, however, he no longer pushes the ball down the field -- his 9.5 Y/C and 6.3 Y/A were the lowest of his career (excluding a two-game 2019 season). The Athletic's Ed Bouchette highlights why those peripherals may be better in 2021, but given that the Steelers used their first-round pick to draft Najee Harris, Alabama's all-time leading rusher, fantasy managers should expect a greater shift towards the run in 2021.

RUNNING BACKS

PlayerAtt.YardsTDRec.YardsTDPoints
Najee Harris273.41175.68.0753.2419.92.8251.37
Benny Snell54.7221.51.379.265.50.242.72
Jaylen Samuels24.195.20.312.5880.428.77
Anthony McFarland Jr.35143.50.475.236.10.123.98
Derek Watt1.130.02190.12.42

Najee Harris: The all-time career rushing leader in Alabama history, Harris rushed for 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns and added 43 receptions for 425 yards and four more scores last season. With few holes in his game, Harris will step in as a Week 1 workhorse. Given the team's propensity to feature its lead back, Harris has the chance to outperform his ADP.

Benny Snell: While there is some competition on the depth chart, Snell -- or whichever back ultimately slides into the RB2 role -- would become a top waiver-wire add if the team's first-round rookie misses any time given how the team historically features one back.

WIDE RECEIVERS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Diontae Johnson87.4957.26.83.314.90.02181.83
Chase Claypool68.6948.26.810.935.40.87178.68
JuJu Smith-Schuster75.9869.16.5000163.86
James Washington24.1336.43.400066.09
Ray-Ray McCloud15.4133.20.44.4330.0927.26

Diontae Johnson: Tied with Davante Adams and Keenan Allen, no receiver had more games with double-digit targets than Johnson (10). The second-year receiver averaged only 10.5 Y/R, but he turned his 144 targets into 88 catches for 923 yards and five touchdowns. While he needs to cut down on the drops, Johnson should be one of the league's most-targeted wideouts in 2021 even though the team re-signed JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Chase Claypool: Claypool scored 11 touchdowns -- nine receiving and two rushing -- in the regular season and added two more receiving scores in the team's playoff loss to Cleveland. Re-signing JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal puts a dent into Mapletron's upside in year two, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was the team's top-producing wideout in 2021.

JuJu Smith-Schuster: After averaging 65.5 and 89.1 yards per game, respectively, in his first two seasons with the Steelers, Smith-Schuster has averaged 46.0 and 51.9 per game in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The Steelers re-signed Smith-Schuster to a one-year contract and he is a WR3 (both in fantasy and on his own team).

TIGHT ENDS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Eric Ebron46.8483.1400095.71
Pat Freiermuth14.61490.800027
Zach Gentry2.120.30.10003.68

Eric Ebron: In his first season with the Steelers, Ebron finished with 56 catches for 558 yards and five touchdowns. Given the team's talented trio of wide receivers and the likelihood that the Steelers run more often in 2021, Ebron's year-over-year numbers will likely dip.

More Pittsburgh Steelers pages:

More of our content:

Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) like us on Facebook and/or (3) subscribe to our newsletter.

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Fantasy Football Projections 2021: Pittsburgh Steelers

Our 2021 Fantasy Football Projections will be viewable by both position and team.

Below you will find our 2021 fantasy football projections for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

MORE: Fantasy football projections for more NFL teams

QUARTERBACKS

PlayerAtt.Comp.YardsTDINTRushYardsTDPoints
Ben Roethlisberger606.3391.14213.830.6210.3126.327.60.26274.73
Mason Rudolph42.226.1282.71.960.954.45.50.0217.92

Ben Roethlisberger: With Pittsburgh re-signing JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal, Roethlisberger has one of the league's best wide receiver trios at his disposal. Only the one-win Jaguars (66.2%) threw it on a larger percentage of plays than the 12-win Steelers (65.48%) in 2020, per Team Rankings.

At this stage of his career, however, he no longer pushes the ball down the field -- his 9.5 Y/C and 6.3 Y/A were the lowest of his career (excluding a two-game 2019 season). The Athletic's Ed Bouchette highlights why those peripherals may be better in 2021, but given that the Steelers used their first-round pick to draft Najee Harris, Alabama's all-time leading rusher, fantasy managers should expect a greater shift towards the run in 2021.

RUNNING BACKS

PlayerAtt.YardsTDRec.YardsTDPoints
Najee Harris273.81163.78.0853.4418.22.9250.77
Benny Snell54.8219.21.379.265.20.242.46
Jaylen Samuels24.192.80.2412.587.70.428.14
Anthony McFarland Jr.35141.80.445.2360.123.62
Derek Watt1.130.02190.12.42

Najee Harris: The all-time career rushing leader in Alabama history, Harris rushed for 1,466 yards and 26 touchdowns and added 43 receptions for 425 yards and four more scores last season. With few holes in his game, Harris will step in as a Week 1 workhorse. Given the team's propensity to feature its lead back, Harris has the chance to vastly exceed his ADP.

Benny Snell: While there is some competition on the depth chart, Snell -- or whichever back ultimately slides into the RB2 role -- would become a top waiver-wire add if the team's first-round rookie misses any time given how the team historically features one back.

WIDE RECEIVERS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Diontae Johnson87.6953.36.83.314.90.02181.54
Chase Claypool68.8944.36.81135.80.88178.49
JuJu Smith-Schuster75.1854.36.4000161.38
James Washington24.23353.400066
Ray-Ray McCloud16.5143.90.54.4330.0929.48

Diontae Johnson: Tied with Davante Adams and Keenan Allen, no receiver had more games with double-digit targets than Johnson (10). The second-year receiver averaged only 10.5 Y/R, but he turned his 144 targets into 88 catches for 923 yards and five touchdowns. While he needs to cut down on the drops, Johnson should be one of the league's most-targeted wideouts in 2021 even though the team re-signed JuJu Smith-Schuster.

Chase Claypool: Claypool scored 11 touchdowns -- nine receiving and two rushing -- in the regular season and added two more receiving scores in the team's playoff loss to Cleveland. Re-signing JuJu Smith-Schuster to a one-year deal puts a dent into Mapletron's upside in year two, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was the team's top-producing wideout in 2021.

JuJu Smith-Schuster: After averaging 65.5 and 89.1 yards per game, respectively, in his first two seasons with the Steelers, Smith-Schuster has averaged 46.0 and 51.9 per game in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The Steelers re-signed Smith-Schuster to a one-year contract and he is a WR3 (both in fantasy and on his own team).

TIGHT ENDS

PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Eric Ebron46.9481.1400095.56
Pat Freiermuth14.6148.40.800026.94
Zach Gentry2.120.20.10003.67

Eric Ebron: In his first season with the Steelers, Ebron finished with 56 catches for 558 yards and five touchdowns. Given the team's talented trio of wide receivers and the likelihood that the Steelers run more often in 2021, Ebron's year-over-year numbers will likely dip.

More Pittsburgh Steelers pages:

More of our content:

Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) like us on Facebook and/or (3) subscribe to our newsletter.

Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Saturday, September 5, 2020

Pittsburgh Steelers 2020 Fantasy Football Projections

In addition to viewing our 2020 Fantasy Football Projections by position, we will post our preseason projections per team.

Below you will find our 2020 fantasy football projections for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

MORE: Fantasy football projections for all 32 NFL teams

QUARTERBACKS


PlayerAtt.Comp.YardsTDINTRushYardsTDPoints
Ben Roethlisberger520.1334.23926.826.2711.4429.582.60.74251.97
Missing virtually all of 2019, Roethlisberger is a QB2 that should produce QB1-type numbers on a per-game basis. GM Kevin Colbert improved the supporting cast around him by adding Eric Ebron in free agency and Chase Claypool through the draft.
Mason Rudolph39.124.2244.41.741.134.27.60.0415.48

RUNNING BACKS


PlayerAtt.YardsTDRec.YardsTDPoints
James Conner231.9985.68.729.1244.41.02181.32
Durability is an obvious concern as Conner played in only 10 games, several of which he exited early, in 2019 and he missed three games with a high-ankle sprain towards the end of 2018. While the team drafted Anthony McFarland in the fourth round, Conner is still the team's No. 1 back. If he can stay healthy, he should outperform his current ADP.
Jaylen Samuels48.5169.80.4935.2242.91.7654.77
Samuels finished fourth on the team in targets (57) and second in receptions (47) last year. While Benny Snell may his Conner's direct backup, Samuels should get plenty of work as a receiver out of the backfield as a change-of-pace to Conner.
Benny Snell63.2249.61.267.4570.1539.12
The Athletic's Mark Kaboly has called Snell the "no-doubt No. 2 behind Conner" and said that "what hasn’t been talked much about are Snell’s hands."
Anthony McFarland Jr.40.1168.40.94.936.80.126.52
Conner has struggled with durability over the past couple of seasons, but McFarland, one of the team's two fourth-round picks, appears to be behind both Conner and Snell on the depth chart to enter the season.
Derek Watt1.12.40.043.227.20.033.38

MORE: Pittsburgh Steelers 53-man roster projection

WIDE RECEIVERS


PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
JuJu Smith-Schuster78.41023.16.66000142.27
With Ben Roethlisberger lost for nearly the entire season, Smith-Schuster struggled to get anything going and finished with career lows in receptions (3.5) and yards (46.0) per game, yards per target (7.9) and catch rate (60.0%). A healthy Big Ben will lead to improved numbers in his age-24 season but likely far less than his career-best 2018 season (111/1,426/7) when he benefited from the presence of Antonio Brown as the WR1.
Diontae Johnson64.5790.15.813.220.80.03116.13
As a rookie, Johnson posted team highs in targets (92), receptions (59) and touchdowns (five) and was second in receiving yards (680) as he finished as fantasy's WR41. Even though the team drafted Chase Claypool in the second round and JuJu Smith-Schuster missed several games, Johnson should post better year-over-year numbers in his second year with the Steelers, especially if Ben Roethlisberger is able to stay healthy.
Chase Claypool41.6555.44.2600081.1
Claypool provides the Steelers with a physical mismatch due to his size (6'4", 238 pounds) and athleticism (4.42 forty and 40.5" vertical). While he may start out as the team's fourth receiver, it's possible that he pushes James Washington for snaps in three-wide sets. Not only are teammates calling Claypool a "PROBLEM" (in a good way), The Athletic's Mark Kaboly recently wrote that "practice after practice, the rookie is making non-rookie-like plays after running non-rookie-like routes and making non-rookie-like catches."
James Washington30.8446.62.3100058.52
Washington led the team in receiving yards (735), but the addition of second-rounder Chase Claypool could (eventually) bump him down to fourth amongst the team's receivers behind Smith-Schuster, Johnson and (eventually) Claypool.
Ray-Ray McCloud1.110.10.070001.43

TIGHT ENDS


PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Eric Ebron41.1464.43.900069.84
The 10th-overall pick in 2014, Ebron is still just 27 years old and only one season removed from his career-best 66/750/13 campaign with Indianapolis (Andrew Luck) in 2018. Touchdown regression was expected in 2019, but Ebron also averaged a mere 34.1 yards per game (the lowest since his rookie season) in an injury-shortened 11-game campaign. He should be more involved as a receiver than Vance McDonald, but Ebron is better-viewed as a mid-TE2 type as he transitions to a new team and offense.
Vance McDonald24.9262.71.8700037.49
Zach Gentry1.814.80.090002.02

More Pittsburgh Steelers pages:

More of our content:
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Pittsburgh Steelers Fantasy Football Projections 2020

In addition to viewing our 2020 Fantasy Football Projections by position, we will post our preseason projections per team.

Below you will find our 2020 fantasy football projections for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

MORE: Fantasy football projections for all 32 NFL teams

QUARTERBACKS


PlayerAtt.Comp.YardsTDINTRushYardsTDPoints
Ben Roethlisberger520.1334.23926.826.2711.4429.582.60.74251.97
Missing virtually all of 2019, Roethlisberger is a QB2 that should produce QB1-type numbers on a per-game basis. GM Kevin Colbert improved the supporting cast around him by adding Eric Ebron in free agency and Chase Claypool through the draft.
Mason Rudolph39.124.2244.41.741.134.27.60.0415.48

RUNNING BACKS


PlayerAtt.YardsTDRec.YardsTDPoints
James Conner212.9904.87.9828235.20.98167.76
Durability is an obvious concern as Conner played in only 10 games, several of which he exited early, in 2019 and he missed three games with a high-ankle sprain towards the end of 2018. While the team drafted Anthony McFarland in the fourth round, Conner is still the team's No. 1 back. If he can stay healthy, he should outperform his current ADP.
Jaylen Samuels50.6177.10.5135.2242.91.7655.62
Samuels finished fourth on the team in targets (57) and second in receptions (47) last year, but The Athletic's Ed Bouchette left him off his 53-man roster projection.
Anthony McFarland Jr.84.3354.11.99.873.50.255.36
Conner has struggled with durability over the past couple of seasons and McFarland has the potential to carve out a role where he's the second-most productive of the team's backs.
Benny Snell33.7131.40.592.116.20.0418.54
Derek Watt1.12.40.043.227.20.033.38

MORE: Pittsburgh Steelers 53-man roster projection

WIDE RECEIVERS


PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
JuJu Smith-Schuster77.51011.46.59000140.68
With Ben Roethlisberger lost for nearly the entire season, Smith-Schuster struggled to get anything going and finished with career lows in receptions (3.5) and yards (46.0) per game, yards per target (7.9) and catch rate (60.0%). A healthy Big Ben will lead to improved numbers in his age-24 season but far less than his career-best 2018 season (111/1,426/7) when he benefited from the presence of Antonio Brown as the WR1.
Diontae Johnson64.5790.15.813.220.80.03116.13
As a rookie, Johnson posted team highs in targets (92), receptions (59) and touchdowns (five) and was second in receiving yards (680) as he finished as fantasy's WR41. Even though the team drafted Chase Claypool in the second round and JuJu Smith-Schuster missed several games, Johnson should post better year-over-year numbers in his second year with the Steelers, especially if Ben Roethlisberger is able to stay healthy.
Chase Claypool39.9532.74.0900077.81
Claypool provides the Steelers with a physical mismatch due to his size (6'4", 238 pounds) and athleticism (4.42 forty and 40.5" vertical). While he may start out as the team's fourth receiver, it's possible that he pushes James Washington for snaps in three-wide sets. Not only are teammates calling Claypool a "PROBLEM" (in a good way), The Athletic's Mark Kaboly recently wrote that "practice after practice, the rookie is making non-rookie-like plays after running non-rookie-like routes and making non-rookie-like catches."
James Washington30.8446.62.3100058.52
Washington led the team in receiving yards (735), but the addition of second-rounder Chase Claypool could (eventually) bump him down to fourth amongst the team's receivers behind Smith-Schuster, Johnson and (eventually) Claypool.
Ryan Switzer4.227.30.132.16.30.024.26
Deon Cain1.8220.090002.74

TIGHT ENDS


PlayerRec.YardsTDRushYardsTDPoints
Eric Ebron40.3455.43.8300068.52
The 10th-overall pick in 2014, Ebron is still just 27 years old and only one season removed from his career-best 66/750/13 campaign with Indianapolis (Andrew Luck) in 2018. Touchdown regression was expected in 2019, but Ebron also averaged a mere 34.1 yards per game (the lowest since his rookie season) in an injury-shortened 11-game campaign. He should be more involved as a receiver than Vance McDonald, but Ebron is better-viewed as a mid-TE2 type as he transitions to a new team and offense.
Vance McDonald24.9262.71.8700037.49
Zach Gentry1.814.80.090002.02

More Pittsburgh Steelers pages:

More of our content:
Posted by at
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)