The Pittsburgh Steelers have already secured a playoff spot but have been sputtering offensively down the stretch.
Who are the top 5 DFS options for this offense entering the 2024 NFL postseason?
1. George Pickens
I want to believe George Pickens is the key to this offense getting back on track offensively this postseason.
Pickens has been dealing with a hamstring injury for the majority of the holiday season, but his return to the lineup against the Kansas City Chiefs didnât produce the numbers many fantasy managers hoped for with just just three receptions for 50 yards.
Yet, if you look at Pickens production ever since Russell Wilson has taken over under center, there is room for optimism as a quality option in your DFS lineup.
From Weeks 7 to 13, Pickens was the WR14 in fantasy football with 16 fantasy points per game in full-PPR formats. His 29 receptions for 487 yards and three scores while averaging 16.8 yards per receptions helped unlock his vertical potential as a contested catch dynamo when paired with a quarterback who isnât afraid to push the ball down the field outside the numbers.
Pickens has been a bit frustrating from game to game with his mental lapses, distracting emotional reactions, and lack of consistent effort â but the potential is there for Pickens to be the one big play option in the passing game who could unlock this offensesâ true potential entering the playoffs.
2. Jaylen Warren
Donât look now, but Jaylen Warren is really starting to heat up as an explosive spark out of this backfield over the back half of the season. Since Week 11, Warren has produced 9+ fantasy points in full-PPR formats in five of his last seven games.
Much of this jump in production has threw the passing game, where he has caught 26 passes during that stretch â which elevates his floor in full-PPR formats like DraftKings.
The explosive plays have been starting to come a bit more often since he has fully recovered from the hamstring and knee injuries that plagued the start of his 2024 campaign.
3. Najee Harris
If Warren has started to heat up, then it has come at the expense of Najee Harris starting to cool down after a solid start to the year.
Since Warren has started getting healthier, Harris has seen his production in the passing game essentially evaporate over the final month of the 2024 season â generating just three receptions for 14 yards over a four game span from Weeks 14 to 17.
Yet, his value to this offense still exists with his continued usage as a runner, where he has 1,000 yards rushing and five rushing scores for a fourth straight year.
Game script could prove crucial as to whether or not you want to deploy Harris in your DFS lineup this postseason, but he should not be completely ignored just because of his rough finish to the 2024 season.
4. Russell Wilson
We may not be looking at the prime 2017 version of Russell Wilson, but he has still proven to be a viable DFS option at a considerable discount for your lineup.
Russ produced his best rushing performance in a Steelers uniform against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas with 55 yards and a score on six carries and has one 400 yard passing performance on his Pittsburgh resume â which tells us the big DFS performance is still within his range of outcomes.
Personally, Iâll probably be rolling with another option under center for most playoff DFS entries this postseason, but he is still a viable option with projected low usage that could win you money if you are brave enough to roll with Russ this postseason.
5. Pat Freiermuth
Pat Freiermuth has fallen out of the elite fantasy TE conversation with back-to-back pedestrian seasons, but if you squint hard enough⦠you could still find a proper time to deploy him in your DFS lineup.
The defense is a formidable unit, which generally deters the Steelers from getting into shootouts. Yet, some of Freiermuthâs best outings this year have come when the Pittsburgh defense does give up some points an opposing offense.
The only time all year when Freiermuth has seen more than 6+ targets in a game is when the Steelers have allowed the opponent to score more than 25 points.
In a conference filled with superstar quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen â expect at some point for the Steelers to be forced to air it out a bit more on offense this postseason, which should help raise Freiemuthâs fantasy floor in DFS contests.
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