Buccaneers at Steelers
Game Info
Kickoff: Friday 8/9 at 7:30 pm (ET)
Location: Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA
Betting Odds: -2.5 via Oddsshark
Network: NFL Network, KDKA, WTSP, WFTV
The last time that we saw these teams meet was Week 3, Monday Night Football last year. Many of you will remember it as part of Fitzmagic and his 411 yard, 3 TD performance but most you will remember it because of this play in which Vance McDonald stiff-armed Chris Conte into oblivion and galloped 75 yards for the touchdown.
Conte and Fitzpatrick are gone now, but McDonald is back and could play a prominent role for the Steelers this season. Here are some position groups to keep an eye on this preseason matchup.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Starting RB?
There doesn’t seem to be a clear favorite to be a starter this year in Tampa. There have been reports of 2nd round pick Ronald Jones bulking up and looking improved, but he had only 44 yards and a 1.9-yard average last year. Anything would be an improvement over that. Last year’s team rushing leader, Peyton Barber, is also back as is Andre Ellington, a player who had success in Arizona under new Bucs head coach, Bruce Arians. We don’t typically see starting players much in week 1 of the preseason but I wouldn’t be surprised to see all 3 of these guys this week.
WR3 Competition
Who will Jameis Winston be throwing to this season? Two of the team’s best receivers left in the offseason with Adam Humphries going to the Tennessee Titans and DeSean Jackson returning to the Philadelphia Eagles. We know Mike Evans will be a stud and there has been plenty of hype around Chris Godwin but after those 2, who is next in line for WR targets? Breshad Perriman has the most experience after spending his first three years with Baltimore and then last year with the Browns. Bobo Wilson has two years under his belt with the team, was Winston’s former teammate at FSU, and Winston himself once referred to Wilson as a “young Antonio Brown”. Justin Watson and Scotty Miller, a 6th round rookie out of Bowling Green will also be in the mix.
Backup QBs
We know that Winston will be starting (at least for now) but he likely won’t play much this week. With Ryan Fitzpatrick’s departure to Miami, there is now a vacancy for a backup QB. The 2 main candidates for the job are former NFL starter Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin, now in his 5th year with the team. Gabbert is the favorite to win the backup job and has previous experience under Arians including five starts in Arizona. One other QB who will take the field in this game and is sure to get some love from Bucs fans is Vincent Testaverde, son of former Bucs QB, Vinny Testaverde. I expect everyone other than Winston to play multiple series in this game.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Backup RBs
James Conner stepped up in a big way last year in place of Le’Veon Bell during Bell’s holdout. He will be the top option at RB to start the year but after him, there are a couple of players that could become the #2 option. Jaylen Samuels, who infamously fit into rosters as both an RB and TE last year, is one of the top options to fill the role. He started 3 games last year and averaged 4.6 YPC and is also an asset in the passing game where he scored 3 touchdowns last year. Benny Snell, a 4th round pick out of Kentucky, will also be in the mix and reports suggest that Conner, Samuels, and Snell could all see work to start the year. Trey Edmunds, Travon McMillian, Ralph Webb, and Malik Williams will also get looks. Whoever gets the opportunity behind this offensive line will be worth your attention come fantasy season.
Wanted: Jesse James replacement
Vance McDonald is the team’s clear #1 option at tight end with Jesse James’ departure to Detroit this May, the backup job is wide open. In today’s NFL, it is important to have multiple capable tight ends on the roster so it will be interesting to see who sets themselves apart this preseason. Xavier Grimble is probably the top option but he has limited experience in the league and the door is open for him to be surpassed by a younger option. Zach Gentry, Kevin Rader, Christian Scotland-Williamson, and Trevor Wood will all get their chance to show their stuff this week.
Who will start at WR?
In what was possibly the biggest move of the offseason, the Steelers traded away Antonio Brown, the leagues most solid WR over the last few years. In doing so, they showed that they trust Juju Smith-Schuster as their WR1, and they are now counting on the rest of the receiving corps to step up as well. Smith-Schuster told reporters earlier this offseason that he was impressed by James Washington and that he could “sneak up on everybody.” The also added veteran Donte Moncrief in free agency, and he has impressed a lot of the media so far in camp. Eli Rogers, Ryan Switzer, and rookie Diontae Johnson should all compete for targets and see action this week as well.
-Dave Lathrop