Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, September 29, 2024, 1:00 ET
Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Network: CBS
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
Justin Fields: Sit, QB2
As things stand right now, it appears we’re looking at another Justin Fields start for the Steelers. And we should probably expect that to be the case from now on. Fields has not been the electric rushing quarterback we became accustomed to in Chicago. It has limited what he can do for fantasy football purposes, and that keeps him on the bench in most leagues.
Running Back
Najee Harris: FLEX Option
Jaylen Warren: Sit
The Steelers’ running back room got banged up this week, with both Najee Harris (arm/elbow) and Jaylen Warren (Knee/Hamstring) leaving this one at less than 100%. At the time of writing, Harris appears to be suiting up for Week 4. Harris has been less than spectacular for most of this season and is a low-end RB2 going forward. Even if Warren were to miss time, the ceiling for Harris in this offense is limited. Warren is a bit more of a mystery as we head into the middle of the week. His status will be one to monitor as we are not sure quite yet if he was pulled from last week’s game for an injury related to his preseason hamstring or not. If he does suit up, you can expect a reduced workload and a small bump on passing downs for Harris.
Wide Receiver
George Pickens: Start, WR3/FLEX
George Pickens is going to lead the Steelers in target share every week, that is all but guaranteed. The problem comes with how run-heavy this offense is under Arthur Smith. You can expect Pickens to dance between 5-8 targets per game depending on the game script, and that just is not enough to be counted on as more than a WR3 or FLEX in fantasy football. The good news in Week 4 is that Pickens takes on the Colts, who currently rank in the bottom five in the league, against opposing wide receivers.
Tight End
Pat Freiermuth: Start, TE1
Pat Freiermuth has been consistent in the first three weeks of the season. Four targets and anywhere from 30-40 receiving yards. It is not sexy, but for a position that has been underperforming on the season, Freiermuth provides a high floor for fantasy managers in a bind. He slides in as my TE11 this week, technically making him a TE1, but he isn’t the most comfortable of options at the position. The silver lining for Muth is that the Colts have struggled against opposing Tight Ends this season.
Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback
Anthony Richardson: Start, QB1
We have to talk about Anthony Richardson. The ceiling is evident, but the floor is under the basement. He does not have an easy schedule and has shown little evidence of being an NFL-caliber passer. You don’t need to be selling Richardson at this point entirely, but the panic meter is slowly rising. The biggest issue for Richardson and the Colts is that they are afraid to run the ball with the young quarterback. I am assuming they address this soon, and that will help to alleviate any concerns, but for Week 4, he faces TJ Watt and one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. You can expect some more turnovers in this one, as he finds himself as my QB11 this week.
Running Back
Jonathan Taylor: Start, RB1
Jonathan Taylor has been on a tear to start the season, averaging 87 rushing yards and a touchdown per game. He should be firmly in the RB1 conversation every week. In Week 4, he faces the Steelers, who are near the bottom of the league in terms of points allowed to opposing running backs. It will not be easy sledding for the veteran runner, but his 80% snap rate is something you can trust, and Taylor should never really be leaving your lineups.
Wide Receiver
Michael Pittman: Start, FLEX
Josh Downs: Sit
Adonai Mitchell: Sit
Alec Pierce: Sit
The Colts’ wide receivers are going to be a rollercoaster for most of the season. Michael Pittman should continue to lead this offense as far as target share is concerned, but ultimately, you are benching most, if not all, of these pass catchers in Week 4 if you have the ability. We need to see Richardson complete a higher percentage of passes this season; otherwise, this team and its pass catchers will be hurting you all season long.
Tight End
Sit All
The Colts’ tight end situation is a bit of a mess. With no single option to lead the way, it’s best to avoid them this week.
i feel like only the thursday game should be posted on thursday and the rest of the games on friday.. after this is posted there is so much more player news with practice sits etc that a lot of what youre writing is no longer valid and the opinion is void.
for example: damien pierce was limited just today. so akers should be a viable start if he doesnt play.
Hey, thanks for reading and commenting! We try to get all of our recommendations out on Thursday so that you have all that information in case you’re on the fence between a guy that plays on Thursday vs. Sunday. We don’t always have all of the information because of the timing with practice reports, but we try to update things as we get more info. As for the Texans backfield, I’m still a bit hesitant to recommend Akers, but he could have an easier time this week against the Jags than he did last week against the Vikings.
This list used to be a lot more nuanced in the past. Talking about #3 / #4 players and ranking them as such. Now it seems like every player if they’re not a #1 or #2 at their position they are simply a sit. I don’t need to know to start my top players it’s the flex ones in the middle I need a write up on. Wish this list was as thorough as years past.
Thanks for this feedback! We try and do our best to cover as many fantasy-relevant players as possible, and you can check out our list of weekly rankings to see how everyone stacks up. Is there a player or two I can help provide a more detailed breakdown of for you?
Having Anthony Richardson as a Start and Sam Darnold as a Sit is fantasy malpractice.
Hey, thanks for reading. I personally think Richardson has the higher ceiling this week with his rushing upside and Darnold has a hostile environment this week heading into Green Bay. If you personally want to see more out of Richardson before giving him the start again, I completely understand!