Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, October 20th, 2024, 8:20 ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Network: NBC Peacock
New York Jets
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: Sit, QB2
It’s been an up-and-down season for Aaron Rodgers, but things are looking up with best friend Davante Adams joining the New York Packers offense. Rodgers has mostly lived in the QB10-QB20 range this season, meaning he profiles as a QB2 most weeks, and we have him ranked as a low-end option against a Steelers defense that allows the fifth-fewest points to QBs. Start him if you must in Superflex leagues only.
Running Back
Breece Hall: Start, RB2
Braelon Allen: Sit, RB4
Breece Hall returned to the world of fantasy relevance after two clunkers in Weeks 4 and 5, posting 21.90 fantasy points in Week 6 while eclipsing the century mark on the ground for the first time all season. Hall is a dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands and slides in as our RB13 on the week in a tough matchup against the Steelers, making him technically an RB2. His relatively safe floor due to his pass-catching abilities makes him a great start every week with a stratospheric ceiling. We didn’t see much involvement from Braelon Allen in the first game of the post-Hackett-playcalling era, though he did punch in a touchdown at the goal line that was called back due to holding. Allen is probably a touchdown-or-bust option right now, though he is a premier handcuff and should be rostered in all leagues.
Wide Receiver
Garrett Wilson: Start, WR2
Davante Adams: Start, WR2
Allen Lazard: Sit, WR5
Alright, here we go, it’s the biggest news story of the week: Davante Adams is back with Aaron Rodgers, which means his phantom hamstring injury has suddenly vanished and he’ll make his Jets debut in dramatic fashion on Sunday Night Football against the Steelers, who allow the ninth-fewest points to wideouts in the league. He shouldn’t need much time to get up to speed due to his extensive history with Rodgers and can immediately be played as a WR2 thanks to his situational upgrade. Garrett Wilson has functioned as a target hog over the past two weeks, showing an improved chemistry with the future Hall of Famer. It’s fair to question what Wilson’s involvement will look like with Rodgers’ shiny new toy joining the fray, but Adams’ presence could benefit the young star by helping to draw attention from other defenders in the secondary. Wilson is also a WR2 option, and these two wideouts should both be high-upside plays every week. Allen Lazard continues to surprise everyone, posting a WR4 overall finish in Week 6 on the back of a vintage Rodgers Hail Mary. Lazard will still function as the third (or fourth) option in the passing game, meaning he’s a risky play on a weekly basis, though he does still have a fairly high ceiling due to his chemistry with Rodgers. There is a wide range of outcomes here, though I’d recommend looking for points from safer sources.
Tight End
Tyler Conklin: Sit, TE2
Tyler Conklin has had a few solid PPR performances this season, but he’s yet to find the end zone, and it’s likely he’ll lose some passing volume with Adams joining the fray. He’s a desperation streamer at best — there are likely some higher-upside streaming options available on your wire.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
Russell Wilson/Justin Fields: Sit, QB2
Oh boy. With reports circling that Mike Tomlin is “considering” Russell Wilson to start in Week 7 against the Jets, we have ourselves a full-fledged fantasy fiasco brewing in Pittsburgh. Keep an eye out for which player is actually named the starter, but neither would be an incredibly appealing option against a tough Jets defense. Fields obviously has the edge over Wilson due to his rushing ability, but it’s best to avoid this group altogether if you can.
Running Back
Najee Harris: FLEX Option, RB3
Jaylen Warren: Sit, RB4
Najee Harris had himself an excellent game in Week 6, posting a few highlight-reel plays en route to an RB10 finish. He is rewarded with a matchup against a tough Jets defense that allows the tenth-fewest points to opposing RBs. Harris should remain a FLEX option based on volume alone, but it would be a smart idea to look elsewhere this week if you can. Jaylen Warren, meanwhile, hasn’t shown the same glimpses of fantasy relevance that he did in 2023 and is a sit until further notice.
Wide Receiver
George Pickens: FLEX Option, WR4
What do we do with you, George Pickens? The talented receiver’s snap numbers have been all over the place this season, but when he’s on the field, he tends to garner plenty of targets as the standout player in this receiving room. Still, he’s yet to post a finish better than WR23 on the season and now gets to match up against Sauce Gardner and the stingy Jets secondary. He’s not a great play this week, especially with the QB situation in Pittsburgh.
Tight End
Pat Freiermuth: Streaming Option
Muuuuuth. Pat Freiermuth has been a relatively steady streaming option for the Steelers at TE this year and should continue to fall in that TE10-15 range most weeks regardless of who’s under center for Pittsburgh. He has a solid chance of finding the end zone any given week and has a decent target volume of around 4-5 looks per week. That’s more than you can ask for from most TEs this year.