Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, January 4, 2026, 8:20 PM ET
Location: Acrisure Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
Network: NBC
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: START, Borderline QB1 (if he plays)
Tyler Huntley: SIT
In a win-or-go-home scenario, it will be interesting to see if the Ravens decide to trot out Lamar Jackson at less-than-100% or continue with backup Tyler Huntley, who has posted a 2-1 record in three starts this season, including a win over the Packers last weekend to get the Ravens to claw Baltimore back into the playoff picture. After how effective the running game was in Lambeau last weekend, don’t expect the Ravens to suddenly air out the passing game, regardless of what quarterback gets the nod. Both options have rushing upside, but at this point of the season – and taking both of their health into consideration – Huntley possesses a higher rushing floor but probably won’t throw the ball nearly as often. If Lamar starts, I would consider him to be a borderline QB1, but if Huntley gets the nod, I’m sitting him.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: START, RB1
Keaton Mitchell: SIT
Rasheen Ali: SIT
At this point, King Henry is completely matchup-proof. He proved that last week against a very good Packers rushing defense, torching them for over 200 yards rushing and four scores. It appears that offensive coordinator Todd Monken remembered that he has one of the best running backs of this generation in his backfield and should give him as many carries as he can handle after being reminded of it by every single media outlet and social media pundit after the Ravens’ Week 16 loss to the Patriots. Henry has averaged 6.8 yards per carry over his last three contests combined, and everybody already knows about his career history of playing his best football in December and January.
Keaton Mitchell is a change of pace spell back, and Rasheen Ali will take passing down work. Neither will get enough action to justify a fantasy start even in the deepest of leagues, as you’ll be hoping for a longshot touchdown to get a startable performance.
Wide Receiver
Rashod Bateman: SIT
DeAndre Hopkins: SIT
Zay Flowers: START, WR2
It’s been a roller coaster season for Zay Flowers, but with four consecutive games of at least 13 PPR fantasy points, it appears that the Ravens’ top wide receiver has finally found at least a little bit of consistency. The others have certainly been consistent, but that isn’t a compliment. You aren’t starting Nuk or Bateman in this scenario.
Tight End
Mark Andrews: START, TE1
Isaiah Likely: SIT
If the Ravens’ offense is going to take to the air, their most effective path to production will be through the tight ends. The Pittsburgh defense has quietly allowed the second-most points per game to tight ends this season, but I’d rather lean on Andrews over Likely with the latter posting two goose eggs in the last three games.
Defense/Special Teams
Baltimore Ravens: STREAMER
After a dreadful start to the season, the Ravens’ DST unit has quietly been one of the best in the NFL since Week 10. Since then, the Baltimore DST has ranked in the top-10 in fantasy points per game (8.3) with five top-12 finishes in the past eight games. Rodgers was able to do pretty much whatever he wanted in the Week 14 meeting of these two teams, but he’ll be without top receiver DK Metcalf in this matchup. We saw last week how much the Steelers offense struggled when forced to lean on MVS and Scotty Miller as their top pass-catchers. I’m fine streaming this defense in a must-win game and hoping for a takeaway or two.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers: SIT
The Ravens have struggled to generate a pass rush pretty much all season long and didn’t get to Rodgers at all in Week 14. That bodes well for the veteran, who should have time in the pocket to find… somebody, I guess. The biggest problem with Rodgers’ fantasy outlook is his lack of weapons with Metcalf suspended. The Ravens’ pass defense has been exploitable while their run-stopping has been elite, making them a pass-funnel defense yet again this year. However, the Steelers’ best offensive scheme might be dumping the ball off to the running backs in short areas and letting them make plays against the Baltimore linebackers. It’s not a great formula for fantasy production at quarterback.
Running Back
Jaylen Warren: START, RB2
Kenneth Gainwell: FLEX, RB3
Kaleb Johnson: SIT
If the Steelers are going to win this game, they’re going to have to do it through their running backs. Without Metcalf, the pass-game options are thin, which opens the door for a lot of catches out of the backfield for both of these backs. I’m happy starting either of them in any format, especially PPR. I wouldn’t be shocked to see them combine for 100 yards receiving.
Wide Receiver
DK Metcalf: OUT, Suspension
Adam Thielen: SIT
Marquez Valdes-Scantling: SIT
Calvin Austin III: SIT
The Detroit troll that antagonized DK Metcalf enough to solicit a reaction a couple of weeks ago is milking his 15 seconds of fame for all it’s worth, complete with a backwards Lions hat at his “press conference.” He’ll never pay for a drink again in the city of Baltimore if the Ravens can pull off a win on Sunday night.
The combination of washed veterans (Thielen, MVS) and unproven young pass-catchers (Austin, Roman Wilson) contributed next to nothing for the Steelers against the Browns last week. I’m not holding my breath for them to turn things around, despite the Ravens giving up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers this season.
Tight End
Darnell Washington: SIT
Pat Freiermuth: SIT
Jonnu Smith: SIT
Conner Heyward: SIT
Nothing screams “ARTHUR SMITH IS RUNNING THIS OFFENSE” like having four different tight ends get opportunities in a single game. If they were all one dude, ‘Parnu Wasmeymuth’ would be a fantasy deity rivaling the great Trey McBride, but alas, we have to split their production across four players. There has to be a better option at tight end available to you.
If, for some unexplainable reason, you are forced to choose between one of these four guys, I’d probably lean towards Freiermuth for no other reason than I like his name.
Defense/Special Teams
Pittsburgh Steelers: STREAMER
With T.J. Watt potentially returning from his acupuncture accident, the Steelers’ defense could end up being much more formidable than they have been in each of the past three weeks that he has missed. Pittsburgh finished as a top-12 fantasy defense just twice in that stretch (against the Dolphins and Browns). I think they will be fine, but with so many Week 18 matchups against offenses with nothing to play for, wouldn’t you rather roster one of those defenses?