Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell is coming off a stellar performance in Week 11 and will hope to pick up right where he left off against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12. Boswell has been the most reliable fantasy scorer at his position this season, having made 29 of his 30 field goal attempts and all 20 of his extra-point tries. This is an especially appealing spot for Boswell, not only because the Browns surrender the 13th-most fantasy points per contest to kickers, but also because of the game environment many are expecting on Thursday night. This AFC North showdown is projected to be a defensive battle with touchdowns coming at a premium. Even with the possibility of harsh weather conditions in Cleveland, fantasy managers can lock Boswell into starting lineups.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has seen his usage trend positively over the past few weeks and will look to stay involved against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12. Unfortunately for Warren, the Browns have been stout against opposing backs this season, especially in the passing game. Cleveland has surrendered the second-fewest receptions and the seventh-fewest fantasy points per contest to the position. With Najee Harris getting the bulk of the work on the ground, it's difficult to project Warren for much success on Thursday night in what is expected to be the lowest-scoring affair of the week. The 26-year-old should only be viewed as a desperation flex option in most formats.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has done very little for fantasy over the past six weeks but will look to bounce back in a divisional bout with the Cleveland Browns in Week 12. The Browns look like a favorable matchup for tight ends on paper, but Taysom Hill's monstrous showing last week accounts for nearly 35% of the points Cleveland has allowed to the position this season. Only two other tight ends have managed top-10 finishes against the Browns in 2024. Freiermuth does not seem to have a reliable role in Pittsburgh's offense with quarterback Russell Wilson targeting fellow tight end Darnell Washington twice more than Freiermuth since taking over for Justin Fields in Week 7. Even with a few big names on bye this week, fantasy managers should not rely on Freiermuth as there are likely better replacement options available on waivers.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens enters Week 12 with the fourth-most receiving yards in the NFL and will look to advance his breakout campaign against the Cleveland Browns. Although the Browns have been solid defensively this year, they have been exploited by opposing wideouts. Cleveland allows the fourth-most fantasy points per game to receivers despite surrendering the fourth-fewest receptions to the position. In other words, the Browns give up big plays and touchdowns, which is exactly how Pickens tends to make an impact. The third-year pro has only scored twice this season but is tied for the sixth-most red zone targets in the league and has had multiple touchdowns overturned or nullified by penalties. Fantasy managers should confidently deploy Pickens as a low-end WR1 on Thursday night.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris has been a consistent fantasy producer for most of the season and will hope to continue this success on the road against the Cleveland Browns. The Browns have been solid against the run this year, specifically in Cleveland where they allow just 98.6 rushing yards per game. Nonetheless, Harris is a dependable fantasy asset based on volume. The 26-year-old has been given at least 16 opportunities in every contest this season and usually earns a few looks in the passing game even with backfield mate Jaylen Warren healthy. Thursday night's divisional face-off isn't expected to be high-scoring, so while Harris' touchdown upside might be somewhat limited, he still offers a high floor and thus should be started in most formats as an RB2.