Pittsburgh Steelers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth hauled in five of his eight targets for 76 yards in a 31-17 playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills. Following a quiet end to the regular season, Freiermuth was involved early and often on Monday. The 25-year-old was responsible for Pittsburgh's longest play of the contest, a 33-yard catch and run on a deep pass from quarterback Mason Rudolph in the first quarter. He suffered an ankle injury late in the loss that limited his snaps on Pittsburgh's final possessions. It was a disappointing third professional campaign for Freiermuth, who dealt with multiple injuries in 2023, most notably a hamstring strain that kept him sidelined for five games. He will head into the offseason with one year left on his contract and will likely be the subject of extension negotiations.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren handled eight carries for 38 yards and two receptions for 16 yards in the team's wild-card loss to the Buffalo Bills. Although Warren was more efficient than backfield mate Najee Harris, neither player made much of an impact on Monday. Pittsburgh struggled early on in the contest and was forced to throw after surrendering 21 quick points. Despite ending the season with disappointment, the 25-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign in which he totaled over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and ranked third amongst all NFL running backs in yards per carry. He should retain a prominent role in the Steelers' offense along with Harris next season.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph completed 22 of his 39 pass attempts for 229 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in a 31-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He added 16 rushing yards on two carries. Pittsburgh's offense struggled with turnovers early on in the contest and quickly trailed 21-0 soon after Rudolph was picked off Buffalo's end zone. The 28-year-old battled back, however, and led the Steelers on three scoring drives. He connected with wide receivers Diontae Johnson and Calvin Austin III on short touchdown passes that brought the team within seven points of the Bills in the fourth quarter. Although his efforts ultimately came up short, Rudolph was solid in his postseason debut. The Steelers will need to figure out numerous things this offseason, including their plans for the quarterback position in 2024.

Houston Texans wide receiver Robert Woods (hip) is listed as available for Saturday's game against the Cleveland Browns. Woods didn't practice to start the week, but was limited on both Wednesday and Thursday. He'll return to the field for this game alongside fellow wideout Noah Brown (back) who also missed Week 18. The return of these two will give the Texans' passing game a much-needed boost. Despite his return, Woods remains a risky DFS option given the fact Nico Collins, Dalton Schultz, and Brown are all active for this game.

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell drilled his lone field goal and converted on both of his extra-point tries in a Week 18 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The veteran will hope to find continued success against the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs. This is a difficult matchup for Boswell and the Steelers as the Bills have surrendered just 14.8 points per game when playing at Highmark Stadium this season. Furthermore, Sunday's contest is expected to be a slow-paced battle with gusting winds and snow limiting offensive production. Weather conditions in Buffalo could keep Boswell off the field for much of the game, so fantasy managers should consider other options this weekend.