Pittsburgh Steelers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph completed 18 of his 20 pass attempts for 152 yards and one touchdown in a 17-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Weather conditions in Baltimore made things difficult for the 28-year-old, who fumbled three times in the contest. Fortunately for Pittsburgh, only one resulted in a turnover. Big plays were difficult to come by on Saturday, but Rudolph did complete a strike over the middle of the field to Diontae Johnson for a 71-yard score early in the fourth quarter. Following a 0-3 run that mostly featured Mitch Trubisky at quarterback, the Steelers are now 3-0 over the past three weeks with Rudolph under center. It is safe to assume that Rudolph will retain QB1 duties should Pittsburgh make it into the playoffs.

Houston Texans wide receiver Robert Woods (groin) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 18 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. This doesn't come as much of a surprise given Woods was considered questionable heading into this game. The Texans will be shorthanded at wideout with Noah Brown (back) joining Woods on the sideline. That means, Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, and John Metchie III figure to start this game. Between the three, Collins is the only reliable option and should see a ton of looks during this must-win Saturday night matchup.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf had his third 100-yard game of the season last Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, catching five of eight targets for 106 yards. The yardage carried him across the 1,000-yard mark for the year, giving him his third such season in his five-year career. In Week 18, Metcalf and the Seahawks are in a must-win situation to make the playoffs when they take on the Arizona Cardinals. Arizona has not allowed much production to wide receivers in 2023, but that is likely a symptom of being the worst run defense in the league. The Cardinals' frequent use of zone coverage could benefit Metcalf though. The last time Seattle played a team that utilized the scheme as much as Arizona was Week 11 against the Los Angeles Rams, and Metcalf came out of that game with five catches for 94 yards and a touchdown. Metcalf is a solid play in the last week of the regular season, though his ceiling might be capped considering that Seattle may opt to go run-heavy.

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was perfect in Week 17, drilling all three of his field goal attempts and going three-for-three on extra-point tries. He'll hope to have similar involvement in a Week 18 divisional showdown with the Baltimore Ravens. Boswell has been unreliable for fantasy purposes with the Steelers struggling to score points for most of the season, but Pittsburgh's offense has been clicking recently with Mason Rudolph under center. The Steelers, who are battling for their playoff lives, could continue to find success on Saturday as the Ravens are expected to rest many starters. Production is far from guaranteed, but fantasy managers could get solid output from Boswell this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has had a disappointing run over the past five weeks and will hope to bounce back against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. Although the Ravens are expected to rest many starters on Saturday, Freiermuth remains difficult to trust from a fantasy perspective. The 25-year-old has not surpassed three receptions or 45 yards since Week 12 and Baltimore has been stout against the tight end position this season. Freiermuth is at least guaranteed to see the field with Pittsburgh fighting for a spot in the AFC playoffs, but he shouldn't be viewed as anything more than a desperation option.