Pittsburgh Steelers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III posted four receptions for 31 yards on five targets in a 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Although Austin was quiet for fantasy purposes, it was encouraging to see him remain involved in the offense despite the return of fellow wideout George Pickens. Austin has now earned five opportunities in three straight contests and is clearly the WR2 in Pittsburgh ahead of Mike Williams and Van Jefferson. He is worth rostering in dynasty formats and will hope to close out the regular season on a high note against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 18.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in just three of his seven targets for 50 yards in a Week 17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Steelers struggled to get much of anything going on offense in this one, but Pickens didn't appear to be hampered by his hamstring injury that kept him sidelined from Weeks 14 through 16. He made an impressive catch for a 41-yard gain on a deep ball from quarterback Russell Wilson and had an 18-yard reception in the fourth quarter called back due to an offside penalty. Although fantasy managers that deployed Pickens in his return were likely let down by this performance, he should still be viewed as a solid WR2 against the Cincinnati Bengals in any leagues that compete in Week 18.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth finished with seven receptions for 60 yards on eight targets in a 29-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Freiermuth operated as quarterback Russell Wilson's go-to guy for much of the contest, but he unfortunately lost a fumble early in the fourth quarter with Kansas City's lead still within reach. It was his second lost fumble of the season and just the third of his four-year career. Nonetheless, Freiermuth was solid for fantasy purposes and led the Steelers in targets, catches, and receiving yards. He'll look to turn in another strong showing in next week's regular-season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren turned 11 carries into 71 yards and six targets into five catches and 41 receiving yards in a Week 17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Warren was one of the few bright spots for the Steelers' offensive attack on Wednesday and consistently looked explosive with the ball in his hands. He saw more opportunities than backfield mate Najee Harris, who was ineffective for most of the contest. Warren's solid performance early in the first quarter earned him a few opportunities in the red zone, one of which he took in for an eight-yard score that was unfortunately nullified by a holding penalty. The 26-year-old has logged at least 92 total yards in each of his past two games and will look to end the campaign on a hot streak against the Cincinnati Bengals next week.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf has been a difficult fantasy asset to trust lately. In Week 16 against the Minnesota Vikings, Metcalf scored his first touchdown since Week 7. His target volume has been solid lately, but his production has not flowed. The Seahawks face the Chicago Bears in Week 17. The Bears have not been a scary matchup for opposing passing games in recent weeks. Still, Metcalf is a risky play. His catch rate of 60% is primarily contributing to his poor production. His downfield targets are a high-risk, high-reward. Additionally, the emergence of Jaxon Smith-Njigba as a true No. 1 wide receiver in the offense is not helping Metcalf's case. The Seahawks are in desperation mode and must win on Thursday to have any chance of advancing to the playoffs. As such, expect them to be aggressive offensively. That could play to Metcalf's advantage. He checks in as a high-end flex play with upside this week.