Pittsburgh Steelers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has shown signs of life for fantasy purposes recently and will hope to continue trending positively in a Week 15 road meeting with the Philadelphia Eagles. Freiermuth scored and led the Steelers with 48 receiving yards last week as the team adjusted without George Pickens (hamstring). With Pickens sidelined again this week, Freiermuth should operate as a go-to guy for quarterback Russell Wilson. It is important to note that Philadelphia has surrendered the sixth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends, making it difficult to trust Freiermuth as a starting option. He is best viewed as a high-end TE2 on Sunday and can be deployed by fantasy teams without a more reliable player at the position.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has gained at least 60 total yards in five straight contests and should continue to serve as a complement to Najee Harris against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Warren's utilization has been somewhat inconsistent as of late but he has been effective when given opportunities. Although the Eagles are stingy against the run, Philadelphia gives up plenty of receptions to opposing backs. With George Pickens (hamstring) inactive in Week 14, Warren led all Steelers with five targets. Pickens has already been ruled out this week, once again opening the door for Warren to contribute through the air. He is not a recommended starting option in standard redraft formats but Warren can be deployed as an RB3 with flex appeal in PPR leagues.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially ruled out wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) for the Week 15 game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Pickens was expected to miss his second straight game earlier this week, so fantasy managers should have already moved him to their benches. It's a tough blow for the Steeler heading into a hostile environment and for fantasy managers in the first round of the playoffs. The team's top wideout will now try to get healthy for a Week 16 tilt against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. With the 23-year-old sidelined again, Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin III, Mike Williams and Scotty Miller will all have elevated roles, but tight end Pat Freiermuth might be the biggest beneficiary from a fantasy standpoint. In last week's win over the division-rival Cleveland Browns, Freiermuth and Jefferson both found the end zone.

After putting in a full practice on Wednesday, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (shoulder) was listed as limited on Thursday. Metcalf has been listed on the team's injury report with a shoulder issue for three straight weeks now, but it hasn't kept him from playing on Sundays, which means his downgraded practice participation this week is likely for rest purposes. As long as the 26-year-old wideout doesn't miss practice on Friday, he's most likely going to be removed from the final injury report and be good to go for Sunday night's clash against the visiting Green Bay Packers. In the last two games, Metcalf has reeled in eight of his 15 targets for 115 yards and no touchdowns. The veteran pass-catcher's fantasy ceiling has been lowered in 2024 due to the emergence of second-year receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba -- JSN leads the team in catches, yards and TDs -- dropping Metcalf to more of a WR2/3.

According to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) remained sidelined during Thursday's practice for the second-straight day. Pickens now has one more opportunity on Friday to practice in some capacity. Earlier in the week, head coach Mike Tomlin noted that his No.1 wideout would be unlikely to suit up this weekend, and his current trajectory reinforces that claim. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to his status on Friday in case he can practice in some capacity. Since Russell Wilson has taken starting duties, Pickens has averaged an impressive 16.0 PPR points per game and averaged 81.2 yards per game during this span. If Pickens misses his second-straight contest, fantasy managers should expect tight end Pat Freiermuth and wide receivers Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III to see an uptick in targets.