Pittsburgh Steelers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was not very involved in last week's loss to the Cowboys but could be in line for more opportunities against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6. The Raiders are allowing the fifth-most points to opposing offenses as well as the third-most fantasy points to kickers this season. While the Steelers struggled offensively in Week 5, they should be able to move the ball and put Boswell in a position to score on Sunday. Despite his hot start to the campaign, it's clear at this point that Boswell is not going to put up elite numbers on a weekly basis, but he can be trusted in favorable matchups. The 33-year-old should be viewed as a solid starting option this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth (calf) was listed as a full participant for the Steelers' final practice of the week. Freiermuth popped up on the team's injury report on Thursday with a calf designation, but it appears to have only been a minor issue. The 25-year-old is set to resume his TE1 duties when Pittsburgh hits the road to take on the Raiders in Las Vegas. Despite having yet to clear 57 yards in any contest, the former second-round pick has at least four receptions in all but one outing and a touchdown in two straight, working his way to a TE7 ranking in PPR formats. Freiermuth ranks second on his team in targets (23), receptions (20), and yards (178) and has scored the most touchdowns (2) of any Pittsburgh pass-catcher. He'll be a back-end TE1 in the road matchup and is RotoBaller's TE10 in this week's rankings.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has scored in back-to-back contests and will hope to keep the streak alive against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6. Although Freiermuth was a limited participant in practice on Thursday with a calf injury, he was removed from the injury report on Friday after logging a full practice. Las Vegas has fared well against tight ends so far this season but is yet to face one that has earned as many opportunities as Freiermuth. The 25-year-old is averaging more targets per contest than Sam LaPorta and Mark Andrews and more fantasy points than Travis Kelce, Dalton Kincaid, and Kyle Pitts. His ceiling will be relatively limited if Pittsburgh continues to run the ball at one of the highest rates in the NFL, but as a focal point of the Steelers' offense, Freiermuth offers fantasy managers a steady floor. He can be started once again as a low-end TE1 on Sunday.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was unusually quiet last week and will look to make an impact against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Head coach Mike Tomlin labeled Pickens' surprisingly low snap share in Week 5 as "load management", basically stating that he hopes to keep the 23-year-old fresh for when he is on the field. While this could continue to be a part of the team's gameplan, the Steelers were clearly lacking playmakers in their loss to Dallas last Sunday night. Pickens will need the ball in his hands more frequently for Pittsburgh to find success offensively. Las Vegas has been more vulnerable to the run than the pass but should not be considered a pass defense to avoid, especially with the Steelers struggling on the ground so far this season. Pickens is the favorite weapon of quarterback Justin Fields, who will be starting again this week. Even with a reduced snap count, Pickens earned a target on 26% of Fields' pass attempts last week, a far greater share than any of his teammates. The duo should be able to connect on more opportunities against the Raiders, making Pickens a low-end WR2 or flex option with upside.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (knee) logged a full practice on Friday and is on the "upswing" with his trajectory. Warren will be listed as questionable to play in Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, but the Steelers are optimistic about his status. Earlier in the week, head coach Mike Tomlin considered Warren doubtful to face the Raiders, but apparently he's made good progress with his knee since then. The 25-year-old was unable to play in last week's loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. If he's able to return on Sunday on the road at Allegiant Stadium, he'll continue to mix in sparingly behind lead back Najee Harris in what is an excellent matchup. Still, fantasy managers will be hard-pressed to be excited to use Warren as a flex play given what he's done so far in 2024. He's averaging a career-low 3.9 yards per carry on just 14 rushing attempts through three games.