Pittsburgh Steelers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed 20 of his 29 pass attempts for 270 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-14 playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Wilson and the Steelers could not get anything going early on and found themselves trailing by 21 points at halftime. When the offense finally started clicking in the third quarter, it was effectively too late as Pittsburgh's defense continued to struggle against Baltimore's rushing attack led by Derrick Henry. The veteran signal-caller did make a few impressive throws, notably to receivers Van Jefferson and George Pickens for 30-and-36-yard scores, respectively. Overall, it was an up-and-down campaign for Wilson, who will now enter unrestricted free agency and could find himself with a new organization next season.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to pull out all the stops to try and beat the division-rival Baltimore Ravens in the wild-card showdown on Saturday night, which includes using backup quarterback Justin Fields in the offense. Since Russell Wilson took over for the Steelers under center in Week 7, Fields has attempted just one pass while rushing seven times for 58 yards in four games, so it's hard to imagine him having a major role all of a sudden in the postseason. However, it's more reason to fade Wilson in DFS lineups against a Ravens defense that has played its best football at the end of the season. If anything, the Steelers could sprinkle Fields in a bit more on some run-pass option plays to try and keep Baltimore's defense guessing, but it most likely won't be enough to give Fields any kind of fantasy appeal.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth was incredibly productive over the last two weeks of the regular season and will carry some positive momentum into a Wild-Card Round bout with the Baltimore Ravens. Freiermuth had his best showing of the year in Week 18, hauling in eight of 11 targets for 85 yards and a touchdown. It is worth noting that Freiermuth was hardly utilized in either of his two meetings with the Ravens in 2024 and was held to three or fewer receptions in both contests. On paper, however, this is a favorable matchup for the 26-year-old as Baltimore struggled against the pass and opposing tight ends throughout the campaign. There are more reliable options for fantasy purposes this weekend, but Freiermuth is a solid value and offers upside in PPR formats.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens failed to make an impact in the team's final game of the regular season but will need to step up against the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the NFL playoffs. Pickens was injured for Pittsburgh's most recent meeting with Baltimore, but back in Week 11, he earned 12 targets and logged eight receptions for 89 yards against his division rival. The Ravens allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to wideouts this season, so this is certainly a matchup that Pickens can find success in. Unfortunately, quarterback Russell Wilson and the Steelers' offense as a whole have been wildly inconsistent, making it extremely difficult to rely on Pickens' production. That said, he has a high ceiling this weekend and can be considered a low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 in fantasy contests.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren closed the regular season with a quiet performance and will look to get more involved against the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round of the NFL playoffs. Warren played well against Baltimore in 2024, averaging 80 total yards and 4.5 receptions over two meetings with his AFC North foe. While it has been difficult to project Warren's utilization on a weekly basis, he should get plenty of opportunities on Saturday. The Ravens are heavy favorites at home, meaning Pittsburgh may be forced to shy away from the run and push the ball downfield. Najee Harris is a capable pass-catcher, but Warren has been the more prolific receiver over the past two seasons. Because of this, the 26-year-old offers some upside in PPR fantasy contests this weekend.