Pittsburgh Steelers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens hauled in both of his targets for 26 yards in the team's 24-17 preseason loss to the Detroit Lions. Although he lost six yards on his first reception, the third-year pro made up for it on the very next play with a 32-yard gain on a perfect deep pass from quarterback Russell Wilson. The pair was pulled from the contest immediately following the opening drive, which resulted in a touchdown. Barring any last-minute surprises, Pickens appears primed to enter the regular season as Pittsburgh's undisputed WR1. He offers plenty of upside in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts with the Steelers' offense expected to improve in 2024.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Cordarrelle Patterson handled three rushing attempts for 31 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's preseason loss to the Detroit Lions. Patterson worked with Pittsburgh's first-team offense as a complement to Najee Harris with Jaylen Warren (hamstring) sidelined. He exploded for a 31-yard score on the Steelers' opening drive and earned one touch on their second possession. Given Patterson's history with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and the lack of proven receiving options on Pittsburgh's offense, the 33-year-old could see utilization in the regular season, especially if Warren misses time. He is best left undrafted in most fantasy leagues, however.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields completed three of his four pass attempts for 40 yards and added four rushing yards on two carries in a preseason loss to the Detroit Lions. Fields followed up an impressive scoring drive led by Russell Wilson with a touchdown drive of his own and remained in the contest for two additional possessions. The 25-year-old looked sharp early, most notably on a strike to tight end MyCole Pruitt for a gain of 22 yards that set up an easy score for La'Mical Perine. His second drive was much less successful as Fields was credited with a fumble on a clear miscommunication with rookie center Zach Frazier. Following the game, head coach Mike Tomlin declined to name a Week 1 starter, but it would be surprising at this point to see Fields get the nod over Wilson. The situation is still worth monitoring for fantasy purposes due to Fields' immense rushing upside.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson completed each of his two pass attempts for 26 yards in a 24-17 preseason loss to the Detroit Lions. George Pickens was the only player targeted by Wilson on the team's first drive of the contest. The duo connected for a 32-yard gain that eventually set up a Cordarrelle Patterson rushing touchdown. Although head coach Mike Tomlin declined to name a Week 1 starter on Saturday, the team certainly gave Wilson QB1 treatment when it pulled him from the preseason finale after one scoring drive. If Wilson struggles early in the regular season, Justin Fields could push for the starting job, making the veteran a risky selection as a low-end QB2 in superflex fantasy drafts.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson completed 19 of 27 passes for 190 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the team's 24-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday night. Quarterback Mike White started the game for Miami and racked up just 39 yards on five of nine completions. On his drives, the Dolphins went three-and-out once and failed to convert two fourth downs. Thompson entered the game in the second quarter and immediately drove the team down the field for a score -- connecting with tight end Hayden Rucci three times, including a 20-yard touchdown. He then engineered another scoring drive in the third, hitting wide receiver Kyric McGowan for a one-yard touchdown. That would be the final time the Dolphins scored. It was an efficient night for Thompson as he makes his case to climb the depth chart and be the primary backup to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The next time we see Miami suit up for action will be their home opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars two weeks from Sunday.