Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers at Redskins: 5 best fantasy options

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Aug 26, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) passes the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

A look at the five best fantasy football options for the Steelers at Redskins 2016 NFL Week 1 game on Monday Night Football.

Kirk Cousins

On the heels of last season’s successful run into the playoffs, Cousins will look to continue to show his brilliance. He officially became the team’s full-time starter last season. He ranked No. 10 among all QBs in total yards, racking up 4,166 for the season along with 29 touchdowns. He was also fifth among all quarterbacks with a 101.6 rating.

Something to consider with Cousins is that he was given the franchise tag by the team and it’s a potential contract year. He could be playing even better than his previous season due to that. He also has plenty of great weapons on the field for this game and the season. They include DeSean Jackson, Jordan Reed and Pierre Garcon. They’ll certainly help his stats, just a bit.

For Week 1, he gets the spotlight in a Monday Night Football matchup against a Steelers defense that should allow Cousins to have at it. Give a top-10 quarterback a weaker defense to throw against and it’s a dream for fantasy football owners who have Cousins. The fact he has top notch receivers scattered over the field helps even more.

Pittsburgh ranked at No. 30 last season in passing defense giving up a total of 4,350 yards to opposing quarterbacks. On average, they allowed 272 yards per game to the opponents, giving Cousins plenty of opportunity to rack up the stats. It could be a points shootout between Cousins and Big Ben, making both players wise starts in the fantasy game.

Aug 26, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) makes a throw in the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Ben Roethlisberger

In a game where a lot of points should be put on the board, taking Big Ben is a no brainer. His Steelers team was third in the NFL for the 2015-16 season when it came to offensive output and Roethlisberger was at the helm.

The biggest concern with owners isn’t whether or not Roethlisberger can put up great stats. He averaged 22 fantasy points a game last season in many leagues. However, his health is always a major concern. With it being the first game of the 2016 NFL season, Roethlisberger is healthy and will be on the field.

Owners with him on their roster will hope to see him finding Antonio Brown, and hope he can find someone else to boost his stats this season. He no longer has some of his favorite targets to throw to including the retired Heath Miller and suspended Martinis Bryant. However, Le’Veon Bell is also suspended, taking away a threat on the ground in the first several games of Pittsburgh’s season.

The Steelers star was No. 11 in quarterback rating with a 94.5 last season. He was 14th in total yards, throwing for 3,938, but where he excelled was yards per game. Big Ben led all quarterbacks in 2015-16 with 328 yards on average per game.

With a Monday night showdown in Landover, Maryland, he’ll probably be battling back and forth with the Redskins on the scoreboard. One thing Roethlisberger has shown he can do over the course of his career is compile yards and points as needed.

It should be a scoring battle between the Steelers and Redskins for the first Monday Night Football game of the new year. Fantasy owners with Big Ben should be the beneficiary of big numbers.

Aug 26, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) runs against New Orleans Saints cornerback P.J. Williams (25) in the first quarter of the game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Antonio Brown

With Big Ben considered a no-brainer on this list, so is the guy who many consider the top player in all of fantasy football. The Steelers wide receiver has been amazingly consistent stats wise. Add to that fact that Roethlisberger doesn’t have a ton of targets around to throw to as reliable as Brown and you’ve got the makings of a fantasy stud.

Brown was second in the league last season with a total of 1,834 yards. He averaged 13.5 yards per play, hauled in 10 touchdowns and was one of just three players to record 25 or more catches which resulted in 20 or more yards.

The one concern for the season with Brown is whether or not Roethlisberger remains healthy. Having that top-notch quarterback is always key. When Ben is out of action, Brown’s stats tend to suffer a bit.

That said, both guys are expected to suit up and be on the field for this first game of their 2016-17 NFL season. Fantasy owners already know the deal, starting Brown is an obvious choice if he’s on the roster. This guy is capable of great game week in and week out.

For this Week 1 matchup, he’ll be playing against a Redskins defense that ranked near the bottom of the NFL last season, which should allow Roethlisberger to find him plenty. As mentioned, Brown is Ben’s top option, so defenses may be keeping an eye on him. However, Brown has the skills to grab the stats for fantasy owners on Monday night.

Aug 26, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson (11) runs after a catch as Buffalo Bills defensive back Sterling Moore (41) defends during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

DeSean Jackson

Jackson is yet another offensive star who should be considered a starter for fantasy owners in this game. He ranked fifth in the NFL last season in terms of average yards with 17.6 per catch. He had just four touchdowns but has also dealt with health issues, missing seven games last season.

While the knock on Jackson is his health, he’s always been one of the top receiving threats over the past 10 years of his career. He also was No. 18 among all receivers last season for the seven weeks he played.

He’s probably the riskiest option on this list of five. Jackson had an injury-riddled 2015-16 NFL season. He’s now back in action and could help one of the most effective offenses in the league, should Washington keep him on the field.

Jackson is one of those “boom or bust” players. While last season’s numbers were dismal, give this guy a full season and he should fare much better. If he’s on the field for this first game of the season, he could tally some very nice numbers. This could be the start of his resurgence stats wise, and those fantasy owners who got him will be bragging about the “steal” they got.

Kirk Cousins has shown himself to be a very capable quarterback for this team. Jackson tends to be one of his favorite targets and even helps Cousins run a more efficient offense. Don’t be surprised if this star receiver puts up some nice numbers while he’s on the field for Monday Night Football.

Dec 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins Jordan Reed (86) catches a 22-yard touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Reed

Ranked one of the best tight ends in fantasy football, Reed is another player to go with for Sunday’s action. The theme in this game certainly looks like it will be offense and scoring, based on two of the NFL’s weaker defenses. That allows some of the best players in the game to put up some nice stats. So Reed has a good chance at doing just that.

Only one tight end ranks above Reed in the fantasy football world and he goes by the name of “Gronk.” With Reed being among the top TEs and one of the most consistent, it makes him a major value for rosters that have him on board.

He looked shaky after missing almost half of his first two NFL seasons. Since then, he’s been a fantasy stud. He’s among Cousins’ favorite targets to pass to and finished the season second among all tight ends in catches and touchdowns. He was also fifth in receiving yards and sixth in receptions.

During the preseason, Reed was nursing a sprained thumb. He still was able to play in a Week 3 preseason game against the Bills, catching two passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. He’ll now go into a brand new season with Cousins leading the way again.

So while health has been a concern before, it seems Reed is healthy now. He looks to be good to go for Monday Night Football and any fantasy owners with him on their rosters should definitely give him the nod.