Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers at Eagles: 5 best fantasy options

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

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Sep 18, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) runs the ball past Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson (90) during the second half at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 24-16. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Here’s a look at which five players may be the best to start from the Steelers at Eagles game in Week 3 of the NFL schedule.

An in-state battle between the AFC’s Steelers and NFC’s Eagles is among the games on the Week 3 slate for the 2016 NFL season. So far, both these teams have got off to a good start, going 2-0 to begin their latest campaign. Philadelphia has surprised some fans due to this, although they’ve achieved wins over the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears, two teams that look like they’re headed to the top of the NFL Draft next summer.

Here are five fantasy options to consider with players in the Steelers at Eagles game.

5. Ben Roethlisberger

The recurring theme with several of the picks for this game is a key fact: the Eagles haven’t faced a team with an offense as powerful as the Steelers. Yes, it’s only two games in, but one team has dispatched of two teams that were in the postseason last year. That team is the Steelers. On the other hand, the Eagles have taken down Cleveland and Chicago, both of whom clearly have serious issues.

That’s not to take anything away from Philadelphia, but with Roethlisberger healthy heading into this game, he makes plenty of sense to start. He ranks in the top 10 for most standard leagues right now. His value is clearly there based on the fact this Steelers team has shown how good their offense can be, finishing third in the league last year.

The Steelers quarterback played well in Week 2 against the rival Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday. For the day, Big Ben finished with 259 yards passing on 19 of 37 completed passes. He also tossed three touchdowns to aid the team in a 24-16 win. Of note, his top receiver Antonio Brown was held in check, so keep this in mind heading to the next game. Brown should bounce back as long as his QB is on the field.

Roethlisberger is also expected to have the services of receiver Markus Wheaton back for the Eagles game. That provides compelling reasons to start the former Super Bowl winning quarterback against a team many are calling “pretenders” after two games.

Sep 18, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) returns a punt against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

4. Antonio Brown

Depending on which fantasy writer you consult, Antonio Brown is usually listed as the top ranked guy in standard fantasy leagues. Most likely, he’s listed in the top three with two other talented receivers: Odell Beckham and A.J. Green. In this particular game, Brown makes for a smart player to start, just based on the obvious.

Brown was stifled against the Bengals in his Week 2 game. He finished with just four catches out of the 11 times Big Ben threw the ball his way. That was good for a total of 39 yards. It’s certainly a subpar performance for one of the best receivers, if not the best, in the game today.

By the way, the last time Brown and Roethlisberger finished a game with production that low was back in 2012. The team won the game 24-10, but Brown finished with three catches for 22 yards.

Ironically, the Steelers and Eagles haven’t met since the 2012 season. When they played that December, Roethlisberger targeted one of his favorite receivers 10 times. Brown went for 86 yards on seven receptions with no touchdowns. It’s now four years later, and personnel has changed just a bit. Brown has also moved up into the list of elite receivers.

All that said, could Brown be held to another middling performance against this Eagles team? It seems unlikely. Expect to see Brown bounce back with a big performance against Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon.

Sep 18, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) carries the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

3. DeAngelo Williams

This matchup will mark the final game for veteran back DeAngelo Williams to replace the suspended Le’Veon Bell. There had been questions heading into the season about whether or not the Steelers would falter without Bell. That hasn’t been an issue so far. He’s not just filling in adequately, he’s leading the league in rushing yards.

While it’s been two games, it would be a crime not to start Williams in his final replacement game over Bell. He had two touchdowns against the Washington Redskins in Week 1 and 143 yards. In Week 2 he logged just 94 yards but scored a receiving touchdown. That certainly makes Williams, an 11th season back, a suitable start. Keep in mind that the Eagles currently rank No. 10 in the NFL in rushing defense, though.

Still, Williams could possibly have another explosive performance against an Eagles team that has looked good so far against inferior teams. The fact that the Eagles will be worrying about Roethlisberger and his receiving core also helps possibly get Williams some good stats as he takes the focus off the passing.

Bell will be the obvious guy to go with once he’s back, but for now, Williams will have the bulk of the work against Philadelphia on Sunday. So for Week 3 start Williams. For those owners who have him, plan on replacing him starting next week.

Dec 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews (81) makes a reception past the defense of Washington Redskins free safety Dashon Goldson (38) during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. The Redskins won 38-24. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

2. Jordan Matthews

Depending on how Wentz plays, Matthews could end up with a good day here. He caught six of the nine passes that Wentz directed his way in the Monday Night Football win over the Bears. That gave Matthews 71 yards in the game. Right now, there’s been plenty of debates over whether he is a WR1 or WR2 choice.

As mentioned before, the entire Eagles team has a tough task ahead of them. In particular, Wentz will have to show impressive confidence and playmaking abilities against the toughest team he’s faced so far. Matthews will be battling the Steelers’ secondary, but once again could be a top target for the rookie QB as he tries to make things happen.

Each season so far, Matthews has improved in terms of his receiving stats. He finished last year with 997 yards on 85 catches. His rookie year he had 67 catches and 872 yards. So far he’s been the top receiver for a 2-0 Eagles team.

While he finished with just seven fantasy points against Chicago, he had 17 in the team’s opening win over Cleveland. Another key aspect that could benefit him heading into the Week 3 game is the questionable nature of tight end Zach Ertz’s injury.

With Matthews emerging as Wentz’s early favorite target, he makes good sense for a start here. Fantasy owners will just have to hope that he’s a bright spot in what could be a Steelers beatdown in Philadelphia.

Aug 18, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford (7) runs from the Pittsburgh Steelers defense during the first half of their game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

1. Steelers defense

Through two games, the Steelers have allowed just 16 points to each of their two opponents. As previously mentioned, those two teams were each NFL Wild Card teams in the 2015-16 playoffs. Now they’ll take on an Eagles team that seems to have momentum based on beating the Browns and bears.

The Eagles team is also relying on a rookie quarterback. He’ll now be facing the most pressure he’s seen on the field so far. Don’t be surprised to see rookie mistakes and forced turnovers, thanks to a team that ranks among the top three right now for NFL power rankings.

In a tight game against Cincinnati, they allowed the Bengals to just one touchdown in the game. Andy Dalton was sacked just once and threw for a whopping 366 yards along with the touchdown strike. That’s Andy Dalton, though. Carson Wentz is not near that level quite yet.

Pittsburgh has given up nearly 700 yards of passing offense in their two wins. Still, the two quarterbacks they were up against were veterans Dalton, and Kirk Cousins of the Redskins. Now they get to pressure a rookie and possibly eat up his mistakes in what appears to be a possible rout for this powerhouse team.

This could be a blowout, or Philly could show they are legitimate. Take a gamble on the Steelers defense against a rookie quarterback and a team that has yet to face a true contender in the league this season.