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Most fantasy football leagues came to an end in Week 17. But if your league is a little different and concludes in Week 18, the final week of the regular season, or if you are playing DFS, then you should still be monitoring player news and injury information across the NFL.
The Pittsburgh Steelers sent quarterback Ben Roethlisberger off the right way on Monday night with a win over the Browns in his final home game at Heinz Field in Week 17. If the Steelers beat the Ravens on the road this Sunday and the Colts lose to the Jaguars, they'll sneak into the postseason, assuming the Chargers-Raiders don't tie on Sunday night. But will Big Ben have his favorite target?
Is Diontae Johnson playing in Week 18 against Baltimore? And if he's active, is he worth starting in fantasy? Read on for a deeper dive into Johnson's status this weekend.
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Is Diontae Johnson Playing This Week Against the Ravens?
Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson should be active for Week 18 against the Ravens on Sunday after he was activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday, just one day after he was placed on the list. It's excellent news for the Steelers and fantasy managers in single-year leagues playing in championship matchups this week.
It's bad news for anyone who was looking to utilize Chase Claypool, Ray-Ray McCloud or James Washington as a low-cost DFS sleeper on Sunday's slate of games. However, one of the three could still surprise against a Baltimore defense that has allowed the most passing yards per game (281.7) this year.
Should I Start Diontae Johnson in Week 18?
Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson is pretty much a must-start in single-year fantasy leagues in Week 18 against the Ravens now that he is off the COVID-19 list. However, he'll be a bit more risky in DFS if he's dealing with any side effects from the virus.
Johnson's season-long numbers (see below) have made him the WR10 in fantasy entering Week 18, even though quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has averaged a career-low 6.2 yards per attempt in his final season.
Johnson ranks fourth in the NFL in targets (159) among receivers, is tied for fifth in receptions (100) with Keenan Allen, and is eighth in receiving yards (1,110) in 15 games played. The 25-year-old has had double-digit targets in 11 of his 15 games and saw a season-high 15 on Monday night.
He is clearly Big Ben's No. 1 target in the passing game, and that shouldn't change against a vulnerable Ravens secondary on Sunday. For comparison, Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh's No. 2 wideout, has 54 catches (98 targets) for 823 yards and just one touchdown in 14 games.
The last time the Steelers faced the Ravens in Week 13, Johnson caught eight of his 11 targets for a season-high-tying 105 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
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