RADIO
Russell Wilson is making a strong case for league-MVP consideration...
The play that saw him spinning and dodging on the way to a 40-plus yard completion to Doug Baldwin shows not only how prolific of an athlete Wilson is, but also how he is the spark to this entire offense. He is putting together one of the best seasons of his young career and likely would have been the driver behind a Superbowl caliber team if not for the season-ending Achilles injury to Richard Sherman. On the other side, Drew Stanton looked very capable after Sherman's injury and helped veteran Larry Fitzgerald top 100 receiving yards in the 22-16 loss. Unfortunately, Stanton's sprained knee is likely to keep him out in Week 11 and give Blaine Gabbert the opportunity to start, making an uncertain situation even worse.
When the Tennessee Titans head to Pittsburgh in a matchup with the Steelers this Thursday, there will be plenty of opportunity for scoring. Pittsburgh will be without cornerback Joe Haden and likely linebacker Harrison Smith while the Titans boast a fairly mediocre pass defense. As there are plenty of defensive holes to be exploited, there should be plenty of high-flying action to go around. Fantasy owners should be licking their chops at the opportunity to start some of the players in this game and I'll do my best to help convince you who they are with this article. Let's dive into the Thursday Night Football Matchup Analysis for Week 11!
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Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Date and Start Time: Thursday, November 16 at 8:00 PM ET
Notable Injuries and Status:
- Joe Haden (DB, PIT) - Fibula - Out
- Martavis Bryant (WR, PIT) - Illness - Questionable
- Vance McDonald (TE, PIT) - Ankle - Questionable
- James Harrison (LB, PIT) - Back - Questionable
- Mike Mitchell (DB, PIT) - Ankle - Questionable
Offensive and Defensive Rankings (2017):
| Titans | Steelers | |
| Passing Yards | 27th | 10th |
| Rushing Yards | 8th | 18th |
| Pass Defense | 19th | 2nd |
| Run Defense | 6th | 11th |
Must Starts
Top Performers That Have To Be In Your Lineup
Delanie Walker (TE, TEN)
I was someone who wasn't so high on Walker going into 2017, but he has managed to put together a solid season so far with top-10 rankings in both standard and PPR formats. He is also riding a hot-streak of at least five receptions per game over his last three contests that I have no doubt will continue against a Steeler's defense without stalwart linebacker Harrison Smith. Trust the target leader for the Titans to pull out a great performance and perhaps put up his first touchdown of the year.
Le'Veon Bell (RB, PIT)
Start your studs, plain and simple. I shouldn't have to mention how Bell averages 93.3 rushing yards per game, nor should I have to point out that he is on pace for the second-most touches in a single season. The volume paired with his versatility are next-level assets and the Titans are 29th in receiving points allowed per game to backs, meaning Bell will be featured heavily much the same way he has all season long. Start. Your. Studs.
Antonio Brown (WR, PIT)
Although I have already made this point twice now, start your studs. Brown's down week in what should have been a juicy matchup against the Indianapolis Colts may cause some owners to pause. However, that game was the first of the season where he was held below 60 receiving yards and should be an anomaly in what has been an otherwise stellar season. As a virtual lock to finish in the top-10 on a weekly basis, there should be no inhibitions about firing him up as a WR1.
Must Sits
Players To Avoid Putting In Your Lineup
DeMarco Murray / Derrick Henry (RBs, TEN)
I hate to break this to Murray owners who are riding high after his three touchdown game, but it will be nearly impossible for him to replicate that performance this week against the stingy Pittsburgh Steelers' front-seven. In that matchup, Murray was relatively ineffective with an average of three rush yards per carry and converted his two rushing touchdowns from a total of three yards outside the end zone. Tennessee averages the fewest yards per drive on the road this season, and with Murray and Henry virtually splitting carries, neither are likely to carry prolific fantasy value outside of the potential touchdown upside that has fluctuated between the two.
Eric Decker (WR, TEN)
Volume will always be the question with Decker, who has quite simply failed to live up to offseason expectations that had him pinned as a dominant red zone bully. He has one game with more than four receptions and has one receiving touchdown despite leading the team in red zone targets, a troubling disconnect considering how effective he was in past seasons with the New York Jets and Denver Broncos. He should be viewed as a WR4/5-type of player for the remainder of the season and isn't worth rostering outside of deep leagues.
Martavis Bryant (WR, PIT)
The off-field issues for Bryant certainly haven't helped his fantasy production, as is clear from his career-low 13.3 receiving yards per game. To add to the negatives, he was out-snapped last week by JuJu Smith-Schuster who played on 16 more snaps and seems to have a firm grip on the No. 2 wideout spot. Although Bryant's athleticism is undeniable, he simply doesn't get enough attention to garner any interest as a fantasy starter. He is borderline droppable if not for the immense upside in the event of an injury, but he needs to be kept sidelined until he can prove his worth.
Other Notable Must Sits: Vance McDonald / Jesse James (TEs, PIT)
Solid Options/Sleepers
Which Players Will Have Solid Games and Which Could Surprise?
Solid Option: Marcus Mariota (QB, TEN)
Mariota might finally be healthy enough to warrant fantasy consideration. The numbers from his tilt with the Bengals shouldn't be taken at face-value, as he had a number of circumstantial plays that stymied his passing stats like a Corey Davis fumble in the end zone and Rishard Matthews drop near the goal line. Although he suffered a minor left shoulder injury, he seems to be on track to play and should provide a safe floor with his scrambling ability on a healthy ankle.
Solid Option: Ben Roethlisberger (QB, PIT)
Fantasy owners who drafted Roethlisberger haven't been getting an exceptional return on their investment, especially last week in a game against a bottom-tier Colts team that shouldn't have been as close as it was. He looked awfully shaky on his gimme interception and was probably lucky to not have thrown another later in the game, but Roethlisberger should be counted on to put up fantasy numbers in the mid-QB2 to low-QB1 range against a Tennessee team that hasn't seemed to get it together in the secondary. Further, Roethlisberger has a quarterback rating of 98.6 at home compared to 88.8 on the road for his career.
Sleeper: JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR, PIT)
I could have put one of the Tennessee wide receivers in this spot, but I will instead go with one of the hottest players at the position in Smith-Schuster who has seemingly come out of nowhere to secure playing time as the Steelers' No. 2 wide receiver. This man is on fire with back-to-back five reception games that each included 90-plus receiving yards and a touchdown, making him a candidate for one of the best waiver wire adds of 2017. The signs of optimism are there for Smith-Schuster against a Titans crew that has allowed 12 receiving touchdowns this year, meaning his rapport with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger can only improve.
Other Notable Sleepers: Rishard Matthews / Corey Davis (WRs, TEN)
