NFL FANTASY FOOTBALL
 Pittsburgh Steelers - Fantasy Player News
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| Isaac Redman - RB |
Posted 5/24/13 3:45pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. is installing an outside zone, one-cut blocking scheme in organized team activities in favor of their old power and inside blocking scheme. The Steelers are changing their approach to take advantage of their big and nimble offensive line personnel. Pittsburgh got poor production from their running backs last year, and RB Jonathan Dwyer led the team in rushing with only 623 yards, the lowest total by a rusher in team history since Merrill Hoge ran for 810 in 1991. Bicknell had success with the blocking scheme with the Kansas City Chiefs last year. "We are going to be dedicated to the zone," RB Isaac Redman said. "We are still going to be a power team, but we are going to have this zone scheme in so we can keep the defense on its heels and keep them running." |
Huddle Up: It's not a complete overhaul for the Steelers, which should hopefully prevent the same kind of learning curve issues that derailed Darren McFadden and the Raiders' ground game last year. And kudos to the coaching staff for realizing something had to change after the team finished 26th in rushing last year. It's another reason to like the potential of rookie Le'Veon Bell, who should take over as the lead dog in Pittsburgh's backfield by committee.
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| Heath Miller - TE |
Posted 5/23/13 12:11am et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers TE Heath Miller said he is happy with the progress he has made in his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament but is not sure when he will be able to return. He said he has started to run as part of his rehab. He believes there is a chance he can be ready for the start of the regular season but will know more when training camp begins. |
Huddle Up: Doesn't sound as if Miller is overly confident about his availability for the start of the season. He was emerging as a steady fantasy contributor last season prior to his injury, so if he's on the field in training camp he warrants consideration as a low-end fantasy starter.
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| Troy Polamalu - S |
Posted 5/21/13 12:19pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers SS Troy Polamalu will attend the team's
organized team activities that start Tuesday, May 21. Polamalu is in
the best shape of his NFL career. |
Huddle Up: This is what Steeler Nation has been hoping to hear after Polamalu
was limited to only 7 games, 34 total tackles and one interception
last year in a season marred by a nagging calf issue.
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| Le'Veon Bell - RB |
Posted 5/19/13 11:20pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers RB Le'Veon Bell's chance at starting this season will be determined by how quickly he will be able to pick up the offense. If Bell struggles to learn the offense, RB Jonathan Dwyer or RB Isaac Redman could start. |
Huddle Up: Rookie running backs typically can slide right into starting roles at the next level, provided -- and here's the big if -- they can get a quick handle on the vital skill of pass protection/blitz pickup. That's the challenge here for Bell, the second back selected in the draft.
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| Landry Jones - QB |
Posted 5/8/13 12:12am et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers QB Landry Jones said his main goal is to simply
gain an understanding of the team's offense and not one day replace
QB Ben Roethlisberger as the team's starting quarterback. "I have
no idea," Jones said. "You might want to talk to the coaches or Mr.
Rooney on that one, what they want to do. I'm just here to learn
football. They give me an opportunity to come play." General
manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin insist the team did
not draft Jones as the quarterback of the future but to provide a
youth movement at the position. |
Huddle Up: After relying on the aging Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich as
backups in recent seasons, the Steelers drafted Jones in the fourth
round and signed 6-year vet Bruce Gradkowski in free agency, giving
them some relatively youthful options when Big Ben invariably misses
a start or 2.
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| Heath Miller - TE |
Posted 5/5/13 3:19pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said TE Heath Miller (knee) is on schedule in his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. |
Huddle Up: Miller enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2012, hitting career highs in receiving yards (816) and TD catches (8) before injuring his knee in Week 16. With the Steelers not seriously addressing the position in free agency or the draft, Miller will be counted on again in 2013.
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| LaMarr Woodley - LB |
Posted 5/5/13 11:38pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers LB LaMarr Woodley said he has been working out this season in hopes to avoid the injuries he suffered during the 2012 season. 'My offseason is going great. I'm looking forward to getting back with the team in a few weeks,' Woodley said. 'I've been training since the middle of February. ... It was a disappointing season being 8-8 and not making the playoffs. It was disappointing at the end of the day.' There were some criticisms about Woodley's fitness last season. |
Huddle Up: After averaging 11 sacks a season from 2008-11, he only totaled 4 in 13 games in 2012 due to ankle and hamstring problems. Look for the extra offseason work -- and the first-round selection of LB Jarvis Jones -- to light a fire under Woodley in 2013.
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| Markus Wheaton - WR |
Posted 5/1/13 2:09am et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley said he expects third-round pick WR Markus Wheaton to play both inside and outside. The team likes the speed he possesses. |
Huddle Up: The Steelers let Mike Wallace walk in the offseason, then replace the former third-round speedster with... a third-round speedster. Expect Wheaton to move quickly into Pittsburgh's receiver rotation alongside Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown, much like Wallace did in posting 756 yards and six TDs as a rookie.
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| Isaac Redman - RB |
Posted 5/1/13 5:40pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers RB Isaac Redman appears to have an edge over RB Jonathan Dwyer for the No. 2 running back job at this point. |
Huddle Up: Sounds like Redman and Dwyer are battling for Le'Veon Bell's leftovers, with a modicum of fantasy value to the winner.
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| Le'Veon Bell - RB |
Posted 5/1/13 5:40pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley said the team sees RB Le'Veon Bell as a three-down running back. Haley said Bell was the top running back on the team's draft board. |
Huddle Up: Bell will have an opportunity to be the Steelers' feature-back role, though he'll have to beat out Isaac Redman and/or Jonathan Dwyer for either the top spot or a lead role in a backfield committee. Obviously, Bell's fantasy value climbs the more he's on the field.
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| Isaac Redman - RB |
Posted 4/24/13 3:58pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Steelers consider RBs Isaac Redman and Jonathan Dwyer better suited as complementary backs and are looking to add a starting running back in the 2013 NFL Draft or free agency. |
Huddle Up: The suggestion here is that despite Rashard Mendenhall's departure you shouldn't extrapolate feature back touches for either of the remaining Pittsburgh backs. If the Steelers are unable to find a back they like in the draft, brace yourself for an RBBC in Pittsburgh.
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| Isaac Redman - RB |
Posted 4/19/13 1:31am et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers restricted free-agent RB Isaac Redman has signed his one-year tender offer. Financial terms were not disclosed. |
Huddle Up: Ahmad Bradshaw has been linked to the Steelers this offseason, but has yet to sign, and right now, Pittsburgh's No. 1 RB would either be Jonathan Dwyer or Redman, who gained a career-high 654 yards from scrimmage in 2012.
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| Emmanuel Sanders - WR |
Posted 4/16/13 12:41pm et |
| Jordan Woy, agent for Pittsburgh Steelers WR Emmanuel Sanders, said Sanders is open to the possibility of signing a contract extension with the team, but he is also open to playing out the season and becoming a free agent next offseason. Woy said several teams made offers to Sanders this offseason. |
Huddle Up: This is a big year for Sanders, the former reserve who's being counted on in the Steel City after the free-agency departure of Mike Wallace. If he shows he can be just as effective as a full-time starter, the Steelers figure to come through with an extension.
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| Ben Roethlisberger - QB |
Posted 4/14/13 5:46pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has been pushing for the team to match the offer restricted free-agent WR Emmanuel Sanders signed with the New England Patriots. The Steelers are not worried about the $2.5 million Sanders would make, but could lose him next offseason. |
Huddle Up: If Sanders departs, he joins Mike Wallace as an ex-Steeler WR, taking away a combined 108 catches, 1,462 yards and 9 TDs from the Pittsburgh offense of last season and leaving Big Ben with an uninspiring WR corps headed by Antonio, Brown, Jerricho Cotchery and Plaxico Burress.
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| James Harrison - LB |
Posted 4/14/13 11:47pm et |
| The Cincinnati Bengals and free-agent LB James Harrison (Steelers) are expected to resume negotiations Monday, April 15, according to a league source. |
Huddle Up: It sounds like it's down to a relative few dollars or contact language here with Harrison on the verge of siding up with a division rival.
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| Emmanuel Sanders - WR |
Posted 4/14/13 11:47pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to match the one-year, $2.5 million tender offer restricted free-agent WR Emmanuel Sanders signed with the New England Patriots. |
Huddle Up: Great news for QB Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers in the short term, but Sanders' long-term future will now become an issue. That, in all likelihood, be decided by Sanders' on-field performance in 2013 with the wideout now expected to step up with the departure of Mike Wallace.
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| Emmanuel Sanders - WR |
Posted 4/10/13 3:31pm et |
| The New England Patriots have signed Pittsburgh Steelers restricted free-agent WR Emmanuel Sanders to an offer sheet, according to a league source. The source said the offer sheet is a one-year deal. The Steelers have five days to decide whether to match the offer or let Sanders go to the Patriots and receive a third-round draft choice in return. The Steelers are expected to match the offer sheet. |
Huddle Up: Pittsburgh likely wants to match the offer sheet, but they are tight against the salary cap right now and the Patriots may have made Sanders a one-year offer the Steelers would struggle to fit under their cap. We'll know in the next five days if Pittsburgh can come up with the cap room to keep Sanders or if they'll be completely overhauling their receiver corps heading into 2013.
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| Emmanuel Sanders - WR |
Posted 3/25/13 11:38pm et |
| The New England Patriots are not in a rush to put in an offer sheet to Pittsburgh Steelers WR Emmanuel Sanders. The Patriots have until April 19 to submit an offer sheet should they choose, any may be waiting to see if the Steeler make any more moves the impact their salary cap, which would make it harder to match a potential offer sheet. |
Huddle Up: The Steelers are already tight against the cap, and if they make any more moves it will squeeze them that much more; shrewd of the Patriots to show interest in Sanders, then wait for an opportunity to steal him away from Pittsburgh on the cheap.
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| James Harrison - LB |
Posted 3/24/13 11:45pm et |
| The agent for free-agent LB James Harrison (Steelers) said Sunday, March 24, that there are other teams interested in the services of his client, after the Baltimore Ravens situation did not work out. The team signed DL Elvis Dumervil instead. |
Huddle Up: Baltimore seemed to be likely destination for Harrison until Dumervil unexpectedly became available, but it's now on Plan B, C, or D for the 35-year-old LB whose solo-tackle and sack numbers have declined in each of the past 3 seasons.
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| Emmanuel Sanders - WR |
Posted 3/17/13 11:49pm et |
| There is no indication if the New England Patriots have dropped their interest in Pittsburgh Steelers restricted free-agent WR Emmanuel Sanders, but the team has not officially signed him to an offer sheet, according to Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert on Sunday, March 17. If the Patriots signed him to an offer sheet, and the Steelers declined to match it, the Patriots would send their 2013 third-round draft pick to the Steelers as compensation. |
Huddle Up: The Steelers can ill afford to lose Sanders after Mike Wallace has already flown the coop this month. The Pats, meanwhile, have lost Wes Welker and waived Brandon Lloyd, and Sanders might very well be worth a third-rounder at this point.
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| Rashard Mendenhall - RB |
Posted 3/13/13 2:40pm et |
| The Arizona Cardinals have agreed to terms with free-agent RB Rashard Mendenhall on a one-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed. |
Huddle Up: Mendenhall replaces Beanie Wells on the Arizona roster, although Ryan Williams is still in the mix for carries. Key for either Mendenhall or Williams will be what the Cardinals do to upgrade their offensive line and at the quarterback position.
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| Rashard Mendenhall - RB |
Posted 3/12/13 12:02pm et |
| The Arizona Cardinals are interested in impending free-agent RB Rashard Mendenhall (Steelers). The Cardinals have competition, as the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins are also said to be interested. |
Huddle Up: Many forget Mendenhall had 3 straight seasons with at least 1,000 or more yards from scrimmage and 8 TDs prior to last season's lost campaign (244 total yards, 1 TD), and Arizona might be his best bet to get the most playing time with the Cards releasing Beanie Wells on March 11.
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| Mike Wallace - WR |
Posted 3/12/13 6:11pm et |
| The Miami Dolphins have agreed to terms with WR Mike Wallace (Steelers). The deal is expected to include $30 million in guaranteed money. |
Huddle Up: With the Fins, it's all about upgrading the weaponry for second-year starting QB Ryan Tannehill, and Miami already has taken two big strides by signing the speedy Wallace and re-signing its 2012 top receiver, Brian Hartline.
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| Plaxico Burress - WR |
Posted 3/12/13 9:50pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Steelers signed WR Plaxico Burress Tuesday, Mar. 12. Terms of the contract were not disclosed, although it's believed to be a 1-year deal. |
Huddle Up: This is little consolation to Steelers fans after losing Mike Wallace to Miami. Burress, who will turn 36 in August, caught 3 passes for 42 yards and a TD in a 4-game stint with the Black & Gold at the end of last season.
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| Rashard Mendenhall - RB |
Posted 3/10/13 11:20pm et |
| The Denver Broncos have expressed interest in free-agent RB Rashard Mendenhall (Steelers). The team's level of interest is not known at this point. |
Huddle Up: With Willis McGahee turning 32 in Oct. and coming off a leg injury and Knowshon Moreno's history of injuries, the Broncos want to add another back to their mix -- possibly at McGahee's expense.
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| Ben Roethlisberger - QB |
Posted 3/6/13 4:09pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger said he is feeling great after dealing with a sprained right shoulder and dislocated rib during the season. "I feel great. I think I ended the season healthier than I have in a long time. I know that sounds crazy because of my ribs and chest, but I played three or four games at the end of the season and I was actually getting healthy as the season was ending," Roethlisberger said. |
Huddle Up: Between a shaky Steelers offensive line and Big Ben's propensity for hanging on to the ball until the last possible moment, Roethlisberger usually winds up taking a beating. Getting healthy in time for the start of offseason workouts is a positive development, as he'll be working with some new skill position teammates as Mike Wallace leaves via free agency and the Steelers search for running back help.
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| Mike Wallace - WR |
Posted 3/6/13 4:09pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers impending free-agent WR Mike Wallace is believed to be the Miami Dolphins' top target in free agency because they covet his ability to make plays in the end zone as well as his speed. Wallace is expected to get more than Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Vincent Jackson got last offseason and more than Kansas City Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe received this offseason. The team will use the three days before the start of free agency to gauge Wallace's price. |
Huddle Up: Miami definitely needs to upgrade at wide receiver, and with Dwayne Bowe re-signing in Kansas City Wallace is the biggest name on the market.
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| Ben Roethlisberger - QB |
Posted 2/28/13 4:31pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has restructured his contract to create $3 million in cap space for the team. His 2013 cap number has dropped from $19.6 million to $16.6 million. |
Huddle Up: The Steelers reportedly were $14 million-$15 million over the cap, but Big Ben's new deal, along with restructures for WR Antonio Brown and LB Lawrence Timmons, may start to give the cash-strapped club some breathing room.
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| Antonio Brown - WR |
Posted 2/27/13 9:29pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown has agreed to restructure his contract, which will create $3.08 million in salary cap space for the team. His 2013 base salary has gone from $4.5 million to $650,000. |
Huddle Up: Brown just inked this deal last offseason, while Mike Wallace was holding out. Now Brown restructures and Wallace will likely be wearing a different uniform in 2013; that's some interesting cap management in Pittsburgh.
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| Ben Roethlisberger - QB |
Posted 2/26/13 10:27pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Steelers and QB Ben Roethlisberger are working on
renegotiating the quarterback's contract, and it is possible the two
sides could have an agreement before the end of the week. The
contract is not expected to be extended at this point, but that
could happen next offseason. |
Huddle Up: As evidenced by Tom Brady's new deal, QB contacts often offer the
most wiggle room, and the Steelers certainly need all they can get
as one of the league's teams in the most salary-cap trouble.
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