NFL FANTASY FOOTBALL
 Pittsburgh Steelers - Priority News
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| Troy Polamalu - S |
Posted 11/20/09 3:04pm et |
| ESPN reports Pittsburgh Steelers SS Troy Polamalu (knee) has been ruled out for Week 11. |
The Huddle's Take: Polamalu's injury isn't as bad this time as the one that kept him out for several weeks early in the season. Odds are he'll be able to return for Week 12. The Steeler defense, even without Polamalu, is a good Fantasy play this week against the Chiefs.
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| Troy Polamalu - S |
Posted 11/17/09 12:35pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Pittsburgh Steelers SS Troy Polamalu (knee) will likely miss the team's Week 11 game and he could be out for as long as three games. |
The Huddle's Take: The Steeler pass defense will be significantly weakened during Polamalu's absence, however long it lasts.
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| Troy Polamalu - S |
Posted 11/17/09 1:33pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers SS Troy Polamalu (knee) is questionable at best to play in Week 11. However, head coach Mike Tomlin has not yet ruled Polamalu out for the game. Polamalu strained the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Week 10, the same knee in which he injured the medial collateral ligament in Week 1 and ended up missing four games and parts of two others. Tomlin said the current injury is not as significant as the MCL. 'There was no setback to the MCL injury,' said Tomln, who emphasized that they are two separate injuries. |
The Huddle's Take: It's good news the Polamalu is even being considered a possibility to start this week, and he's as tough as they come so he may be on the field. But at this point in the week, however, the smart bet would be to consider him out in what should be an extremely winnable game for Pittsburgh - with or without Polamalu - at Kansas City.
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| Troy Polamalu - S |
Posted 11/16/09 1:06pm et |
| CBSSports.com reports Pittsburgh Steelers SS Troy Polamalu (knee) sprained his left knee in Week 10, the same knee he had the MCL sprain that caused him to miss four weeks earlier this season. |
The Huddle's Take: This would be another crushing blow to the Steeler defense if Polamalu has to miss some more significant time. That unit isn't the same without Polamalu; the pass defense in particular will be very vulnerable without him.
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| Rashard Mendenhall - RB |
Posted 11/10/09 10:17am et |
| The Associated Press reports Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall had 22 carries for 155 yards Week 9. |
The Huddle's Take: Mendenhall had a couple of problems with footing late in the fourth quarter as the Steelers were near the goalline and trying to ice the game, and nearly fumbled once. But he had such a dominating performance otherwise he shouldn't suffer any ramifications from HC Mike Tomlin, and should carry a similar kind of workload this week against the Bengals. Mendenhall missed the Steelers' previous game against Cincinnati this season.
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| Ryan Clark - S |
Posted 11/6/09 10:51am et |
| The Associated Press reports Pittsburgh Steelers FS Ryan Clark is unlikely to play in Week 9 against the Denver Broncos, and his teammates have been urging him to skip the game. |
The Huddle's Take: Clark carries the sickle-cell trait, and complications from the high altitude the last time he played in Denver resulted in the surgical removal of his spleen and gall bladder. While he has been medically cleared to play, the risk seems extreme.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 11/6/09 1:23pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said the bye week helped RB Willie Parker's toe, but Parker is not 100 percent and likely will not be for the rest of the season. |
The Huddle's Take: Parker came back in Week 6 after sitting out two games, and has only had eight rushing attempts for 28 yards in the two games he's played. Seven of those were against Cleveland. Parker will likely continue to be a non-factor most weeks as the Steelers have obviously make Rashard Mendenhall their No. 1 back.
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| Rashard Mendenhall - RB |
Posted 10/23/09 3:57pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) participated in practice Friday, Oct. 23. He is listed as probable for Week 7 and will start the game. |
The Huddle's Take: Mendenhall will play, but he has a very tough matchup against the Minnesota run defense, which, granted, was torched by Ray Rice in the second half last week, but gave up only its first and second rushing TDs of the season.
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| Jeff Reed - PK |
Posted 10/20/09 10:47am et |
| ESPN.com reports the agent for Pittsburgh Steelers PK Jeff Reed, Don Henderson, denied his client tried to fight with police outside a bar Sunday, Oct. 18. Police say Reed took a 'fighting stance' when officers arrived to cite TE Matt Spaeth for allegedly urinating in public, and became unruly when police tried to restrain him. 'We're contesting it,' Henderson told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 'It involved somebody else on the team, he got out to try to help and basically got attacked by the police. He was with his parents. He got out and tried to help and evidently they didn't want to hear that ... It was somebody else trying to do something and Jeff ended up getting slammed in the middle.' |
The Huddle's Take: Reed could possibly be subject to some sort of disciplinary action by the league. If he is, the decision should be made in plenty of time for you to grab a free agent kicker. We'll let you know as soon as anything comes down.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 10/20/09 2:04pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall has surpassed RB Willie Parker (toe) atop the team's depth chart at running back, head coach Mike Tomlin said. 'It's great to have Willie back,' Tomlin said, 'but Rashard has the hot hand if you will.' |
The Huddle's Take: That "hot hand" has cooled quite a bit since Mendnhall's coming-out party against San Diego. Even though Mendenhall did score the last two weeks, his failure to crack the 80-yard mark against the weak run defenses of Detroit and Cleveland has to be considered at least somewhat of a disappointment. Parker will still get carries as well, so Mendenhall isn't as attractive a Fantasy start as he seemed to be two weeks ago. Neither Steeler back can be considered a great option this week against the Vikings.
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| Jeff Reed - PK |
Posted 10/20/09 2:25pm et |
| ESPN.com reports Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said PK Jeff Reed will start in Week 7 despite a recent brush with the law. |
The Huddle's Take: It's safe to put Reed in your lineup this week, but keep an eye out for potential discipline from the league.
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| Rashard Mendenhall - RB |
Posted 10/20/09 5:17pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (knee) could be limited during practice this week because of a bruised knee but is expected to play in Week 7. |
The Huddle's Take: Mendenhall should be good to go, but he's got a tough matchup against the Minnesota run defense.
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| Jeff Reed - PK |
Posted 10/19/09 11:35am et |
| The Associated Press reports Pittsburgh Steelers PK Jeff Reed was cited by police for public intoxication and disorderly conduct outside a bar following the team's Week 6 game. Police say Reed will be mailed a summons to appear in city court. |
The Huddle's Take: Those crazy kickers. Reed has had some off-the-field incidents before, so it wouldn't be at all surprising if he had a sit-down with Roger Goodell and maybe got a one-week vacation courtesy of the league. It's something to be aware of if your fantasy team is banking on Reed.
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| Hines Ward - WR |
Posted 10/18/09 11:11pm et |
| The Associated Press reports Pittsburgh Steelers WR Hines Ward caught eight passes for 159 yards and one touchdown in Week 6, while WR Santonio Holmes caught five passes for 104 yards. |
The Huddle's Take: The veteran Hines Ward has proven to be a solid playmaker for the Steelers offense for many years and has contributed with some nice numbers to help fantasy teams post consistent numbers. Ward is a decent No. 2 wideout that has built nice chemistry with Ben Roethisberger over the years and certainly gives the offense the go to guy at any point on the field to move the chains.
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| Rashard Mendenhall - RB |
Posted 10/16/09 3:50pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall (illness) participated in practice Friday, Oct. 16. He is not on the injury report for Week 6 and will play. |
The Huddle's Take: Mendenhall has been suffering with the flu, but it looks like he'll be able to play against Cleveland. Willie Parker is also expected to play, however, Mendenhall should still get plenty of opportunities against a very bad Browns' run defense.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 10/15/09 11:59am et |
| Mark Kaboly, for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, reports Steelers RB Willie Parker is wearing shoes with extra protection to protect his injured toe during practice. He is not sure if he will be able to play in Week 6. |
The Huddle's Take: There isn't much you can do for turf toe, so we'll see how Parker holds up to a couple days of practice before making any decisions about the fantasy prospects of both he and Rashard Mendenhall against the Browns this week.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 10/15/09 11:12pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker (toe) practiced Thursday, Oct. 15, and he is expected to play Week 6. He might start the game, but only if RB Rashard Mendenhall (illness) is unable to. |
The Huddle's Take: The Steelers appear ready to welcome Parker back to the lineup this week after missing some time with a turf toe injury. Backup Rashard Mendenhall has performed well in Parker's absence but is battling an illness which could limit his touches this week. Willie Parker will likely also be limited but could see more action than thought if Mendenhall can not go.
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| Aaron Smith - DE |
Posted 10/14/09 11:06am et |
| The Pittsburgh Steelers announced Wednesday, Oct. 14, that they have placed DL Aaron Smith on Injured Reserve. |
The Huddle's Take: Smith is an underappreciated contributor to the Steel Curtain, so his loss for the season due to a partially torn rotator cuff will definitely be felt. Pittsburgh's plan is to use a rotation of veterans Travis Kirschke and Nick Eason along with an increased contribution from 2009 first-round pick Ziggy Hood.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 10/14/09 11:22pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker (toe) practiced in full Wednesday, Oct. 14. |
The Huddle's Take: This news could certainly present some problems for fantasy owners if Willie Parker is well enough to play and forces the Steelers to split carries with Rashard Mendenhall and Mewelde Moore. Pittsburgh has a nice matchup against Detroit in Week 6 with Mendenhall projected as one of the top running back options for fantasy teams. If Parker returns to action, expect him to steal some of his carries and limit the upside for Rashard Mendenhall for the near future.
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| Troy Polamalu - S |
Posted 10/13/09 1:18pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said RB Willie Parker (toe) and SS Troy Polamalu (knee) are planning to fully practice Wednesday, Oct. 14. A determination of their playing time will occur later in the week. |
The Huddle's Take: Polamalu's return would be fantastic news for the Steeler defense, while Willie Parker's would be lousy news for Fantasy owners of Rashard Mendenhall. If Mendenhall gets the lion's share of carries against the Brown, he could put up phenomenal numbers. We'll likely know pretty soon whether or not Parker will poach some of Mendenhall's looks.
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| Rashard Mendenhall - RB |
Posted 10/12/09 12:53pm et |
| Pittsburgh Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall received only six touches in the second half of Week 5 due to the team passing so much. Mendenhall still amassed 77 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown in the game. |
The Huddle's Take: Mendenhall did enough in the first half to help Fantasy teams. If Willie Parker still can't go in Week 6, Mendenhall should be able to do even more at home against the woeful Cleveland run defense.
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| Troy Polamalu - S |
Posted 10/12/09 1:50pm et |
| CBSSports.com reports Pittsburgh Steelers SS Troy Polamalu (knee) could return to action in Week 6. Polamalu's return depends on his lateral movement and his stopping and starting during practice this week. 'We'll know more this week if Troy plays or not,' head coach Mike Tomlin said. |
The Huddle's Take: If Polamalu does return, the Steelers' Week 6 matchup at home against Cleveland could be more than just your average garden-variety blowout. It could be a slaughter of epic proportions.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 10/12/09 2:34pm et |
| CBSSports.com reports Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker (toe) is still suffering significant pain from turf toe and may miss the team's Week 6 game. 'It's too early to talk about that now,' Parker said. 'We're definitely taking it day by day.' |
The Huddle's Take: Rashard Mendenhall owners can only hope Parker misses Week 6, because on paper it looks like Mendenhall will have a field day against Cleveland's run defense.
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| Ben Roethlisberger - QB |
Posted 10/11/09 10:45pm et |
| The Associated Press reports Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was 23-for-30 for 277 yards with a season-high three touchdown passes and an interception Week 5. |
The Huddle's Take: Roethlisberger continues to be consistent for fantasy owners this season and is also limiting his mistakes so far this year. "Big Ben" is not as flashy as some of the other big name quarterbacks but he has been producing fantasy points for teams at a pace that can equal most of the other top signal-callers in the league.
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| Heath Miller - TE |
Posted 10/9/09 11:11am et |
| Ed Bouchette, of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reports Steelers TE Heath Miller is currently second on the team with 24 receptions but said many of his receptions are when the Steelers have to check the ball down. "A lot of plays, it's not that I'm the focus point or I'm the No. 1 option; guys are dropping back and Ben's checking the ball down, and that's when the ball comes to me or the back a lot of times. A lot of my catches come on those plays," Miller said. Miller is on pace to catch 96 passes this season. |
The Huddle's Take: That pace would double Miller's previous career high. Miller is taking advantage of opposing teams paying attention to Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward down the field, as well as the Steelers' lack of a consistent ground game. While that pace is unlikely to last, Miller has played his way into a role as an every-week fantasy starter.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 10/9/09 1:02pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said RB Willie Parker (toe) will be the team's starter when he is healthy because at this point Parker is proven and RB Rashard Mendenhall has not proven himself yet. 'Willie Parker's a proven commodity. When Rashard is (proven), then we'll re-evaluate him. I hope it gets to that problem. I'd like to have those two healthy at the same time,' Arians said. |
The Huddle's Take: That might be the case, but it doesn't look like he'll be starting this week. Or playing, period. Look for Mendenhall to get the bulk of the carries this week, with Mewelde Moore getting action as well.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 10/9/09 2:29pm et |
| The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker (toe) did not participate in practice Friday, Oct. 9. |
The Huddle's Take: The evidence continues to mount that Rashard Mendenhall will start against the Lions. If you picked him up in free agency, put him in your starting lineup. Barring a shocking turn of events regarding Parker, Mendenhall could be huge.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 10/9/09 3:35pm et |
| Updating a previous report, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker (toe) did not participate in practice Friday, Oct. 9, and has been ruled out for the team's Week 5 game. |
The Huddle's Take: There's your verification. Put Rashard Mendenhall in your starting lineup immediately if you haven't already.
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| Troy Polamalu - S |
Posted 10/9/09 3:37pm et |
| Updating a previous report, Pittsburgh Steelers SS Troy Polamalu (knee) was limited during practice Friday, Oct. 9. He is listed as doubtful for Week 5 and is not expected to play. |
The Huddle's Take: That makes Daunte Culpepper's job quite a bit easier. The Steelers are still tough against the run, but they can be beaten through the air, as Philip Rivers showed last week.
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| Willie Parker - RB |
Posted 10/8/09 6:25pm et |
| ESPN.com reports Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker (toe) did not participate in practice Thursday, Oct. 8. |
The Huddle's Take: It's looking more and more likely that Rashard Mendenhall will once again get the starting nod. If Parker doesn't practice Friday, it'll just about be a lock. If you can still do it, grab him off the free agent pile and start him this week against the Lions.
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