Biggest Steelers Fantasy Football questions heading into 2022: Part 1

Nobody seems to know what type of team the Steelers will be in 2022, which makes the Steelers fantasy outlook just as difficult. The addition of new weapons combined with a quarterback room in a state of transition makes the predicting of individual’s success quite difficult.

Below are some of the most tantalizing questions I believe Steelers fans will be faced with as it pertains to drafting their favorite players on their fantasy teams. We all love being homers and getting a bunch of players from our favorite squads, but if you want a proper balance to your team, that may not be the best strategy. We will dive into more topics like this down below.

If you have any fantasy football questions regarding your draft strategy, message Jeremy Betz (@thebetz93) or myself (@Andrew_Wilbar) on Twitter, and don’t be surprised if you hear that question answered in a future episode of The Steelers Fix, which can be heard every Tuesday on all major podcast platforms. Just search “Behind the Steel Curtain.”

1. How many Steelers is too many when drafting my team?

I am fine with a fantasy manager drafting more than one Steeler on their team, but if you have both a Steelers running back and a Steelers receiver, you probably will not want to start both of them on the same weeks. While it may raise the floor of your team if the Steelers have a favorable matchup, it also lowers your ceiling dramatically.

I would definitely avoid drafting more than one receiver from the Steelers. In my early fantasy league draft, I went running back heavy early on, which included taking Najee Harris with the ninth overall pick. However, this put me in a bind at receiver, being unable to secure any elite receivers. Fortunately for me, I was able to grab Chase Claypool toward the end of the ninth round, giving me a potential breakout receiver who could quickly become a WR1 for me. At that point, it was worth the risk to secure Claypool even though I already had Najee. Just weigh the balances in your draft, and make sure quality is always more important to you than quantity, as does royalty to loyalty.

2. Who is the most likely Steeler to have a breakout season in fantasy?

To me, this boils down to two players and two players only: Pat Freiermuth and Chase Claypool. There is definitely a scenario where we see breakout campaigns from both players, but if we are going specifically by most likely, I would put my money on Freiermuth. There is no Eric Ebron lurking in the background this year, and regardless of who plays quarterback for the Steelers, Freiermuth is the more likely player to develop an immediate chemistry with him. I am still high on Claypool and believe he could be a league-winning draft pick if he remains focused, but I think Freiermuth’s odds of breaking out are slightly better.

This is only the first part of this two-part series, so stay tuned to BTSC to make sure you do not miss the second part. But what are your answers to these questions? Give me your answers down below, and stick with BTSC for all the news and notes surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers as the NFL season approaches!