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Mike Tomlin stated at his weekly press conference Saturday how replacing Le'Veon Bell is not a one-man job, but rather a multiple person operation. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, they better have that operation down to a science as they will be without Bell for the first two weeks of the 2015 season due to a drug related suspension stemming from a August 2014 traffic stop. The main cog in the operation of replacing Bell is none other than veteran running back DeAngelo Williams.
If you are in a fantasy football league with more than 10 players, sometimes talent is thin. If you were unable to draft an elite, every down running back, Williams certainly should be on your list of players to target if he is available. Williams will get the majority of the carries for the Steelers in Bell's absence, and with the team only currently carrying 4 backs (two of them listed as fullbacks) into the regular season on their roster, Williams will get plenty of touches.
Williams is far from a full-time fantasy starter. When Bell returns, Williams will play sparingly as Bell is one of the most complete and versatile backs in the NFL today, but looking at Williams' matchups in the first two weeks also should be a sign that he is more than capable of giving you quality points in the early weeks of the 2015 season.
The Steelers open the 2015 season against the New England Patriots on the road, followed by a game against the San Francisco 49ers at Heinz Field. In 2014, both team surrendered over one hundred yards rushing yards per game on average, as well as giving up nearly 20 points per game.
Rosters change, and many feel both teams' defenses have taken a step backwards heading into the new season. Regardless, it will be DeAngelo Williams who will be carrying the ball for the Steelers in those games, and after a preseason which showed he still has the burst, vision and speed to make plays - he should be a viable option for you on your fantasy football roster. Even if it is just as a part-time player.