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The Pittsburgh Steelers' offense has been bad the past two weeks. Only scoring 10 points against the Jacksonville Jaguars and another 10 against the Cleveland Browns, this team's offense is trending in the wrong direction heading into a Monday night game against the Houston Texans.
But when you think of the offensive fire-power the Steelers deploy offensively, there are certainly some players you could put in your lineup to get some points to finish out Week 7.
Start 'em
Ben Roethlisberger - Roethlisberger rarely has back-to-back bad games. His 64.4 passer rating last week against the Browns was his lowest of the season, which means, if you play the odds, Roethlisberger is due for a bounce-back game. Also is the fact that Big Ben rarely stinks it up for two straight weeks. Roethlisberger is 5-0 at home on Monday Night Football. Pretty good odds for Roethlisberger to have a good game, which can help your fantasy football team.
Antonio Brown - Brown hasn't been the same dynamic pass-catcher the past two weeks and you can expect Todd Haley to find ways to get Brown the ball in space so he can do some damage. The biggest aspect of Brown's game that could be improved on is in the red zone. The Steelers have the 31st-ranked red zone offense in the league heading into Week 7, and getting Brown the ball will go a long way to improve that statistic.
Markus Wheaton - Call it a hunch, but Wheaton is due to have a big game at some point this season, and why not after the worst performance of his young NFL career against the Browns? Wheaton and Roethlisberger spent a lot of time together this week making sure they were on the same page. That could pay dividends for the second- year wideout by possibly getting Wheaton his first NFL touchdown and 100-yard receiving game.
Heath Miller - With a team like the Texans that relies on its pass rush to set the tone for the defense, you can expect a lot of hot routes that will involve Heath Miller. Miller hasn't been utilized enough in the red zone and that's where Roethlisberger looks for him the most. Miller is Roethlisberger's safety valve and, if Watt and company get pressure on Big Ben, you can expect Miller to get plenty of targets.
Le'Veon Bell - The Steelers have the fourth-best rushing attack in the NFL and that starts and ends with Bell. Bell will guarantee you 100 yards from scrimmage on a weekly basis, and he'll most likely be a big focal point for the offense going against J.J. Watt and the Texans' defense. Bell compared Watt to Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers, as they're both very instinctive. Look for Bell to utilize his patience, just as he did against the Panthers, and run the ball well tonight against the Texans.
Sit 'em
Martavis Bryant - If the rookie wide receiver from Clemson makes his NFL debut against the Texans, it wouldn't be wise to insert him into your starting lineup. Unless you have no other options at receiver, Bryant will see an extremely limited number of snaps and plays in the red zone. Bryant very well could haul down some touchdowns in the red zone, but the likelihood of this happening is slim. Keep him on the bench until he proves otherwise.
Steelers Defense/Special Teams - The Steelers are going against yet another zone-running scheme but, more importantly, they're facing one of the best zone-running backs in the league with Arian Foster. Foster torched the Steelers in 2011 in the zone-blocking scheme and, although both teams are dramatically different, there's no sign the Steelers can stop the Texans' running game with consistency. The Steelers' defense has been as inconsistent as they come in today's NFL, and that's a bad characteristic for your fantasy football team.
Sleeper Pick
Lance Moore - There's no certainty that Moore suits up against the Texans, given the projected debut of Martavis Bryant. But if Moore does get into the lineup, you can expect him to work his magic in the red zone. Moore made a living with Drew Brees in the red zone for the New Orleans Saints, and that's something the Steelers could lean on to solve their current red-zone woes. Moore might not have 10 catches but, if he gets more red-zone looks, he could be worth a start if you're desperate.