The NFL season is coming up fast, and so is your fantasy football draft.
In the modern world of fantasy sports, most players are working off of the same cheat sheets.
The days of the true sleeper or unknown rookie receiver coming out of nowhere to shock the NFL world are largely over. Marvin Harrison Jr. isn’t sneaking up on anyone this year.
That said, there are still edges to be found in the world of fantasy sports. Which players are being over-drafted? Under-drafted? Who has a chance to outplay or under-perform based on where fantasy players are drafting them to start the year?
Below we take a look at three members of the Pittsburgh Steelers who look poised to out-perform their current average draft position.
Russell Wilson
Current ADP: 169.0
Position Rank: QB26
The Steelers shook up their quarterback room this offseason, bringing in two former starting quarterbacks from other teams in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. While Wilson seems to hold the top spot on the depth chart heading into training camp, from a fantasy perspective, it can be tough to ignore the upside of Fields should he take on the starting role at some point during the season.
Still, even if you think very little of Wilson, QB26 feels pretty low. Last year, in what was widely understood to be a down year in his career, Wilson finished as QB14, averaging 17.1 fantasy points per game according to ESPN, putting him ahead of Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford, and Trevor Lawrence to name a few.
While the Steelers offense may leave something to be desired at the skill positions, with young receivers George Pickens and Roman Wilson hopefully ready to break out early, Wilson is a pretty steady hand under center.
If you have any faith that he will be the one to hold on to the starting job, it feels like Wilson could serve as a solid backup option for fantasy players, especially if you have another top-tier fantasy quarterback that is likely to be your week-to-week starter.
Najee Harris
Current ADP: 91.2
Position Rank: RB27
The running back situation in Pittsburgh is a bit complicated. Both of the top two backs for the Steelers, Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren, have the talent to be the workhorse for the team. The question is, will either of them actually get to take on that role?
Right now, Harris (91.2 ADP) and Warren (90.1 ADP) are being taken right next to each other in drafts, with Warren just barely getting the edge on Harris.
While Warren certainly feels like the long-term plan in Pittsburgh, for this season, it feels as though Harris might have a chance to be of more value to fantasy players.
Teams care deeply about the amount of hits their running backs take, and Harris is currently due for a new contract. Regardless of which team ultimately gives him a deal, the Steelers, or any other team in the NFL, Harris is playing for a job.
It really might come down to a coin toss for fantasy players looking to grab a slice of the Steelers backfield, but either Harris or Warren could quickly prove to play above their current ADP, as either one could ultimately take on a greater share of the load. If I had to bet on one or the other, from a fantasy perspective, I would back Harris.
Pat Freiermuth
Current ADP: 153.1
Position Rank: TE16
Fantasy tight end is a crap shoot, but Pat Freiermuth has all the skills necessary to be a top-10 TE this year, and given the youth in the Steelers’ receiving corps as it currently stands, he might be the most-trusted set of hands in Pittsburgh to start the year.
There’s no reason to over-draft him, but if you are passing on the top tier of tight ends in Sam LaPorta and Travis Kelce, Freiermuth is someone you could grab late and end the year with production that is better than you might have guessed on draft day.
