At first, you may think are you crazy? Bench Jalen Hurts in the biggest game of the season. Well let’s peel back the onion a little bit. Hurts went down with some sort of knee injury last week after getting tackled awkwardly. He ended up finishing the game but didn’t look 100%. The Eagles don’t need Hurts to be 100% to win with Barkley as your secret weapon in the backfield. They have been winning with a formula of not making mistakes and running Barkley with the hopes he breaks one or two for a touchdown. This formula has worked the last several weeks, but in the biggest game of the season, I’m not sure!

If you watched the game between the Eagles and Commanders about a month ago, Pickett stepped in and did a really good job. The balanced offense of passing and running with Barkley worked well, well enough to score 33 points. In that game, he fed DeVonta Smith, he fed Brown and other key people. The Commanders had a hard time stopping their offense. Good offenses have a balanced attack to keep the defense off balance. With Hurts hurt and the passing game struggling with him at QB, should the Eagles start Kenny Pickett? Something to think about, because in this game your just trying to win and survive! There’s no style points for passing over 300 yards and having 200 yards rushing.

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The Good

T.J. Watt has become one of the best outside linebackers in the NFL today. Watt had a monster season in 2021 where he racked up 22 sacks for the Steelers. Injuries somewhat limited his 2022 campaign as he was only able to play in a total of 10 games. Watt will look to get back to his 2021 form this season and continue to build his impressive resume. One stat that is incredible when you look at Watt is his sack rate. Watt has averaged 0.9 sacks per game which is the best in NFL history. Expect double-digit sacks again this year for Watt.

The Bad

When looking more at the Steelers roster the biggest weakness is the offensive line. This line is somewhat unproven and will best tested right from the start in their week 1 battle against San Francisco. The major question mark is at the LT position. As of now, it looks like Dan Moore Jr. will hold down that spot but if he struggles the Steelers could turn to rookie Broderick Jones. Kenny Pickett and the Steelers offense will need this line to improve in order to take the next step.

The Prediction

The AFC North will be one of the best divisions in football this season. I have the Steelers finishing 3rd but making the playoffs as a wild card. Pickett will impress and the emergence of George Pickens will make this a dynamic offense.

2023 Record: (10-7 3rd in the Division)

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The current ADP below is for Half PPR scoring.

Derek Carr (Saints – QB) | ADP – 138 | QB – 22

Derek Carr had a somewhat down 2022 campaign with the Raiders. Carr had a respectable 4.8% TD percentage with Oakland last season but his INT percentage jumped to 2.8% which was the worst of his career. This was largely due to the Raiders defense which consistently blew large leads last season. Carr had to constantly try and bring his team from behind in 2nd halves which caused more forced throws from the quarterback.

Carr is now the signal caller for the New Orleans Saints and it’s a great situation for him. The Saints defense finished towards the top of the league last year and should be stout once again. This will take some of the pressure off Carr and his interceptions should come down.

There are also plenty of weapons for Carr on this Saints offense to utilize. Chris Olave is entering his second season and has already shown he can be an elite receiver. Michael Thomas is also back with the team and if he can stay healthy he will provide a great 1-2 punch with Olave. I am projecting Carr to finish next season with 4,000+ passing yards and 30+ touchdowns.

Sam Howell (Commanders – QB) | ADP – 181 | QB – 30

There is still a lot of mystery and intrigue around Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell. After all, he has only started one game in his young career and it was against the Cowboys in week 18 of 2022. If you’re on the fence about Howell, I would encourage you to watch that game tape closely. Howell made all the throws with accuracy and showed off his arm on several deep balls. He also showcased his running ability on a 9-yard touchdown run.

Howell will now get his chance as QB1 in Washington and the Commanders will give him every chance to succeed. We already know about the weapons but new offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy will have the biggest impact on Howell. He will find creative ways to get the ball in the play-makers hands and exploit matchups in their favor. You saw this time after time in Kansas City with Travis Kelce. The defenses knew it was coming and still couldn’t stop it. 2023 is a big year for Howell and I expect him to make a name for himself.

Kenny Pickett (Steelers – QB) | ADP – 168 | QB – 20

It took some time but Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett started to show his potential late last season. The rookie quarterback led the Steelers to 3 straight wins to close out the 2022 campaign. Pickett may not have the biggest arm but has shown he can throw an accurate deep ball. In fact, according to Deep Ball Project Pickett was the 2nd most accurate quarterback on deep throw accuracy.

Pickett also has the ability to utilize his legs which makes him an intriguing fantasy prospect. He finished last season with 237 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. If he can continue to develop as a passer I see Picket finishing inside the top 15 in fantasy in 2023.

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The Big Three

The ‘S’ tier is for the elite and that’s exactly what these three quarterbacks are. There isn’t much room to debate that Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen are on another level. One could make an argument that Justin Herbert is sneaking into that conversation but he is not there yet.

Crowded B Tier

In all 13 quarterbacks made it into our ‘B’ tier. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett just made it into this tier as the last quarterback selected. Pickett had a strong finish to his rookie season winning his last 3 starts. Expect him to get better in the Steelers offense as the year goes on.

One quarterback to watch in this list is Justin Fields. Fields carried the Chicago Bears offense for much of the 2022-2023 season. The key now will be if Fields can become a more complete quarterback. He will have a better receiving core with the addition of D.J. Moore and the offensive line is improved.

Started From the Bottom

As expected many of the rookie quarterbacks are in the ‘C’ and ‘D’ tiers. Anthony Richardson is still raw and will take some time to adjust to the NFL. Once he does, look out. He could quickly climb up these rankings as he is a dynamic playmaker. Fellow rookies C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young make it into the ‘C’ tier. At this point in time, they are more polished than Richardson and should be slated to start in week 1.

Colt McCoy made it into our tier list over Kyler Murray due to Murray’s injury. We already know Murray will miss the start of the 2023-2024 season with his ACL injury but it could be more than that. ACL injuries are tricky to navigate and it’s possible we won’t see Murray until the 2nd half of the season.

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Cincinnati Bengals: Is Their Defense Super Bowl Worthy?

The Cincinnati Bengals were a field goal away from consecutive Super Bowl appearances. One of the biggest reasons for their success has been the defense, especially in the second half of the season. After the bye in Week 10, they had six games where opponents failed to score 20 points. In the Championship game, they only allowed 23 points to the Chiefs. The offense is one of the league’s best so a lot of blame goes on their defense. The Bengals lost some pieces in Jessie Bates III, Vonn Bell, and Eli Apple. The secondary is now shorthanded and lost key pieces in their two playoff runs. In the draft, they went Myles Murphy, DJ Turner II, and Jordan Battle with the first three picks. Only time will tell if the rookies can overcome the losses on defense. If the defense is lacking, other teams in the AFC will pounce for their spot.

Baltimore Ravens: What’s The Ceiling Of This Team With The New Look Offense?

The Baltimore Ravens were on the news the most this offseason with all the Lamar Jackson drama with his extension. Before the draft day, they were able to secure the deal and Lamar got his bag. Other than this, they added OBJ, and Agholor, and drafted Zay Flowers. This looks like the fastest WR core in the league. Mark Andrews is always reliable and Lamar is dynamic. The Ravens will probably be the most-watched team because of the immediate results of the offseason. On paper, they look competitive and a Super Bowl contender. The main concern will be the health of Lamar from his injury last season and OBJ. Take one of them out and their ceiling drops significantly. Stats-wise, if all are healthy for the majority of the season, Lamar could have his second MVP. If not, they’ll be battling for the last Wild Card spot.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Which Player On Offense Will Take The Leap?

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a late run where they won seven out of their last nine games after the bye. In this run, we saw the growth of their young offensive core, especially Kenny Pickett who had game-winning drives. Currently, they have a lot of good young pieces, but none are sure-fire Pro Bowlers. They were always considered a favorite when they had the Killer B’s of Ben, Bell, and Brown. Now, someone will need to step up in order for the Steelers to reclaim their throne in the AFC North. Being able to make the postseason will be a big help to the growth of these young players.

Cleveland Browns: Was Deshaun Watson Worth The Trade?

Deshaun Watson finally made it back to an NFL field after all the drama over the past few years. With the restrictions on his suspension, he didn’t have much time to gel with his teammates on the field. So we’ll give him a pass for last season. Now this season will be interesting as he gets a full training camp and there will be no excuses for lack of time with teammates. The Browns are a talented team and have some elite pieces on both sides of the ball. Deshaun doesn’t have to do everything, unlike his days with the Texans. If he can lead the Browns to the playoffs, Cleveland will be fine with him. The noise will be very loud if they miss it.

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BREECE HALL RB NEW YORK JETS

Breece Hall was poised to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year. That came to a halt in Week 7 against the Broncos when he tore his ACL. In just seven games, he ran for 463 yards and four TDs. His production and potential were seen by many. With the addition of Aaron Rodgers on the team, the Jets are a feared team in the AFC. Breece Hall will make them a legitimate contender and be one of the biggest winners with the new QB in town.

KENNY PICKETT QB PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Kenny Pickett had a slow start to his rookie season especially since he missed the first three games of the season. As the season progressed, his growth was noticeable even if the stats weren’t as supportive. He led the Steelers to game-winning drives and look poised in big moments. He finished the season with 2404 yards, seven TDs, and nine interceptions. With another year in training camp, he is poised to have a better sophomore season. He is most likely a late-round QB or in the waivers. He is worth keeping tabs on.

KENNETH WALKER RB SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Kenneth Walker ran away with the RB 1 position in Seattle once Rashaad Penny got hurt last season. Now, Penny is in the Eagles which opens Walker with many more reps. The Seahawks added pieces on offense and are looking to build upon their surprise season last year. Kenneth Walker ran for 1050 yards and nine TDs in his rookie season. The numbers are expected to go up in year two, even if they drafted Zach Charbonnet in round two.

CHRIS OLAVE WR NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

For me, the biggest winner of the sophomores is Chris Olave. In his first season, he had Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton throwing him the ball. Olave somehow was able to gather 72 receptions and 1042 yards with four TDs. In his second year, he’ll have a stabilized QB in Derek Carr. Carr loves to pass the ball and Olave will be a recipient of those. Add in that Michael Thomas is never healthy anymore and Chris can do his best Davante Adams impersonation.

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PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS

After coming off a top 3 RB finish in 2021, a lot of hype was surrounding Najee Harris. The Steelers have been known to run the ball often so their RBs provide value. What makes Harris even better is his ability to catch the ball, especially for PPR leagues.

DRAFT EXPECTATIONS

Najee Harris had big fans in fantasy as his ADP was 13.3, or basically a late 1st/early 2nd round pick. He was the 5th highest RB with the ones above him being the elite RBs in football. Owners were excited to have him as he would provide stability in an unpredictable position.

OVERALL SEASON PRODUCTION

After ending the year as the 3rd best RB fantasy-wise in 2021, Najee ended the year 14th. For the first eight games of the season, he was steady but not enough. The most he had was 13.90 FP and 74 rushing yards. He had three TDs that span before the bye. After the bye, he was mostly steady with two breakout games where he scored more than 20 FP. He was getting more rushing TDs and was developing a connection with Kenny Pickett.

CRITICAL MOMENTS DURING THE SEASON

Week 11 vs Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals and the Steelers were in a shootout in Week 11. Najee Harris played his best game of the year when he rushed for 90 yards in 20 carries and two TDs. He ended the game with 27.60 FP. This performance showed his owners that he could still be a reliable option in fantasy.

Week 17 vs Baltimore Ravens

The Steelers played the Ravens in a must-win game in Week 17. The Steelers needed to win all their games to have a chance at the playoffs. On the ground, he rushed 22 times for 111 yards. On the passing game, he caught the game-winning TD with a minute left for 10 yards.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Fantasy Football world is nearly as breathtaking as the artificial space station in Treasure Planet. However, there is an abundance of signal-callers that haven’t lived up to the hype at this moment. With that said, I’m going to untwine five overrated QBs in fantasy. Let’s begin.

A-Rod

The Green Bay Packers two-time reigning MVP QB Aaron Rodgers has been a shell of his once self. He has failed to throw more than three touchdowns in a contest thus far. A-Rod also hasn’t ousted more than 255 passing yards in a game yet. Mr. Efficient hasn’t been MVP worthy. Fantasy Pros has placed Rodgers 11th overall (just outside the Top 10) in their QB rankings.

Kirk Cousins

A lot of fantasy owners liked Kirk Cousins’s Week 1 performance against the Green Bay Packers, but he hasn’t been a stud in any recent memory. Cousins has only thrown more than one touchdown in two of his games so far. It’s fair to say that his opponents (the Vikings and Saints) over the past two weeks haven’t been overly scary as, well.

Unfortunately, Justin Jefferson can’t also play QB.

Kenny Pickett

There isn’t any reason to love the 2022 first-round pick, Kenny Pickett, in fantasy or dynasty right now. Pickett (who was projected to be the most pro-ready QB by countless scouts) has yet to throw an NFL touchdown. Yes, you read that correctly. He also has thrown two interceptions in the past two weeks & he currently holds a 2022 passer rating of 61.5.

Jameis Winston

It’s disappointing that Jameis Winston has reverted back to his wicked ways — after showing flashes of greatness in his seven-game stretch last season. Winston has thrown 2 touchdowns to five interceptions in his last two starts. Furthermore, Michael Thomas has also had injury issues rise up again. The cherry on top of criticisms against Winston is that the Red Rifle has outperformed him – to be fair.

Joe Burrow

The AFC Champion a season ago, Joe Burrow, notched three passing touchdowns against the New York Jets in Week 3, but he hasn’t been a bully in his other four contests. The Bengals QB is also on pace to throw 17 interceptions, according to ESPN. The Bengals OL is honestly a big reason why Burrow hasn’t been an illustrious QB. Hopefully, the Bengals can resolve their miscues upfront soon.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett has turned heads this off-season and it’s clear that Mike Tomlin will have a difficult choice in picking his starting quarterback. After Pickett edged out Mason Rudolph for second-string reps in training camp, the former Pitt signal-caller had a dose of first-team reps five days ago. Mitchell Trubisky, also known to the world as the QB that was drafted ahead of Patrick Mahomes, is penciled in as the starter. Nonetheless, things could change at the QB1 spot for Pittsburgh soon. With that stated, I’m going to untwine three reasons why Pickett could start.

• Pre-season performance

The Steelers rookie QB Kenny Pickett has certainly been a stud this pre-season. As PFF nicely noted this morning, Pickett has completed 19 of 22 passing attempts, thrown for 171 yds, unleashed 3 passing touchdowns to 0 interceptions, and unveiled an impressive 138.6 passer rating. Pickett isn’t only making impressive darts to his pass-catching weapons, but he is also taking care of the football (which has been a flaw in Trubisky’s game).

Trubisky has only thrown 15 passing attempts in pre-season action. However, Pickett can hang his hat on being more productive than Rudolph’s production in August — as he carries a 106.3 passer rating (which includes 220 passing yds, 2 passing TDs, and 0 ints).

• Ceiling

I believe that Trubisky is underrated, but I don’t think his ceiling is more impressive than Pickett’s (especially after Pickett’s off-season work) potential. They both share fine mobility, but Pickett has a bit better arm strength than Trubisky. He could really convert big-time throws in clutch moments – despite the pass rush and glue-like secondary.

• Experience

The Steelers young QB can really learn the game of professional football by getting his feet wet and playing in his rookie season. He can absolutely develop his game throughout the season and potentially be a Pro Bowl-caliber QB in December. It’s also vital to get the 2022 first-round pick involved with the WR group that hasn’t broken apart yet – as Pickett could really shine with the toys.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially begun their quarterback competition in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. The Steelers inked the wiser quarterback Mitchell Trubisky to a $14.285 million dollar deal and they proceeded to draft former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett 20th overall in the NFL Draft. Last but not least (yet), Mason Rudolph is familiar with the scheme and he will surely aim to prove he is capable of being the heir to Big Ben.

RIP to Dwayne Haskins, who tragically passed away on April 9th, 2022.

The Steelers may not have their legendary signal-caller QB that won two Super Bowl rings but they will certainly have a QB performance that’s an upgrade over the 2021 version of Big Ben. Outside of Trubisky “having a growth session like Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins” as the QB2 in Buffalo, he was a modest signal-caller with a lesser talented Bears offense in 2020. He threw 16 touchdowns, 2,055 passing yds, and unveiled a 6-3 record as a Bear in his last season in Chi-town. Of course, he would be crowned the NVP, as well.

Trubisky will be a strong candidate to start given his combination of experience and arm talent. If he could improve his turnover habits and have a similar career turnaround as Jameis Winston (5-2 in 2021), he might look impressive with the Steelers weapons in pre-season.

The Pittsburgh royalty Kenny Pickett was the most NFL-ready rookie QB in the 2022 draft class and Tomlin stated that it was an easy decision to draft Pickett. Furthermore, Tomlin has stated that Pickett could honestly have a chance to start in Week 1. The NFL world knows that Pickett possesses nice arm talent, but it’s seen among many NFL scouts that he doesn’t have overwhelming upside. He could still be able to utilize the deep-speed of Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson shortly after putting on his Steelers jersey.

The Steelers veteran QB Mason Rudolph will face an uphill battle to be the starting QB, to say the least. I wouldn’t expect Rudolph to start unless “Trubisky had TO issues/or was injured and Pickett isn’t able to grasp the playbook” well enough.

It isn’t clear which QB will start for the Steelers, but the Steelers nation is aware that an intense, exciting QB battle is on the horizon. Regardless of the QB’s jersey number, they should be a “capable game manager” in the Steelers offense featuring Najee Harris, Johnson, and Claypool at a minimum standard. Perhaps Pickett will even feel the hometown pressure/juice and quickly rise to become a star for the talented Steelers team.

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