Patriots Versus Steelers: Fantasy Football Forecast


The New England Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL’s season opener tonight. As a regular season game gets played, fantasy football players are debating whether or not to select a Patriots or Steelers’ player in a daily contest. The first game of the season is hardly a barometer of how a full season will go. They always say the phrase “any given Sunday.” How about the random Thursday?

Finally, the football discussion will be about what takes place on the field, not in the courts, and what happened inside the Patriots equipment room. Anyone who dealt with burnout from the most overblown, most unnecessary story of the year, “Deflate-gate,” you are now safe to return to your television sets and fantasy football talks.

The Thursday game is tricky for weekly fantasy football participants. For starters, you do not know which players are sure things. A football player trains their bodies for the beloved collision course on Sundays. Thursday games are usually sloppy, one-sided events. At least the Patriots versus Steelers game offers two teams with championship aspirations.

A game like Patriots versus Steelers promises big action from both teams. That action will translate to huge fantasy football numbers across the board.

Both quarterbacks, Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger, are primed for a bust-out game.

No one expects either defense to stop the opposing quarterback. It would not be out of the realm of possibility that both Brady and Roethlisberger eclipse the 400-yard mark.

Good games by the QB usually means good play from the receivers and tight ends they throw the football to. TE Rob Gronkowski is a must play if you are in the position to get him. Which Patriots’ receiver should be impactful?

Traditionally, Tom Brady spreads the football around. Asides from his favorite tight end, Brady will pass to anyone who is open.

WR Julian Edelman is a smart play, but the best boom or bust candidate available is Danny Amendola.

Amendola will not cost much in the weekly fantasy football leagues, and he will finally start a season healthy. One touchdown and seventy yards is a good game from him.

As for the New England Patriots sleeper pick, Brandon Boldin will most likely get the start at running back, with LeGarrette Blount serving a suspension, according to Bleacher Report. Boldin is not a great threat to run the football, but he is an excellent pass-catcher and could give his fantasy football owners 50 yards on the ground and 50 yards from the pass.

The Pittsburgh Steelers options are solid as well.

Wide receiver Antonio Brown is one of the league’s best, and while he will cost a premium in a weekly game, his production rarely gets stopped. Brown could conceivably produce two touchdowns by halftime against the Patriots questionable secondary.

Running back DeAngelo Williams will take the football in place of a suspended Le’Veon Bell, reports NFL.com. Williams is no stranger to starting, having spent his entire career with the Carolina Panthers as their primary ball carrier. If the Steelers want to control the pace, they will get it to Williams early.

They do not have many sleeper options tonight, aside from RB Dri Archer and TE Heath Miller.

It is hard to consider Miller a sleeper, given his history, but the Steelers do not rely on the tight end position as much as they once did. Heath Miller could be a huge factor tonight, though.

If you are looking at a few players to play tonight in the weekly fantasy football leagues, the Patriots versus Steelers game will provide numerous choices.

[Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images Sport]

Share this article: Patriots Versus Steelers: Fantasy Football Forecast
More from Inquisitr