We never really talk about the top-tier talent in the Fantasy rankings. It’s assumed Fantasy owners know that the players ranked at or near No. 1 are exceptional, and we spend the majority of our time dissecting players in the gray areas.
But every now and then we get some newsworthy item that allows us to look at the best of the best, and that happened Monday when the Steelers made Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown significantly richer heading into the 2017 season. For both players, it’s a well-deserved raise.
Bell was given the exclusive-rights franchise tag, which means he’s staying in Pittsburgh in 2017 and will earn somewhere around $12 million unless both sides work out a long-term deal before July 15. Brown signed a four-year, $68 million extension, and his $17 million annual salary makes him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL.
Fans usually roll their eyes at player salaries, but Fantasy owners will tell you Bell and Brown are worth every penny. They have been amazing in recent years and should once again dominate in 2017. Heading into the season, I have Bell as the No. 1 running back and No. 1 overall player in any format, and Brown is my top receiver.
Bell at No. 1 could be a topic of debate given his injury history, as well as suspensions, and two worthy contenders for his spot. David Johnson was the No. 1 running back in 2016 and should continue to produce at a high level, and Ezekiel Elliott was a beast as a rookie last year and should remain dominant.
While Bell did deal with a groin injury in the NFL playoffs, he should be fine for training camp, and there’s no looming suspension like the ones he dealt with the past two years. On the field, Bell has been fantastic with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in 29 of his past 33 games, and he was the No. 5 running back in 2016 despite missing four games.
He’s only 25 and should remain motivated for a new contract based on the franchise tag, and the Steelers will continue to lean on him as the catalyst of their offense. So if someone else wants Johnson or Elliott ahead of Bell, that’s fine, but I still expect him to be the best Fantasy running back in 2017.
And I feel the same about Brown even though he also has plenty of contenders for the No. 1 receiver spot. Brown was the No. 3 Fantasy receiver in standard leagues last year behind Jordy Nelson and Mike Evans (Brown was No. 1 in PPR), and Julio Jones and Odell Beckham could be considered better options moving forward.
But like Bell, it’s hard to overlook what Brown has done and should continue to do in 2017. Brown has three years in a row with at least 106 catches, 1,284 yards and 10 touchdowns. Over those three years, he has averaged 124 catches, 1,605 yards and 12 touchdowns.
He’ll be 29 in July, and the worries for Brown are Ben Roethlisberger staying healthy (he’s missed six games over the past two years) and Brown starting to decline as he approaches 30. Martavis Bryant (suspension) could also return, and the Steelers could be potentially loaded with Bell, Bryant, Ladarius Green and Eli Rogers, which could take away targets from Brown.
But those are minor concerns for the 2017 season, and Brown should be drafted at No. 4 overall in standard leagues behind Bell, Johnson and Elliott and at No. 3 overall in PPR behind Bell and Johnson. It should be another dominant campaign for the best Fantasy receiver.
Keeping Bell and Brown in Pittsburgh is great for Ben Roethlisberger, who remains a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback worth drafting with a mid- to late-round pick. But he has to stay on the field and start playing better on the road.
In 2016, Roethlisberger averaged 14.8 Fantasy points in a standard league on the road compared to 31 points at home. Better showings on the road could boost Roethlisberger to a top-five Fantasy quarterback by the end of the season, which would be great given his expected value on Draft Day.
And while it’s great to touch on the stars like Bell, Brown and even Roethlisberger, there are two sleepers to look at for the Steelers this year. See, we can never escape the players in the gray area.
The first is Karlos Williams, who could replace DeAngelo Williams as the backup for Bell since DeAngelo Williams is a free agent this offseason. If Karlos Williams gets that job, he could be the most popular handcuff for Fantasy owners.
Over the past two seasons, DeAngelo Williams had 11 games with double digits in carries, and he averaged a whopping 19.6 Fantasy points in a standard league over that span. He failed to score double figures in Fantasy points in just one of those games.
While we clearly don’t want Bell to miss any games, if he does the backup for the Steelers has been awesome. And this year that could be Karlos Williams, who is worth drafting in all leagues with a late-round pick.
Our other sleeper of note is Bryant, who will hopefully be reinstated from his year-long suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. If and when that happens will ultimately determine his Fantasy value, but he could be a steal with a mid- to late-round pick.
Bryant has only played in 21 career games since 2014, but he’s scored double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in 10 of those outings, including 14 total touchdowns with an average of 17.3 yards per catch. He’s a difference maker, but he just has to stay on the field.
The Steelers should have another explosive offense in 2017, and they will be led by Bell and Brown. Both players got huge pay raises, and both should deliver huge stats as well.
