The Pittsburgh Steelers have been a very unpredictable team this season, alternating wins and losses through four games, and having two close games and two blowouts. The Jacksonville Jaguars, meanwhile, have been as predictable as teams come: They're terrible, and not much changes it.
Fantasy football advice, Week 5: Who to start/sit for Steelers vs. Jaguars
It’s a matchup of a team that MIGHT be good and a team that we KNOW isn’t.
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The only Steelers injury of note this week for fantasy is wide receiver Markus Wheaton, who has a groin injury, but is expected to be fine for Sunday's game. For Jacksonville, wide receivers Cecil Shortts III and Marqise Lee are both dealing with hamstring injuries. Lee is out Sunday, and Shorts is expected to be out as well.
Jacksonville hosts the teams’ 1 p.m. ET game Sunday. As you might expect from the team’s respective records, the fantasy intrigue lies mostly with Pittsburgh:
STEELERS
Start in every league: Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, Shaun Suisham, Defense/special teams
Start if you're desperate: LeGarrette Blount, Markus Wheaton, Heath Miller
Bench: ...
It’s always nice to play against the Jacksonville defense. Roethlisberger, who is a mid-range QB2 most weeks, gets bumped up to starting territory by virtue of the matchup. ... Bell and Brown, who are must-starts no matter the matchup, become top-of-the-position types against Jacksonville. ... And the promise of a lot of points makes Suisham interesting. ... The Steelers’ defense only has one strong game on its resume so far, but against a Jacksonville offense that lets opposing defenses go crazy, they become a strong start.
The next tier of Pittsburgh skill players all look like decent low-range options this week as well. Blount could get plenty of garbage-time carries, and Wheaton will likely get some attention as well. ... I remain a big-time Miller skeptic, even after his big Week 4, but if I were ever going to use him, this would be the week.
JAGUARS
Start in every league: ...
Start if you’re desperate: ...
Bench: Blake Bortles, Toby Gerhart, Denard Robinson, Jordan Todman, Allen Hurns, Allen Robinson, Clay Harbor, Josh Scobee, Defense/special teams
Sad. So sad. Bortles has looked competent through two games, but mere competence isn't enough for fantasy owners. ... Gerhart has looked terrible so far this season, and Robinson and Todman aren't real upgrades. ... Hurns and Robinson have both had their moments this season, but relying on them in fantasy is dicey. ... I almost listed Harbor as a desperation play just out of niceness to the Jaguars. He is at least interesting with Marcedes Lewis on the shelf, but you don't need to use him. ... Scobee has averaged four fantasy points a game. Stay away. ... The Jaguars' defense has put up negative fantasy points three straight games.
