Byron Leftwich will start Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens if Ben Roethlisberger is ruled out with a right shoulder injury, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday. Roethlisberger reportedly suffered a sprained right shoulder during Monday night's win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Byron Leftwich to start if Ben Roethlisberger ruled out: Fantasy implications
Byron Leftwich will start Sunday against the Ravens if Ben Roethlisberger is ruled out, according to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. We break down the fantasy implications.
Gregory Shamus
Leftwich went 7-for-14 passing for 73 yards in bad weather conditions after Roethlisberger was knocked out on a third quarter sack. Leftwich has not started a game since 2009.
Fantasy Impact: While Tomlin said that Roethlisberger is questionable for Week 11, Leftwich will likely be under center Sunday by most indications. It's hard to know what to expect from the 32-year-old quarterback. He went 58-for-107 passing for 594 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions in his last significant playing time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers three years ago. Leftwich spent the 2011 season sidelined with a fractured arm.
Leftwich would ostensibly have a good matchup this week against a battered Ravens defense. Expect Baltimore to come after him hard in a pivotal division game, however. Unless you’re truly desperate, Leftwich isn’t worth the risk as a fantasy starter this week.
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