Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Markus Wheaton continues to have the edge on starting duties over Martavis Bryant. Wheaton played with the first team in Sunday’s second preseason game, finishing with three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted after the game that “it’s obvious Ben Roethlisberger trusts him.”
Markus Wheaton still holds starting job, could be a fantasy value
The Markus Wheaton hype might not be all smoke and mirrors this time. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Wheaton has been a disappointment through two NFL seasons. He started the 2014 season as the No. 2 receiver next to Antonio Brown, but was eventually phased out in favor of Bryant. Wheaton finished the year with 53 catches for 644 yards and two touchdowns.
Fantasy impact: We’ve seen the Wheaton hype train before, but it might be for real this time as he enters his third season. At this point, it’s safe to call Bryant a reach -- his ADP is still sitting in the late-fourth round, which is way too high for someone who might not play every snap. Bryant will see plenty of action in Pittsburgh’s three-WR sets and remains a great red zone target, but he may not be the breakout candidate people were hoping for.
We’ll have to see more from Wheaton before we declare him a safe fantasy play, but with an 11th-round ADP, he’s practically a bargain in the Steelers’ high-octane passing offense.
