Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said that the offense could benefit from DeAngelo Williams coming into the huddle despite Le'Veon Bell's approaching Week 3 return.
DeAngelo Williams likely to play with Le’veon Bell back, but remains a fantasy handcuff
The Steelers will get their elite running back onto the field once again, but what does that mean for DeAngelo Williams? We break down the fantasy implications.
Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
Via the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
“Le’Veon doesn’t like to come out of the game. That’s no secret and that’s because he’s in phenomenal shape. But I think it’s still beneficial not just to him [or] to this team in the short term, but in the long term. You’re talking about a long season. If every third series, every fourth series, whatever it is, let DeAngelo come in.”
In Bell's absence, Williams gashed the Patriots routinely for big chunks of yardage, and found the end zone three times in Week 2 vs. the San Francisco 49ers. Williams tallied 204 yards on 41 carries while adding five catches for 20 yards during Bell's two-game suspension.
Fantasy impact: Roethlisberger’s words aren’t giving much away regarding Pittsburgh’s strategy, but saying Williams could come in “every third or fourth series” wouldn’t add up to much usage. Wiliams sounds like a change-of-pace back to give Bell a breather every now and then, which is what his role ought to be when complementing a runner of Bell’s ability.
Bell’s workload will be enough for him to challenge for the top spot among fantasy running backs each week, and Williams reverts to being a handcuff, albeit one of the best a fantasy owner could ask for.
