Antonio Brown earned a 110-1,499-8 stat line last year, good for WR7 in standard scoring leagues and WR2(!) in PPR leagues. Ben Roethlisberger should lean on Brown as much or more in 2014. Gawd, those uniforms are awful. Photo: Icon Sportswire

Data as of June 26 | Current Cheatsheets | Current Projections

NR = Not ranked

QB Ben Roethlisberger

For the first time since the 2009 season, Roethlisberger finished the year as a Top 12 fantasy quarterback, finishing 8th with 4,261 passing yards and 28 touchdown passes. His passing stats benefitted from the Steelers poor rushing attack which received virtually no production outside of rookie Le’Veon Bell. With Bell back for his second season and the Steelers adding LeGarrette Blount in free agency to back him up as well as a suspect group of wide receivers behind Antonio Brown, look for Pittsburgh to even out their run to pass ratio in 2014. Not helping Roethlisberger’s fantasy value is his age (32) and his injury history (just one 16 game season during the past five years). While Big Ben could surprise us and his skills have not significantly eroded, he isn’t worth drafting as a fantasy starter in 2014. Consider him a mid to lower tier backup.

RB Le’Veon Bell

Despite missing the first three games of the season with a foot injury, Bell still enjoyed a solid rookie season establishing himself as a potential long term starter at running back in Pittsburgh. Taken in the 2nd round of the NFL Draft, Bell was solid as a runner and receiver, with 1,268 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games. The only blemish on his rookie season was a lowly 3.5 yards per carry average but the team’s poor play along the offensive line helped contribute to that issue. In 2014, Bell could see some of his workload siphoned off by free agent signee LeGarrette Blount but he remains a low end RB1 or high end RB2 even if Blount does steal some goal line work. Keep in mind that Blount is no threat as a receiver with three receptions in the last two years. With a healthy offensive line and a full year of health, Bell could even emerge as an upper tier fantasy running back.

RB LeGarrette Blount

After a disappointing season in 2012 when he fell off the fantasy radar in Tampa Bay, Blount had a resurgence last season in New England, finishing the regular season with 772 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He was even better as the season came to a close, gaining 428 yards and scoring eight touchdowns during a three game stretch between Week 16 and the Divisional Playoffs round as he emerged as the Patriots top running back. For some reason, the Patriots let him walk in free agency, leaving him to sign a two-year, $3.9-million contract with the Steelers. In Pittsburgh, Blount will back up Le’Veon Bell and he could earn a role as their short yardage and goal line back. If that happens, he could emerge as a flex option. If not, he rates as a solid handcuff for Bell.

RB Dri Archer

The Steelers gambled a 3rd round pick in this year’s NFL Draft that the diminutive Archer can provide some big plays to their offense. This one has major reach written all over it. The 5’8”, 173 pound Archer was a pass catching machine at Kent State and he possesses outstanding speed (4.26 40 time) but his route running will need refinement in the pros and he will need to become at least a respectable pass blocker. Given his size, the Steelers will be forced to come up with plays that get him the ball in space and that task will fall to offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Archer has some value in dynasty leagues, particularly those that reward points for returns, but he is not worth grabbing in redraft formats.

WR Antonio Brown

Prior to the 2012 season, the Steelers signed Brown to a lucrative contract extension that eventually forced them to let Mike Wallace walk in free agency. While some questioned that decision (including yours truly), in 2013 Brown proved the Steelers chose the right player to keep, ranking 2nd in the NFL in receptions with 110 and yards with 1,499 while catching a career high eight touchdown passes. Brown excels on short and intermediate routes and gains plenty of yards after the catch despite not possessing blazing speed. The only blemish on his scouting report is that he isn’t always a factor in the red zone. But when you rack up 165 targets as Brown did last season, fantasy owners won’t quibble with that minor fault. With the Steelers depth chart behind Brown a complete mess (Markus Wheaton, Lance Moore, Martavis Bryant and Darrius Heyward-Bey), he is a lock for close to 160 targets once again in 2014. That makes him a mid tier WR1 in standard scoring formats and move him up a notch or two in PPR leagues.

WR Markus Wheaton

Entering his second season in the league, Wheaton, the Steelers 3rd round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, is expected to enter training camp listed as a starter despite catching just six passes for 64 yards during his rookie season. The 5’11”, 182 pound Oregon State speedster did little last year as a finger injury, ineffectiveness and a crowded depth chart kept him off the field. However, opportunity knocks this season with only a pair of veteran retreads in Lance Moore and Darrius Heyward-Bey and rookie 4th round pick Martavis Bryant standing in his way from earning a starting position. While the opportunity is there, we have no way of knowing if Wheaton has the ability to capitalize on it. That renders him as nothing more than a late round flier unless he proves otherwise during the preseason.

WR Lance Moore

Just one year after posting a 1,000 yard season in New Orleans, the Saints released Moore in the offseason as he fell behind Kenny Stills on the depth chart. With a depth chart void of veterans, the Steelers scooped up Moore and he will provide insurance if Markus Wheaton struggles in his first year as a starter. With only rookie 4th round pick Martavis Bryant and disappointing veteran Darrius Heyward-Bey as his competition for a roster spot, Moore seems assured of opening the season as no worse than the Steelers main option out of the slot. Of course, we have all written Moore off in the past so there is at least a chance he could have another bounce back year in 2014. Unfortunately, at 30 years of age (31 in August), the odds of that happening aren’t great. If Wheaton struggles in the preseason, Moore might be worth grabbing with a late round pick in your draft.

WR Martavis Bryant

The Steelers grabbed the talented Bryant in the 4th round of this year’s draft and the expectation is that he will open the season behind Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Lance Moore on the team’s depth chart at wide receiver. The 6’5”, 200 pound Clemson product has the size and speed (4.42 40 time) to emerge as a solid threat on the outside (particularly on deep balls) but needs refinement with his route running and ability to catch the ball. With an unproven 2nd year player in Wheaton and the veteran Moore ahead of him, opportunity could arise at some point in his rookie season. While Bryant isn’t worth of a spot on your roster in redraft formats, we like his dynasty prospects.

WR Darrius Heyward-Bey

Looking to resurrect his career with the Colts in 2013, DHB never got on track in Indianapolis, finishing the year with just 29 receptions for 307 yards and a touchdown. By season’s end, he wasn’t even active on game days. The former 1st round pick will try his luck in Pittsburgh this year but given his lack of ability on special teams, he will likely need to beat out Lance Moore to the team’s third receiver or miraculously unseat Markus Wheaton for a spot in the starting line up. We expect neither to happen.

TE Heath Miller

A torn ACL suffered in Week 16 of the 2012 season caused Miller to miss the start of last year and likely caused him to play the season at less than 100%. In 14 games, he chalked up 58 receptions for 593 yards and one touchdown, respectable production given that he was targeted just 78 times. At 31 years of age, Miller is on the downside of his career but the Steelers were impressed enough to sign him to a two-year contract extension. With the departures of Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery, the Steelers will feature new talent at wide receiver and that could bode well for Miller’s usage in 2014. Nonetheless, he was never an explosive player and at 31, isn’t about to become one. If Miller sees more red zone targets, he could be useful TE2 but there is little upside here.