Justin Elick 
On the surface, this game looks like a boring one. While that may be true, there is a ton of playoff implication from the result on Sunday Night. The Ravens have clinched a playoff spot, but still have a chance to win the AFC North, contingent on the results this week and next. The Steelers aren’t quite eliminated yet, but there is a non-zero chance they make the playoffs. Mike Tomlin has never had a losing record with Pittsburgh, and he certainly doesn’t want to start now. Let’s dive in!
DraftKings and FanDuel each have a slightly different setup for Showdown slates, with DraftKings using a “Captain” spot. Captain earns you 1.5X points, BUT also costs you 1.5X in salary. FanDuel uses an “MVP”, which is ALSO 1.5X points, but salaries are the same, regardless of position. DraftKings uses 5 FLEX spots, and FanDuel uses 4 “AnyFLEX” spots to fill out your roster.
Captain/MVP Plays
JK Dobbins, Ravens ($15,000 DraftKings, $12,000 FanDuel)
Dobbins has been the lone bright spot in this offense of late, and had plenty of success in the first meeting. He went for 15/120/1 against the Steelers last time out, and he will be relied on heavily once again on Sunday night. The Ravens go as their running game goes, especially with Tyler Huntley under center.
They haven’t been able to find any success consistently through the air. Dobbins should see a huge workload again here, even with Gus Edwards playing well. There aren’t a ton of “safe” plays here, and there may not be a ton of upside either. Regardless, Dobbins is my favorite option on either side.
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers ($10,800 DraftKings, $11,000 FanDuel)
Pat has been the most consistent part of this Steeler offense all season. He has still only found the end zone twice in 2022, but he will be targeted heavily here once again in this matchup. The Ravens have been solid against TE, but I need some shares of “Muth” here.
He went for 3/33/1 on six targets in the first matchup. Fire him up here.
Steelers D/ST ($6,900 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel)
The Ravens offense is offensive. We all know this. We remove Lamar Jackson from the equation, and it gets even worse. The Steelers haven’t allowed more than 17 points since week 11 against the Bengals. Tyler Huntley has thrown for one touchdown to two interceptions in four starts. That is…not good. He has also fumbled three times, although Baltimore has recovered each one. I’m all over the 2022 version of the “steel curtain” here.
Other Options
I’m a bit pressed for time, but wanted to make sure I got out a solid article for you all. Here’s a quick breakdown of some guys I’m targeting for SNF showdown.
Najee Harris is finally seeing volume in this offense. The matchup isn’t ideal, but he did find the end zone in their first matchup. Don’t expect a huge yardage performance, and the Steelers still refuse to use him enough in the passing game. That said, a multiple score game isn’t out of the question at all.
Mark Andrews still doesn’t look like he is truly healthy. He is a fine option at a discounted price tag. If you’re looking for a deep play, consider Isaiah Likely. The Steelers will be focusing on the run and Mark Andrews. He could pay off here for dirt cheap, although his floor is true zero.
I’m not interested in Tyler Huntley (see above), but Kenny Pickett could be a decent play. I still hate to pay up for a QB in a game like this (especially one with a 5/9 TD/INT). That said, if he finds paydirt a few times, he could be one of the highest scorers by default in a game that should be low scoring.
Justin Tucker is still one of, if not THE best kickers in the NFL. You always need to have him on your radar, especially in a game that is expected to be a defensive battle.
George Pickens is an idiot, but he has controlled himself of late. His upside would be massive with a competent QB under center. Unfortunately for him, Kenny Pickett is what he’s stuck with. He is a low floor/high ceiling option.
If you absolutely have to have a Baltimore WR, DeMarcus Robinson is the only one I’m interested in here. DeSean Jackson is very cheap, but you’re praying for a deep shot at best in this offense in this matchup.
The Ravens defense could and maybe SHOULD be paired with the Steelers defense here. Both offenses are anemic, and this game could easily be a 13-10 battle. If that’s the case, not having exposure to both defenses would be an enormous mistake.
Make sure to join our Discord to jump into our conversations with the team and share your successes (I am “Myrtle Beach Mermen”, if you understand the reference, we will get along right away! We have a TON of great tools for you to check out, make sure you’re taking advantage! You can find projections here and try out the optimizer here.
Good luck on Sunday Night! Make sure to follow me on Twitter @BigItaly42 if you aren’t already, and let’s meet at the top of the leaderboards!
