RADIO
The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Cleveland Browns tonight on Thursday Night Football, and three of their players have been fantasy contributors in many managers' starting lineups this season. Quarterback Russell Wilson, wide receiver George Pickens, and running back Najee Harris are three hot names in fantasy football so far.
They've enjoyed varying degrees of success to this point, and a divisional matchup awaits them. It's good that the team has played well and the offense has been competent most of the time.
So which ones should you start for Week 12 in fantasy football?
Should I Start Russell Wilson for Fantasy Football?
He's coming off easily his worst game of the season, having scored just 7.3 fantasy points against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11. However, Baltimore made a variety of personnel changes on defense that heftily shored up their pass defense issues and stymied the Steelers air attack.
Russell Wilson can thrive against Cleveland's man-heavy defense
Wilson ranks 5th among all QBs in PFF passing grade against man coverage this season, and he'll face a Browns defense that runs man coverage at the 6th highest rate in the NFL pic.twitter.com/fJmoJWEw9u
— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) November 21, 2024
Cleveland's defense should present an easier challenge for Wilson, who has thrived against man coverage. The Browns primarily run man defensive concepts. With the potential for a shootout looming (opposing quarterback Jameis Winston is a gunslinger), Wilson is a decent start. The weather could be ugly this game, though, so he's a high-end QB2.
Should I Start George Pickens for Fantasy Football?
Yes, without hesitation. In four games with Russ as his quarterback, Pickens has scored 22.1, 11.4, 20.5, and 16.9 PPR fantasy points. Those are easy WR1 numbers, and he's a WR1 moving forward. He's the clear top priority target in the passing game, and Mr. Unlimited has been slinging it his way early and often.
Unfortunately for the Cleveland Browns George Pickens woke up today 😈 pic.twitter.com/ycgbrW269M
— 𝐻𝒶𝓃𝓃𝒶𝒽 (@steeelerheart) November 21, 2024
And it makes sense, because sometimes he looks like equal parts NFL wideout and professional circus trapeze artist. He's obviously his team's best pass-catcher by a wide margin, and he's succeeded even with opposing defenses throwing their best coverages at him.
Weather should be a factor here, with rain forecasted for the contest, so his upside could be limited.
Should I Start Najee Harris for Fantasy Football?
All three of these players are good to have in your starting lineups. Harris has actually gotten more passing game work than expected this season, as his backup, Jaylen Warren, hasn't been particularly effective. Harris rushed 18 times for 63 yards and caught four of his five targets for 30 yards against a tough Ravens defense in Week 11.
Cleveland Browns run defense the last two weeks (without Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah):
-6.1 YPC
-5 TDs
-3.4 YBC/ATTNajee Harris and Jaylen Warren up next. pic.twitter.com/RjRAoXhYSf
— Adam Pfeifer (@APfeifer24) November 20, 2024
It's hard to glean anything from his passing-game usage, though. Pittsburgh's offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, adds wrinkles to his game plans to confuse opposing offenses, and the uptick in passing work followed a Week 10 game that saw Harris getting zero targets. Still, the rushing work alone makes him an RB3/FLEX with RB2 upside. Start him.
Popular Week 12 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 12 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, George Pickens compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
Matthew Stafford or Russell Wilson
Justin Herbert or Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson or Matthew Stafford
Chuba Hubbard or Najee Harris
Najee Harris or Kareem Hunt
Jameis Winston or Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson or Anthony Richardson
Russell Wilson or Geno Smith
Geno Smith or Russell Wilson
Najee Harris or Dandre Swift
Anthony Richardson or Russell Wilson
Najee Harris or Bucky Irving
Rachaad White or Najee Harris
Russell Wilson or Drake Maye
Cj Stroud or Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson or Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold or Russell Wilson
Tua Tagovailoa or Russell Wilson
Jordan Love or Russell Wilson
Najee Harris or Aaron Jones
Drake Maye or Russell Wilson
Jared Goff or Russell Wilson
Ladd McConkey or George Pickens
Mike Evans or George Pickens
Najee Harris or Jauan Jennings
Najee Harris or Tyrone Tracyjr
Russell Wilson or Bo Nix
Najee Harris or Marvin Harrisonjr
Russell Wilson or Tua Tagovailoa
Tony Pollard or Najee Harris
Tyrone Tracyjr or Najee Harris
Baker Mayfield or Russell Wilson
Najee Harris or Tony Pollard
Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston
Tyreek Hill or George Pickens
Courtland Sutton or George Pickens
Dandre Swift or Najee Harris
George Pickens or Courtland Sutton
Jayden Reed or Najee Harris
Malik Nabers or George Pickens
Najee Harris or Jameson Williams
Najee Harris or Jonathan Taylor
Najee Harris or Josh Jacobs
Nick Chubb or Najee Harris
Russell Wilson or Caleb Williams
Russell Wilson or Cj Stroud
Austin Ekeler or Najee Harris
Bo Nix or Russell Wilson
George Pickens or Ladd Mcconkey
George Pickens or Tyrone Tracy
George Pickens or Zay Flowers
James Conner or Najee Harris
Najee Harris or DJ Moore
Najee Harris or Jerry Jeudy
Najee Harris or Jk Dobbins
Najee Harris or Ladd Mcconkey
Najee Harris or Rachaad White
Najee Harris or Rico Dowdle
Rhamondre Stevenson or Najee Harris
Russell Wilson or Brock Purdy
Russell Wilson or Jordan Love
Cooper Kupp or George Pickens
Courtland Sutton or Najee Harris
DeVonta Smith or Najee Harris
George Pickens or CeeDee Lamb
George Pickens or Courtland Sutton
George Pickens or David Montgomery
George Pickens or DK Metcalf
George Pickens or Jauan Jennings
George Pickens or Josh Downs
George Pickens or Kareem Hunt
George Pickens or Malik Nabers
George Pickens or Marvin Harrisonjr
Jameson Williams or George Pickens
Jameson Williams or Najee Harris
Jk Dobbins or George Pickens
Jk Dobbins or Najee Harris
Jonathan Taylor or Najee Harris
Josh Downs or Najee Harris
Justin Herbert or Russell Wilson
Kyler Murray or Russell Wilson
Najee Harris or Chuba Hubbard
Najee Harris or Devonta Smith
Najee Harris or Isiah Pacheco
Najee Harris or Jaxon Smithnjigba
Najee Harris or Josh Downs
Najee Harris or Quentin Johnston
Najee Harris or Rhamondre Stevenson
Najee Harris or Rico Dowdle
Nico Collins or George Pickens
Russell Wilson or Justin Herbert
Russell Wilson or Tua Tagovailoa
Russell Wilson or Will Levis
Terry McLaurin or George Pickens
Tua Tagovailoa or Russell Wilson
Aaron Jones or Najee Harris
Brian Robinsonjr or George Pickens
Brian Thomasjr or George Pickens
Caleb Williams or Russell Wilson
Cedric Tillman or Najee Harris
Ceedee Lamb or George Pickens
Chuba Hubbard or George Pickens
Cj Stroud or Russell Wilson
DeAndre Hopkins or Najee Harris
Dj Moore or Najee Harris
George Pickens or Chuba Hubbard
George Pickens or Deandre Hopkins
George Pickens or Deebo Samuelsr
George Pickens or Jaxon Smithnjigba
George Pickens or Jayden Reed
George Pickens or Ladd Mcconkey
George Pickens or Mike Evans
George Pickens or Terry Mclaurin
George Pickens or Tyrone Tracyjr
Jalen Hurts or Russell Wilson
James Cook or Najee Harris
Jauan Jennings or George Pickens
Jayden Reed or George Pickens
Jerry Jeudy or Najee Harris
Josh Jacobs or Najee Harris
Kareem Hunt or Najee Harris
Najee Harris or Austin Ekeler
Najee Harris or Bucky Irving
Najee Harris or Cleveland Browns
Najee Harris or George Pickens
Najee Harris or Javonte Williams
Najee Harris or Josh Jacobs
Najee Harris or Marvin Harrisonjr
Najee Harris or Rico Dowdle
Najee Harris or Romeo Doubs
Najee Harris or Terry Mclaurin
Puka Nacua or George Pickens
Rico Dowdle or Najee Harris
Russell Wilson or Anthony Richardson
Russell Wilson or Drake Maye
Russell Wilson or Jameis Winston
Russell Wilson or Jared Goff
Russell Wilson or Jordan Love
Russell Wilson or Matthew Stafford
Russell Wilson or Patrick Mahomes
Russell Wilson or Sam Darnold
Russell Wilson or Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa or Russell Wilson
Zay Flowers or George Pickens
Zay Flowers or Najee Harris
Austin Ekeler or Najee Harris
Bo Nix or Russell Wilson
Brian Robinsonjr or Najee Harris
Brian Thomasjr or George Pickens
Brock Bowers or George Pickens
Bucky Irving or Najee Harris
Calvin Ridley or Najee Harris
Chase Brown or Najee Harris
Christian Watson or George Pickens
Christian Watson or Najee Harris
Chuba Hubbard or Najee Harris
Chuba Hubbard or Russell Wilson
Cj Stroud or Russell Wilson
Cooper Kupp or George Pickens
Courtland Sutton or George Pickens
Courtland Sutton or Najee Harris
Dandre Swift or George Pickens
Dandre Swift or Najee Harris
David Montgomery or George Pickens
Deandre Hopkins or George Pickens
DeMario Douglas or Najee Harris
Derrick Henry or George Pickens
Devonta Smith or George Pickens
Dk Metcalf or George Pickens
Dk Metcalf or Najee Harris
Drake Maye or Russell Wilson
George Pickens or Aj Brown
George Pickens or Amari Cooper
George Pickens or Davante Adams
George Pickens or Deebo Samuelsr
George Pickens or Derrick Henry
George Pickens or Dk Metcalf
George Pickens or George Pickens
George Pickens or Jakobi Meyers
George Pickens or Jameson Williams
George Pickens or Jauan Jennings
George Pickens or Jaxon Smithnjigba
George Pickens or Jerry Jeudy
George Pickens or Jk Dobbins
George Pickens or Josh Downs
George Pickens or Ladd Mcconkey
George Pickens or Malik Nabers
George Pickens or Marvin Harrisonjr
George Pickens or Puka Nacua
George Pickens or Quentin Johnston
George Pickens or Tank Dell
George Pickens or Tony Pollard
George Pickens or Trey McBride
George Pickens or Tyreek Hill
George Pickens or Tyrone Tracyjr
Jameis Winston or Russell Wilson
James Conner or Najee Harris
Jameson Williams or George Pickens
Jared Goff or Russell Wilson
Jauan Jennings or George Pickens
Jauan Jennings or Najee Harris
Javonte Williams or Najee Harris
Jaxon Smithnjigba or George Pickens
Jayden Reed or George Pickens
Jaylen Waddle or Najee Harris
Jerry Jeudy or Najee Harris
Jk Dobbins or Najee Harris
Jonnu Smith or Najee Harris
Josh Downs or George Pickens
Josh Downs or Najee Harris
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