JuJu Smith-Schuster

The 2019 NFL season has brought with it one of the most thrilling playoff races in recent memory. The league has seemed top-heavy—12 teams have already been eliminated—but very little has actually been settled.

Only the Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens have clinched playoff spots, and no team has yet secured a first-round bye.

With several notable games on the slate, the playoff race isn't just going to heat up in Week 15—it's going to get white-hot. Here's a look at some of the week's most important matchups, the latest odds and over/unders from Caesars, and predictions for every contest.

    

NFL Week 15 Lines, Over/Unders and Predictions

New York Jets (+14.5, 45.5) at Baltimore Ravens: Baltimore 31-20

Chicago Bears (+4.5, 41) at Green Bay Packers: Green Bay 24-22

Houston Texans (+3, 50) at Tennessee Titans: Tennessee 27-24

New England Patriots (-9.5, 40.5) at Cincinnati Bengals: New England 23-16

Denver Broncos (no line) at Kansas City Chiefs: Kansas City 31-23

Seattle Seahawks (-5.5, 48) at Carolina Panthers: Seattle 27-20

Philadelphia Eagles (no line) at Washington Redskins: Washington 26-20

Miami Dolphins (no line) at New York Giants: New York 28-23

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-3.5, 47.5) at Detroit Lions: Tampa Bay 28-22

Cleveland Browns (-2.5, 48) at Arizona Cardinals: Cleveland 26-20

Jacksonville Jaguars (+6.5, 46) at Oakland Raiders: Oakland 26-21

Minnesota Vikings (-2.5, 45) at Los Angeles Chargers: Minnesota 24-22

Atlanta Falcons (+11, 47.5) at San Francisco 49ers: San Francisco 31-20

Los Angeles Rams (even, 49) at Dallas Cowboys: Los Angeles 30-26

Buffalo Bills (+2, 36.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers: Buffalo 25-18

Indianapolis Colts (+9, 46) at New Orleans Saints: New Orleans 30-18

    

Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers

Perhaps the most important game of the week as it relates to the AFC wild-card race is Sunday's matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers. If the Bills win, they're in the postseason. If the hosts win, they'll all but slam the door on the likes of the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts and Oakland Raiders.

The Steelers have won three in a row, thanks largely to the insertion of Devlin Hodges at quarterback. Pittsburgh may also see the return of star wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter:

Steelers’ WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, who has missed the past three games with a knee injury, is eyeing a return on Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 9, 2019

However, Pittsburgh's season-long lack of offensive cohesion could be a major issue against Buffalo's defense. Buffalo has allowed an average of just 16.3 points per game this season, second-fewest in the NFL. They limited Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to 24 points in Week 14.

Hodges is an upgrade over Mason Rudolph, but he isn't likely to lead the sort of offensive explosion that the Ravens have regularly gotten out of Jackson.

Buffalo also has a strong rushing attack that ranks fifth, averaging 135.3 yards per game, which could prove problematic for Pittsburgh. The Steelers have been winning largely by forcing turnovers and capitalizing on opponents' mistakes. The Bills can limit their mistakes and control the tempo of the game by leaning on their defense and the ground game.

    

Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans

Another important game in the AFC wild-card race is the matchup between the Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans. Both teams are sitting at 8-5 and can take control of the division with a win here. This leaves the loser sitting at 8-6 and potentially tied with the Steelers in the wild-card race.

These two will also face off in Week 17.

This game will feature an interesting clash of styles. The Texans' biggest asset is Deshaun Watson and the special things he can do at the quarterback position.

"We all expect him to go out and make something happen," teammate Justin Reid said, per Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.

The problem with that is when teams can limit Watson and star receiver DeAndre Hopkins—as the Denver Broncos did in Week 14—the team's 25th-ranked defense can be a major liability.

The Titans are a more balanced team—they rank 10th in scoring offense, ninth in scoring defense—that can survive when struggling in one phase or another. 

Tennessee has won six of seven games since making the switch to Ryan Tannehill as the starting quarterback. It's riding momentum and should have a good chance of laying claim to the division here.

    

Indianapolis Colts at New Orleans Saints

If the Indianapolis Colts are going to cling onto their slim playoff hopes, they're going to have to pull off a major upset Monday night. They're going to have to knock off the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome, which even the San Francisco 49ers struggled to do in Week 14.

The Saints are looking to rebound and to stay in the hunt for a first-round bye. New Orleans has already clinched the NFC South but sits behind the Green Bay Packers for the No. 2 seed because of the tiebreakers.

New Orleans should also look to get its defense back on track in this game. After playing solidly for most of 2019—the Saints rank 13th on total defense, allowing 338.3 yards per game—it was decimated by the 49ers. San Francisco racked up 516 yards of offense and 48 points.

This won't be a cakewalk for the Saints, but it can be a confidence-builder. Expect New Orleans to treat this as they would a playoff game. The potential for a blowout is high.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster will reportedly return from a knee injury for the team's Week 15 matchup with the Buffalo Bills after missing the last three games, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Smith-Schuster had seven touchdowns as a rookie after the Steelers selected him in the second round of the 2017 draft. His breakout 2018 featured 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and seven scores.

He's recorded just 38 catches for 524 yards and three TDs in 10 appearances in 2019.

The 23-year-old USC product missed just one game across his first two seasons because of injury, a one-game absence because of a hamstring issue in 2017. His other absence that year came via suspension. His extended stretch of durability ended this season with a combination of a knee injury and concussion.

All told, injuries have decimated the Steelers offense, highlighted by the loss of longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after just two games and running back James Conner later in the season.

However, head coach Mike Tomlin has rallied the team after benching quarterback Mason Rudolph for Devlin Hodges. The 8-5 Steelers have won all three games without Smith-Schuster as they eye a playoff spot.

Football Sunday is here, with another 14 games worth of Week 14 NFL action. With marquee matchups like the Kansas City Chiefs at the New England Patriots and the San Francisco 49ers at the New Orleans Saints, Sunday's slate should be both entertaining and impactful.

With only the Saints having clinched a division title, the playoff race is still fairly open, even at the top.

Here, we'll dig into the remaining Week 14 schedule and examine the latest odds and over/unders from Caesars. We'll also take a look at the latest news and injury buzz that could impact Sunday's games.

    

Week 14 Lines, Over/Unders and Predictions

Baltimore Ravens (-6.5, 44) at Buffalo Bills: Baltimore 27-20

Carolina Panthers (+3.5, 47) at Atlanta Falcons: Atlanta 27-24

Detroit Lions (+13, 43.5) at Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota 31-21

Indianapolis Colts (+3, 47) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tampa Bay 26-22

Denver Broncos (+8.5, 42.5) at Houston Texans: Houston 30-21

Miami Dolphins (+5, 46) at New York Jets: New York 28-26

San Francisco 49ers (+2, 44.5) at New Orleans Saints: San Francisco 27-26

Cincinnati Bengals (+7, 42) at Cleveland Browns: Cleveland 30-24

Washington Redskins (+13, 42) at Green Bay Packers: Green Bay 33-20

Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5, 43) at Jacksonville Jaguars: Jacksonville 25-23

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2, 43.5) at Arizona Cardinals: Arizona 22-20

Kansas City Chiefs (+3, 49.5) at New England Patriots: Kansas City 24-20

Tennessee Titans (-3, 47.5) at Oakland Raiders: Tennessee 27-23

Seattle Seahawks (even, 47.5) at Los Angeles Rams: Seattle 28-25

New York Giants (+9.5, 45.5) at Philadelphia Eagles: Philadelphia 24-20

    

Conner and Smith-Schuster Out Again for Pittsburgh

Another week means another missed game for Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. Both have been ruled out for Sunday's matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.

"Hopefully I can get out there as soon as possible," Conner said, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "But this week? Nah."

Devlin Hodges is set to start at quarterback for Pittsburgh for the third time this season. He seems to be the best option for the Steelers, though the absence of Conner and Smith-Schuster will still limit Pittsburgh's offensive potential—the Steelers have averaged just 15 points per game over the last month.

Regardless of which team you're looking to back here, the under could be one of the safest plays of Sunday.

    

Le'Veon Bell Out for the Jets

While Conner is out for the Steelers, former Pittsburgh running back Le'Veon Bell is out for the New York Jets. Bell has been dealing with an illness and was downgraded to out on Saturday, according to Jelani Scott of NFL.com.

With Bell out of the lineup, the Jets offense suddenly looks like one of the more underwhelming units in Week 14. Even with Bell, New York was only able to muster six points against a bad Cincinnati Bengals defense in Week 13.

While the rival Miami Dolphins also have a statistically bad defense, their offense is coming off an impressive 37-point outing and could keep this one close until the end.

While it's difficult to pick Miami on the road here, the absence of Bell gives the Dolphins a great chance to cover.

        

Josh Jacobs Questionable

The Oakland Raiders will be trying to save their season with a win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Oakland has lost back-to-back games and has fallen behind both Tennessee and Pittsburgh in the AFC wild-card race.

Unfortunately, the Raiders may be forced to take on Tennessee without perhaps their top offensive player. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, rookie running back Josh Jacobs is dealing with a broken shoulder plate and may not suit up against the Titans.

#Raiders RB Josh Jacobs (shoulder), who is trying to play through a broken shoulder plate, is a true game-time decision, source say. No guaranteed he can play today, thought he’s trying.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 8, 2019

The good news for Oakland is that Jacobs has managed to play through the injury the past five weeks and will try to go again on Sunday. The bad news is that quarterback Derek Carr has struggled mightily the past two weeks—just 349 combined passing yards with a touchdown and three interceptions—and could again flounder if Jacobs can't go.

Either way, Tennessee is playing the better brand of football right now.

    

Eli Manning in for Giants

Looking ahead to Monday, it's worth noting that quarterback Eli Manning will be back under center for the New York Giants. With rookie Daniel Jones nursing a high ankle sprain, the Giants have made the switch back to their longtime starter.

Manning is ready for the opportunity.

"He's always prepared as if he's going to be the starter," center Jon Halapio said, per Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. "His preparation hasn't changed. It's just that he's the starter again."

Manning's veteran presence could give the Giants an edge against the rival Philadelphia Eagles. It may also help spark the production of running back Saquon Barkley, as Manning has never shied away from looking in his direction—Barkley had 91 receptions and 721 receiving yards in 2018.

The over/under on receiving yards for Barkley is 36.5, according to OddsChecker.com. With Manning in the lineup, the over becomes an attractive play.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster posted a video on his Instagram story Tuesday night that appeared to show him driving on a highway at 104 mph.

Josh Rowntree of KDKA captured the post before it was deleted:

Here is the video, in case you’re interested. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/cag7VBNkO3

— Josh Rowntree (@JRown32) November 27, 2019

The 23-year-old California native has been in the NFL's concussion protocol since he suffered a head injury during the Steelers' Nov. 14 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

He's also dealing with a knee injury and missed Pittsburgh's win Sunday over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday he didn't have any significant updates on Smith-Schuster or running back James Conner (shoulder) as they prepare for a rematch for the Browns on Sunday.

"I don't know what their status will be as I stand here," Tomlin told reporters. "We'll go through our normal procedures."

Neither Smith-Schuster nor the Steelers have commented on the Instagram video.

This is it, fantasy football fans. December is near, the NFL's bye weeks are over, and in most season-long formats, the fantasy playoffs have arrived. These next few weeks will determine if your season ends in glory or as an also-ran.

The good news is that the end of byes means that every healthy player on your roster is available. The bad news is that one roster slip-up can send you home. Roster decisions are as important as they've ever been. Knowing your best options is critical.

Here, you'll find a list of the top fantasy players for Week 13 at each position, along with some potential sleepers and waiver-wire targets. All rankings are based on point-per-reception formats.

    

Quarterbacks

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

3. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

4. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

5. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

6. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

7. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

8. Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

9. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

10. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans

11. Sam Darnold, New York Jets

12. Nick Foles, Jacksonville Jaguars

    

Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans

If injuries or poor performances have left you streaming quarterbacks late in the season, you might want to consider Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill. The former Miami Dolphin has settled in nicely with his new team and has Tennessee rolling.

While Tannehill hasn't produced eye-popping numbers, he has been efficient and reliable. Over his last three games, he's averaged 257 passing yards while throwing five touchdowns and two interceptions.

This week, Tannehill will have a fair matchup against the Indianapolis Colts and their 16th-ranked pass defense. He is available in 26 percent of Yahoo leagues, according to FantasyPros.

     

Running Backs

1. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

2. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

3. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

4. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

5. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

6. Le'Veon Bell, New York Jets

7. Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders

8. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers

9. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

10. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

11. Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars

12. Mark Ingram, Baltimore Ravens

13. Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles  Chargers

14. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

15. Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos

16. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

17. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks

18. Tevin Coleman, San Francisco 49ers

19. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers

20. Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills

    

Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns

If you managed to scoop up Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt earlier this season, he's worth playing this week in PPR formats. He doesn't have the easiest matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers and their seventh-ranked defense (320.6 yards per game allowed), but Hunt is a premier receiving back and a terrific complement to starter Nick Chubb.

"The sky is the limit with what we can do with us in the backfield and us on the field at the same time," Chubb said, per Jeff Risdon of Browns Wire.

In his three games with Cleveland, Hunt has rushed for 79 yards, caught 15 passes for 99 yards and found the end zone once. He had six receptions and 58 total yards the last time Cleveland took on the Steelers.

     

Wide Receivers

1. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

2. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs

4. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

5. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams

7. Julian Edelman, New England Patriots

8. DJ Chark Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

9. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks

10. Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings

11. DJ Moore, Carolina Panthers

12. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

13. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons

14. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

15. Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns

16. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys

17. Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns

18. Allen Robinson, Chicago Bears

19. John Brown, Buffalo Bills

20. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts

    

James Washington, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

While Hunt is a solid play against Pittsburgh, Steelers wideout James Washington is worth a look against the Browns. Cleveland ranks seventh against the pass (214.5 yards per game allowed) but has given up 19 passing touchdowns.

Given the uncertainty surrounding top wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster, Washington could again be in store for a prominent role. Smith-Schuster missed last week's game against the Cincinnati Bengals with a concussion and a knee injury. Washington caught three passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Washington is worth picking up as a handcuff if you own Smith-Schuster or if you have uncertainty at the wideout position. He's still available in 80 percent of Yahoo leagues, according to FantasyPros.

    

Tight Ends

1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

2. George Kittle, San Francisco 40ers

3. Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles

4. Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders

5. Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers

6. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

7. Jared Cook, New Orleans Saints

8. Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers

9. Ryan Griffin, New York Jets

10. Jacob Hollister, Seattle Seahawks

    

Kyle Rudolph, TE, Minnesota Vikings

Another potential waiver-wire target is Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph, who is still available in 53 percent of Yahoo leagues, according to FantasyPros. Though Rudolph splits time with rookie Irv Smith Jr., the nine-year veteran has remained a productive piece of the passing attack.

Last week, Rudolph caught five passes for 67 yards and a touchdown. He has four touchdown receptions in his last three outings.

The Vikings will likely pass early and often against Seattle's 29th-ranked pass defense (268.7 yards per game allowed), which should mean lots of opportunities for Rudolph. If you've been streaming at the position or have an underwhelming tight end, Rudolph could be your answer.

    

Kickers

1. Will Lutz, New Orleans Saints

2. Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs

3. Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens

4. Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons

5. Matt Gay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6. Greg Zuerlein, Los Angeles Rams

7. Zane Gonzalez, Arizona Cardinals

8. Michael Badgley, Los Angeles Chargers

9. Nick Folk, New England Patriots

10. Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers

      

Defense/Special Teams

1. Carolina Panthers

2. New York Jets

3. Chicago Bears

4. Philadelphia Eagles

5. Green Bay Packers

6. New England Patriots

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

8. Los Angeles Chargers

9. Cleveland Browns

10. New Orleans Saints

Thursday night's game between the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans came with its fair share of drama. From the back-and-forth scoring that defined most of the contest to a controversial Deshaun Watson fumble inside of two minutes, the Week-12 opener was drenched in talking points.

This is likely to be a theme for the NFL's 12th week of 2019, as there are several intriguing matchups on the remaining slate.

Here, you'll find the remaining schedule with score predictions and the latest odds and over/unders from Caesars. We'll also examine some of the top over/under plays for Week 12.

     

Week 12 Lines, Over/Unders and Predictions

Carolina Panthers (+9.5, 46.5) at New Orleans Saints: New Orleans 33-24

New York Giants (+6, 40.5) at Chicago Bears: Chicago 20-15

Denver Broncos (+3.5, 37) at Buffalo Bills: Buffalo 26-20

Miami Dolphins (+10.5, 45) at Cleveland Browns: Cleveland 33-22

Oakland Raiders (-2.5, 46.5) at New York Jets: Oakland 28-24

Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5, 38) at Cincinnati Bengals: Pittsburgh 22-15

Seattle Seahawks (+1, 48) at Philadelphia Eagles: Seattle 30-24

Detroit Lions (-3.5, 41) at Washington Redskins: Detroit 23-17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3.5, 52) at Atlanta Falcons: Tampa Bay 27=21

Jacksonville Jaguars (+3.5, 41.5) at Tennessee Titans: Tennessee 23-20

Dallas Cowboys (+6.5, 45) at New England Patriots: New England 27-23

Green Bay Packers (+3, 48) at San Francisco 49ers: Green Bay 23-20

Baltimore Ravens (-3, 46) at Los Angeles Rams: Baltimore 37-24

    

Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns Over 45

Anyone who pegged this game as a potential shootout at the start of the regular season would have been laughed at. On paper, the Cleveland Browns should have one of the most explosive offenses in the league, while the Miami Dolphins are actively trying to tank for the 2020 draft.

Here we are in Week 12, however, and the Browns own just two more wins than Miami. Cleveland's weapons are still there, though, which is part of why this could end up a high-scoring game.

The other piece of the equation is a plethora of defensive absences for both teams. Miami recently placed starting safeties Bobby McCain and Reshad Jones on injured reserve, which bodes well for Cleveland pass-catchers like Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry.

Cleveland, meanwhile, will be without defensive starters Myles Garrett and Larry Ogunjobi because of suspensions. Browns safety Morgan Burnett was also placed on injured reserve with a torn Achilles.

This means we'll see a weakened version of a Browns defense that has already surrendered an average of 22.8 points per game this season. With Miami averaging just over 20 points over its last three outings, this could lead to a back-and-forth battle that hits the over before the fourth quarter.

     

Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals Under 38

An over/under of 38 is low, even for the worst of teams. However, the worst is exactly what this game has in the Cincinnati Bengals. The league's lone winless team, Cincinnati has averaged just 14.7 points per game this season and has only topped 17 points twice. Against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that has allowed 17.6 points over its last five games, the Bengals should do their part toward reaching the under.

The Steelers, meanwhile, are dealing with several injuries on the offensive side of the ball. Running back James Conner is still dealing with a shoulder injury, while wideouts JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson both suffered concussions in Week 11.

According to ESPN's Brooke Pryor, only Johnson has a chance to play on Sunday. Conner and Smith-Schuster have already been ruled out.

This means that the Steelers are unlikely to steamroll the Bengals offensively. Even with Cincinnati sporting an awful defense—ranked dead-last in yards allowed, 425.1 per game—this should be a defensive struggle.

    

Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams over 46

Monday night's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams is less likely to be a defensive struggle. Realistically, Baltimore could hit 46 points on its own—the Ravens have averaged just over 39 points per game over the last month.

The real question is whether the Rams can get their maligned offense back on track enough to hold up their end of the over here. While Los Angeles has averaged 24.3 points per game for the season, they've scored just 17 in each of their last two games.

Unfortunately, Rams and former Ravens safety Eric Weddle isn't interested in giving his new team an edge.

"I could tell them a lot of stuff, but that's just not who I am," Weddle said, per ESPN's Lindsey Thiry.

Still, the Rams are at home and still have weapons like Cooper Kupp, Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks, who will make his return from a concussion this week:

Brandin Cooks got the thumbs up. He will play on Monday.

— Sarina (@sarina) November 20, 2019

This may not be an all-out barn-burner, but there should be enough scoring on Monday night to reach the over.  

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster has been ruled out for Sunday's Week 12 game against the Cincinnati Bengals because of a knee injury and a concussion.

The 23-year-old Pro Bowler suffered the injuries on the same play during the second quarter of Pittsburgh's 21-7 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 11. He did not return to the game, though ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported three days later that the "knee injury is not serious for the long term."

When healthy this season, the 2017 second-round pick leads Steelers receivers with 524 yards and three touchdowns on 38 catches. Since entering the NFL, the USC product has tallied 2,867 yards and 17 touchdowns across 40 games.

Smith-Schuster doesn't have an extensive injury history. He played all 16 games for Pittsburgh in 2018 while only missing two outings as a rookie in 2017.

If the injuries keep Smith-Schuster sidelined, rookie third-round receiver Diontae Johnson will likely see a bigger role in the offense. The Steelers can also lean on tight end Vance McDonald and receiver James Washington.

Pittsburgh (5-5) could really use a win over the winless Bengals (0-10) to help bolster its playoff hopes in the crowded AFC. But it will need to do so without Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner, who's out with a shoulder injury.

Fantasy players and the Pittsburgh Steelers' aerial attack may be hard-pressed for production as Adam Schefter of ESPN reported wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster will not play in Sunday' game against the Cincinnati Bengals due to a concussion and a knee injury.

Here is a look at what this means for some of the Steelers' other playmakers in the passing game.

            

James Washington

Smith-Schuster already suffered a knee injury and concussion during a November loss to the Cleveland Browns. James Washington finished as the team's leading receiver in that game with three catches for 49 yards.

While those numbers aren't impressive, fantasy players can take solace in knowing he led the team in receiving yards and was the de facto top option at the position. The performance also came right after he posted six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown during a win over the Los Angeles Rams.

That said, the Rams game is the only time Washington has found the end zone, finished with more than 69 receiving yards and made more than four catches this season.

Even without Smith-Schuster, the Oklahoma State product has a low ceiling in an inconsistent Steelers offense. He is worth flex consideration at best and only for those fantasy players who are thin at the wide receiver position.

           

Vance McDonald

Vance McDonald finished with three catches for 33 yards in the Browns game Smith-Schuster exited, although it marked the tight end's third straight contest with seven targets.

He also had seven targets in September when he tallied seven catches for 38 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

While McDonald doesn't rack up yardage as a downfield threat and still hasn't gone over 40 receiving yards in a game this year, his true value comes as a safety valve for quarterback Mason Rudolph. The increased target numbers in November suggest Rudolph developed more trust in that option, which should come as no surprise after McDonald amassed 610 receiving yards last year.

As with Washington, there is a limited ceiling even without Smith-Schuster given the inconsistent nature of Rudolph at quarterback.

Still, the lack of depth at tight end, the increased target numbers McDonald posted in November and the likelihood he will be featured more without Smith-Schuster deem him worthy of starting consideration depending on the matchup. 

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is "not expected" to play in Week 12 with knee and concussion concerns, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN:

Source: JuJu Smith-Schuster’s knee injury is not serious for the long term but he’s not expected to play Sunday against the Bengals. Too much to overcome with knee and concussion protocol.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 20, 2019

The Steelers have already had to play without Smith-Schuster for most of their Week 11 loss to the Cleveland Browns. He suffered a concussion and knee injury in the second quarter when a pair of Browns defenders sandwiched the 2018 Pro Bowler between them.

Injuries haven't been a problem for Smith-Schuster in his career. He's played in every game since the start of 2018 after playing in 14 games as a rookie in 2017.

Smith-Schuster, who turns 23 on Friday, has been a bright spot for an otherwise disappointing Pittsburgh offense this season. He leads the team with 60 targets, 38 receptions and 524 yards and is tied for the team lead with three receiving touchdowns.

Until Smith-Schuster is able to return, the Steelers will have Diontae Johnson step into his role and James Washington on the other side of the field.

Pittsburgh Steelers star JuJu Smith-Schuster's status for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium is in doubt after he suffered a knee injury and a concussion in Thursday's loss to the Cleveland Browns.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the news.  

The Steelers have endured their share of injuries to key players as they navigate what's been an inconsistent 2019 season.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been out since leaving Week 2's game against the Seattle Seahawks with an elbow injury that ended his year. Defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt has been on injured reserve since Oct. 15 with a torn pectoral muscle. Running back James Conner was limited to five carries for 10 yards in his return against Cleveland.

The Steelers offense has been a work in progress with Mason Rudolph learning on the job. Smith-Schuster has been his favorite target with 38 receptions, 524 yards and three touchdowns. 

With the 2018 Pro Bowler out of the lineup, James Washington will take over as the No. 1 option, and Diontae Johnson (if he's back) will see more playing time. Johnson is also in concussion protocol.