James Washington's Steelers Fantasy Outlook After JuJu Smith-Schuster's Injury
Nov 14, 2019
With JuJu Smith-Schuster suffering a concussion in Thursday's game against the Cleveland Browns, James Washington and other Pittsburgh Steelers playmakers will have a chance to step up during the third-year wideout's absence.
After seven-time Pro Bowler Antonio Brown was traded during the offseason, Smith-Schuster became the No. 1 option in Pittsburgh. And now, the receiving corps' depth could be put to the test.
Washington entered the NFL with high expectations surrounding him after he was a second-round pick in 2018. However, it wasn't the smoothest of starts to his career, as he managed only 217 yards and one touchdown in 14 games last year.
Not only were his numbers lacking, but he was the target of criticism from within the locker room. In the days after a Week 12 loss last season, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger publicly called out his then-rookie receiver by questioning a diving effort that resulted in a drop.
Washington told Teresa Varley of Steelers.com in March that a midseason talk with Roethlisberger helped him settle in. He told Varley he is willing to "own up to my mistakes and try to correct them and do what I can do to get better."
And now may be the time to do so if Smith-Schuster ends up being out for the next game or longer.
It may be hard for fantasy owners to take a chance on an unproven player like Washington, especially with Roethlisberger out for the rest of the season due to an elbow injury. But it's important to remember that quarterback Mason Rudolph and Washington have a connection that dates back to their days at Oklahoma State, which figures to make Washington at least a viable WR3 option with Smith-Schuster out.
Need more help with your fantasy football lineup? Matt Camp solves your fantasy problems live on B/R Gridiron's new show, Your Fantasy Fire Drill. Download the B/R app now to submit your questions and tune in every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET.
JuJu Says Jalen Ramsey 'Said so Many Cuss Words That I Never Heard Of'
Nov 11, 2019
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 20: Jalen Ramsey #20 of the Los Angeles Rams warms up prior to an NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on October 20, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey evidently talks a lot of trash during the game. And apparently, some of it is unique.
"It was cool, man. He talks a lot. He talks so much," Smith-Schuster said of his matchup with Ramsey following Pittsburgh's 17-12 win over the Rams on Sunday, per Mark Kaboly of The Athletic. "He said so many cuss words that I never heard of, and I am 22 years old."
Before the game, Ramsey told reporters that Smith-Schuster didn't compare to former Steelers wideout Antonio Brown, though he also complimented Smith-Schuster'sskill set:
“No disrespect to him, he’s not Antonio Brown,” Jalen Ramsey says about JuJu Smith-Schuster, who he’s expected to match up against Sunday. However, Ramsey says he likes Smith-Schuster’s style of play. “He plays very physical, he plays strong, aggressive through the catch.” pic.twitter.com/N9KIvovcKd
Ramsey backed up the talk on his end, with Smith-Schuster registering just three receptions for 44 yards on six targets. But the Steelers had the last laugh, beating the Rams while improving to 5-4, their fourth straight win after the season appeared to be lost with starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger injured.
Winning the division may still be out of reach, with Lamar Jackson and the red-hot Baltimore Ravens at 7-2 and winners of five straight. But Sunday's win moved the Steelers into the second wild-card spot, with the Oakland Raiders (5-4), Indianapolis Colts (5-4), Tennessee Titans (5-5) and Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5) nipping at their heels.
Getting Smith-Schuster going would aid the Steelers in their quest for a playoff berth. The third-year man has been Pittsburgh's best wideout, though his numbers (36 receptions for 503 yards, three touchdowns) haven't been off the charts.
That's perhaps one reason why Smith-Schuster agreed with Ramsey's assessment:
JuJu was asked about the comments from Jalen Ramsey, who said “no disrespect to JuJu, but he’s not Antonio Brown.” #Steelerspic.twitter.com/kLRmEDnYip
"I'm not Antonio Brown. I will never be Antonio Brown," he said. "I'm JuJu Smith-Schuster. I'm not as good as him yet. I also have time to proceed to get to his level. But we're two different people. Like I said, it was between me and Jalen Ramsey, and he had a good game."
And Smith-Schuster learned a few new words in the process.
JuJu Smith-Schuster Agrees with Jalen Ramsey: 'I'll Never Be Antonio Brown'
Nov 11, 2019
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (19) warms up before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
"He's right, though," Smith-Schuster told reporters Sunday of Ramsey's comments. "I'm not Antonio Brown. I'll never be Antonio Brown. I am myself. I'm JuJu Smith-Schuster. I'm not as good as him yet. I think I still have time to proceed to get to his level. But we're two totally different persons."
Ramsey said Friday that his matchup with Smith-Schuster was not on the same level as his past battles with Brown, the free-agent wideout who spent his first nine NFL seasons in Pittsburgh. The Los Angeles Rams cornerback helped hold Smith-Schuster to three receptions for 44 yards in the 17-12 Pittsburgh victory.
"No disrespect to him, he's notAntonio Brown," Ramsey said. "I matched up with Antonio there for two years, and that was a good battle, and I held my own in those battles, and yeah, now I'm going up against a different person, different body type, different receiver a little bit. He can make plays."
Smith-Schuster became the Steelers' No. 1 target when they traded Brown to the Oakland Raiders last offseason. A season-ending injury to Ben Roethlisberger and Smith-Schuster's own struggles to acclimate to the No. 1 role has led to him putting up disappointing numbers (36 receptions, 503 yards, three touchdowns) in his first nine games as a top target.
Ramsey, meanwhile, is in the midst of his own transition after a midseason trade to the Rams from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Smith-Schuster said he's noticed a difference in Ramsey's role.
"He talks a lot," Smith-Schuster. "He talks so much. He said so many cuss words I've never heard of, and I'm 22 years old. He's a good player, man.
"It's a lot different than him being in Jacksonville, where he's able to do whatever he wants. Over here, he has to pretty much do what he's told. He has to listen to[Eric] Weddle. It's different. It's a great experience. I wish we had more balls thrown at us, but it's hard when you're double-teamed."
Despite learning the system on the fly, Ramsey has performed at a Pro Bowl level since coming to L.A. The change of scenery has clearly given him comfort to speak his mind about the opposition on a more regular basis after quieting that rhetoric down a bit late in his Jacksonville tenure.
Jalen Ramsey on JuJu Smith-Schuster: No Disrespect but He's Not Antonio Brown
Nov 8, 2019
LA Rams Jalen Ramsey takes part in an NFL training session at the Grove Hotel in Chandler's Cross, Watford, England, Friday, Oct. 25, 2019. The LA Rams are preparing for an NFL regular season game against the Cincinnati Bengals in London on Sunday. (AP Photo/Leila Coker)
Jalen Ramsey is just as opinionated in Los Angeles as he was in Jacksonville.
The L.A. Rams cornerback told reporters Friday that he doesn't view Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as being on the same level as former Steelers receiver Antonio Brown:
“No disrespect to him, he’s not Antonio Brown,” Jalen Ramsey says about JuJu Smith-Schuster, who he’s expected to match up against Sunday. However, Ramsey says he likes Smith-Schuster’s style of play. “He plays very physical, he plays strong, aggressive through the catch.” pic.twitter.com/N9KIvovcKd
The Rams and Steelers are slated to face off Sunday in Pittsburgh. Ramsey is expected to be tasked with covering Smith-Schuster, who stepped into the role of Pittsburgh's No. 1 receiver following the departure of Brown in March, though the receiver's availability for the contest is in question due to a toe injury.
Smith-Schuster leads the Steelers through eight games this season with 459 yards and three touchdowns on 33 catches.
Ramsey arrived in Los Angeles in mid-October after requesting a trade from the Jaguars in mid-September. While still in Jacksonville, Ramsey got into an animated argument with Jags head coach Doug Marrone on the sideline during the team's Week 2 loss to the Houston Texans.
In other words, Smith-Schuster is far from the first to be on the receiving end of Ramsey's verbal barbs.
In 2016, Ramsey called then-Baltimore Ravens receiver Steve Smith Jr. an "old man":
The following season, Ramsey and Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green's disagreement turned physical. The CBS broadcast even noted: "We told you earlier, Ramsey likes to talk. He does not even put his mouthpiece in on a lot of plays so he is able to talk." Both players were ejected.
Ramsey more often than not backs up his talk with his play, though. Earlier this season, Houston Texans All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins called Ramsey his "favorite corner to play against":
.@DeAndreHopkins on @jalenramsey: "He's my favorite corner to play against. He's the only in the NFL that actually follows me. You got to respect that..No matter where I lineup he's right there in front of me. A lot of guys claim their #1 DBs, but not a lot of guys do that." pic.twitter.com/IbZXSWZeZ9
Since the Jags drafted Ramsey fifth overall in 2016, the 25-year-old All-Pro has recorded nine interceptions, three forced fumbles and 45 passes defended in 53 games (52 starts). In two games with the Rams, Ramsey has 11 tackles (10 solo) and one forced fumble.
Pittsburgh Steelers Preserve Hope but Look Like Playoff Long Shots
Oct 29, 2019
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (19) falls into the end zone for a touchdown after taking a pass from quarterback Mason Rudolph with Miami Dolphins defensive back Chris Lammons (30) defending during the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Don Wright)
All is not lost in the Steel City. It only felt that way when Ben Roethlisberger suffered a season-ending elbow injury, Mason Rudolph endured a scary concussion and the defense started slowly.
Then, the Miami Dolphins built a 14-0 lead Monday at Heinz Field. The wheels were about to come off with a season on the line...until they didn't.
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn't relent and secured a 27-14 victory to keep from embarrassing themselves against the winless Dolphins in front of a national audience.
At 3-4, the Steelers reside in limbo. They're not bad enough to consider a full-scale rebuild but not good enough to matter—though Pittsburgh's upcoming schedule provides the slightest possibility for a surprise run to the playoffs if things break in its favor.
Not much should be taken from Monday's performance. The Dolphins did everything to give the game away after a strong start. But a win is a win, and franchises can only beat those in front of them. That's exactly what the Steelers did; they took care of business.
The same mentality must continue as Pittsburgh navigates three different tiers during its final nine contests if it is to maximize this season despite the obstacles already placed in its path.
CARSON, CA - OCTOBER 13: Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin looks on from the sidelines during a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park October 13, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
The first tier is comprised of must-win scenarios. The Dolphins fell into this category because the Steelers expected to win. The season won't amount to much without victories in these meetings.
Pittsburgh still has four contests against competition with fewer wins than it.
A three-game stretch from Nov. 14 through Dec. 1 against the Cleveland Browns twice with the Cincinnati Bengals in between will likely determine the Steelers' direction. The Bengals shouldn't be much of a concern after an 0-8 start, whereas the Browns could be more difficult thanks to their talented roster. Two wins are a necessity. Three will make everything far more manageable if Pittsburgh is going to sniff the postseason.
A Dec. 22 meeting with the New York Jets falls into the must-win tier as well.
The reason these particular games are so important is quite simple: The Steelers haven't performed well against quality competition, as the Tribune-Review's Chris Adamski noted:
Combined record of the teams the Steelers have beaten: 3-20 . Combined record of the teams the Steelers have lost to: 26-4
The second tier consists of two teams, the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals—opponents the Steelers will face on back-to-back weekends in December. The short stretch could be difficult because both squads are playing above expectations. The Bills defense is among the league's best, while the Cardinals have found an identity by spreading people out and running the football. Neither is particularly consistent against solid adversaries, but they offer a higher level of competition than those previously mentioned.
The final tier consists of playoff-caliber teams and starts next weekend. Pittsburgh is fortunate to host the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams over the next two weeks, but both of those visitors are playing a better brand of football.
Indianapolis wins games in the trenches—the Colts feature the game's best offensive line—and by playing fundamentally sound football. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett is outstanding. In fact, he leads the NFL with the highest accurate pass percentage (64.0), according to Pro Football Focus.
The Rams offense, meanwhile, was clicking over the last two games, albeit against inferior competition. Quarterback Jared Goff leads the NFL with 2,367 passing yards. Cooper Kupp ranks second with 792 receiving yards. The unit ranks fourth in passing (287.3 yards per game) and eighth overall (384.5) and in scoring (26.8 points per game).
Finally, the Steelers' biggest test will come during their regular-season finale against the hated Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens hold a two-game lead in the AFC North. Lamar Jackson is nearly impossible to stop since he can affect games as a passer and runner. Pittsburgh took Baltimore to overtime the first time they met but came up short. Far more could be on the line Dec. 29.
Somehow, Mike Tomlin's squad needs to win six of its final nine games to reach 9-7—and that still may not be good enough with the Ravens, Colts, Bills, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans at least two games up in the win column.
PITTSBURGH, PA - OCTOBER 28: Mason Rudolph #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers drops back to pass in the first quarter during the game against the Miami Dolphins at Heinz Field on October 28, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
Three wins from the bottom tier, a split of the second tier and two more victories among the difficult third tier would place Pittsburgh on the fringe, but it likely wouldn't push the Steelers into the playoffs.
With that said, Rudolph's resiliency and the improvement of the offense provided something to build on for the rest of the regular season.
While the defense continued to make plays, the offense sputtered. Rudolph didn't get off to a rousing start in his return with an interception, a near-interception, an outright miss on an open third-down throw and a fumble. The second-year signal-caller began 1-of-7 only to finish 20-of-36 for 251 yards and two touchdowns with the aforementioned interception.
"I would've booed that performance too," Rudolph said after his slow start, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "We were coming out slow. This is the Pittsburgh Steelers. There's a standard here."
The offense opened up, as running back James Conner (145 rushing yards) and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (103 receiving yards) eclipsed the century mark for the first time this season. Concerns arose, however.
Tomlin told reporters Conner suffered a shoulder injury during the latter stages of the contest.
Left guard Ramon Foster entered the concussion protocol, and if he misses any time, it could hamper both the running game and pass protection.
Smith-Schuster, meanwhile, didn't exactly light up the best the lowly Dolphins had to offer, per Next Gen Stats:
JuJu Smith-Schuster had success against the Dolphins secondary with the exception of Xavien Howard:
vs. Howard: 2 targets, 0 rec, INT vs. All Others: 7 targets, 5 rec, 103 yards, TD
All three must play at the same rate they did Monday for a fully realized turnaround to occur. As good as the defense has been—causing 10 turnovers in the last three games and 19 overall, second only to the Patriots—the offense must capitalize. Rudolph, a first-year starter, is still limited and missed multiple throws Monday. He should continue to grow, though, especially if those around him play better.
Schedule-watching so early in the season makes NFL life difficult. But this is the position the Steelers reside in. Any further missteps could derail their season. A faint ray of hope will remain at the end of the Fort Pitt Tunnel if the Steelers stay on track against those they should beat and get a little help along the way.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.
James Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster TDs Lead Steelers Past Winless Dolphins on MNF
Oct 28, 2019
Pittsburgh Steelers running back James Conner (30) is tackled by Miami Dolphins defensive tackles Christian Wilkins (94) and John Jenkins (95) during the first half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
The 2019 Pittsburgh Steelers have started to right the ship.
Pittsburgh improved to 3-1 in its last four games with a 27-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday night at Heinz Field. The team is still just 3-4 on the year but sits in second place alone in the AFC North behind the 5-2 Baltimore Ravens after James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster spearheaded the latest effort with impressive showings.
As for the Dolphins, they are 0-7 on the campaign and appear closer to the No. 1 pick of the 2020 NFL draft than the undefeated New England Patriots in the AFC East.
Notable Fantasy Stats
PIT QB Mason Rudolph: 20-of-36 passing for 251 yards, two touchdowns and one interception
PIT RB James Conner: 23 carries for 145 yards and one touchdown; three catches for five yards
PIT WR JuJu Smith-Schuster: five catches for 103 yards and one touchdown
MIA QB Ryan Fitzpatrick: 21-of-34 passing for 190 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions
Mason Rudolph Earns Win but Doesn't Inspire Confidence
This was Mason Rudolph's first game since he suffered a concussion in an Oct. 6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and he looked like anything but the quarterback of the future for extended stretches.
He threw an interception to Xavien Howard, threw an incompletion on fourth down and fumbled (without losing it) on Pittsburgh's first three possessions, and the Heinz Field crowd rained boos down on the offense. It was fair to wonder if the team should switch to Devlin Hodges, who defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in Rudolph's place.
Mason Rudolph doing his best Baker Mayfield impression.
Fortunately for the Oklahoma State product, his teammates and the inevitability of the Dolphins making mistakes bailed him out.
Conner started getting loose in the second half, forcing additional defenders into the box and creating space downfield. Minkah Fitzpatrick kept Pittsburgh close with multiple interceptions against his former team, and receivers Diontae Johnson and Smith-Schuster did the heavy lifting on their touchdown receptions.
Johnson's touchdown was on a short underneath route on 3rd-and-20 that turned into a 45-yard score thanks to a defensive formation that was questionable to say the least. Smith-Schuster battled tight coverage and high-pointed a pass over Chris Lammons with Howard on the sideline because of a knee injury.
Come for the Steelers TD, stay for James Washington’s block to clear the way 😱
Just for good measure, the defense stopped Ryan Fitzpatrick on a fourth down that was seemingly reviewed forever before Conner created much-needed separation with a touchdown.
Getting the win was the most important thing, but Rudolph did not inspire much confidence even with improved play in the second half against arguably the worst team in the league. The path gets much more difficult facing the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Rams, who are a combined 10-5, in the next two games.
If he plays like he did in the early going Monday, the hole will be too deep for his teammates to dig out of.
Dolphins Inching Closer to a Win
It's not a foregone conclusion the Dolphins will go 0-16 this year.
Fitzpatrick replaced Josh Rosen during an Oct. 13 loss to Washington and almost overcame a 17-3 deficit before a failed two-point conversion at the end of the game. He was also solid last time out against the Buffalo Bills before the Dolphins were outscored by 15 in the fourth quarter.
It appeared as if Miami was finally going to find the win column when Fitzpatrick hit Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns for early touchdowns. The veteran used his mobility to avoid pressure and pick up key third-down conversions, but the entire game changed when the defense inexplicably blitzed eight on the 3rd-and-20 touchdown for Johnson.
Howard's injury and Mark Walton's fumble when the visitors were driving in the fourth quarter didn't help either, and the game slowly slipped away.
There have been enough silver linings in the last three games to suggest the Dolphins' win is coming. It just didn't arrive Monday.
What's Next?
Both teams are home in Week 9, when the Steelers will face the Indianapolis Colts and the Dolphins will square off with the New York Jets.
'Bad JuJu' Is Just What the Steelers Need
Oct 3, 2019
The swagger, the calm, the certainty inside the Steelers locker room was palpable back in January 2018. One of the NFL's most treasured franchises was on the verge of a seventh Lombardi Trophy. You could feel it. Sense it.
Practically everywhere you looked was a future Hall of Famer. Ben Roethlisbergerand Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. All at the peak of their powers. After a 13-3 regular season, these Steelers undoubtedly had the talent to first vanquish the imposters that were the Jaguars, then slay Tom Brady and the Patriots, then win the Super Bowl...and they knew it.
Confidence soared, right on down to a rookie sensation named JuJu Smith-Schuster.
The glow of that trio was not intimidating him.
"As a player, I want to be…" Smith-Schuster told B/R at the time, squinting and pausing a few seconds, "remembered. I say 'remembered,' because I don't want to be a guy who just comes by, walks through the locker room—'Oh, he did that'—and he's not remembered. I don't want to be the guy who's, 'Oh yeah, he's good, good, good.' I want to be remembered like Randy Moss. I want to leave a legacy here, like AB's doing it. I follow his footsteps every day.
"I'm trying to be the best of the best."
A few days later, an icy chill submerged a stadium that had transformed into nothing but yellow Terrible Towels and clouds of exhales from every mouth of every fan, coach and player with "Thunderstruck" booming from the speakers. You could practically hear John Facenda growl, see Jack Lambert snarl and feel goosebumps on your goosebumps when the ball was kicked. Another epic chapter was set to be written in the history of an epic franchise.
Then, instead, that franchise began the process of completely unraveling.
The Steelers were punished physically and dumped from the playoffs by those alleged imposters.
Bell, that revolutionary back, sat out the entire next season.
Brown, that GOAT-chasing receiver, redefined career suicide by quitting on the Steelers in Week 17 of the 2018 season and then, after being traded to the Raiders, falling deep and even deeper into a world of bizarre only he deems rational (treating most everyone he encounters as scum along the way).
Big Ben? He threw for a career-high 5,129 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2018 but also missed the playoffs for the first time in five years, and then he suffered a season-ending elbow injury in Week 2 of the 2019 season. He'll be 38 years old with 237 starts under his belt by the time 2020 rolls around.
It's been a cataclysmic chain of events, leaving Smith-Schuster as the last star standing.
Er, make that lying down, on a table inside the Steelers' weight room on this day some 20 months later, rocking Oakleys and a signature high-top fade.
Smith-Schuster's tone has not changed, nor has the team's.
The Steelers, now 1-3, still expect to win, because that's all they've known. Where other franchises would tank after a start like this, they're shipping off a first-round pick for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick—to get better now.
Such belief may prove to be utter delusion and make eventual rebuilding that much more painful. The Steelers may prove to be a team in denial, bleeding profusely, putting off the trip to urgent care.
But right here is a reason for hope that that won't happen: a 22-year-old face of the franchise to remind everyone that when one generation of stars fades in Pittsburgh, another is bound to emerge.
You just need to look a little deeper.
Yes, Smith-Schuster has morphed his name into a brand in record time. From losing his bike and turning #TeamFindJuJusBike into a national cause. To filming himself, constantly, letting the world know as only Smith-Schuster can when he finally got his driver's license or pranked locals as a "Fake JuJu." To going to prom with a high schooler whose date dumped him, chronicling it all. (The two had matching velvet suits.) To going viral for his love of Fortnite. To autographing a fan's head. (Smith-Schuster told the fan that he'd hook him up with tickets if he got the autograph tattooed, and the fan did, so Smith-Schuster paid up.)
To gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated. (Playing video games.) To introducing the word "litty" into common nomenclature. (This isn't Pittsburgh. This is "Littsburgh," he corrects.) To ramping up his Twitter following to 1.02 million, his IG to 2.9 million, his YouTube channel to 849K.
Smith-Schuster could be perceived as a product of our times, as another self-appointed Generation Z celebrity in need of those minute-by-minute, second-by-second hits of dopamine. Even his the French Bulldog, Boujee, is verified on IG with 223K followers.
Look deeper, though, and there's more to Smith-Schuster than anything an app spits out. A substance. A toughness. Everything the city of Pittsburgh appreciates. He is the one who the Steelers can build around. He is the one who can carry forward the tradition built by the Steel Curtain and company in the 70s and kept alive by Bill Cowher and Jerome Bettis and Troy Polamalu and Roethlisberger—of a franchise that can't be knocked down for long, one that's only missed the playoffs in consecutive years once this century.
Smith-Schuster sits up straight and stares ahead, his eyes concealed behind those sunglasses.
No, he's not afraid to speak up. "Definitely not afraid. I just tell it how it is."
Because this is his team now, and that's fine by him.
"No pressure, no pressure. I don't feel pressure," he says. "I got guys with me, so they're going to ride or die."
The Steelers will be back because they always are. He'll be the reason why, too.
The JuJu Smith-Schuster who isn't packaged into tidy, filtered IG posts.
This JuJu Smith-Schuster.
The moment Smith-Schuster demolished Vontaze Burfict as a rookie is precisely when his popularity skyrocketed. Burfict was a hated adversary in Pittsburgh. A villain. And this 6'1", 215-pound receiver channeled an entire fanbase's fury in lurking over him, WWE-style. He was fined, suspended, whatever. Smith-Schuster was also promptly offered free drinks, free food, free parking, free anything he'd ever want in this city.
A star was born.
"That's when my whole life changed," Smith-Schuster says. "This city shows so much love. Unbelievable. Wherever I go, it's all love. I can be in a bad neighborhood, and everyone's on my side. That's just how it is around here."
Here's the thing: Burfict wasn't his first victim.
Growing up, rugby was his true love.
During one preseason rugby game, he clotheslined a kid.
The scene was mayhem, with the benches clearing and that kid's parents cussing out Smith-Schuster's parents. Smith-Schuster got suspended for the entire regular season with practically no debate. Of course, he returned for the playoffs and led his South Bay Spartans club team to a championship. He played for the Spartans six years in all, relishing the padless violence. Several colleges even recruited Smith-Schuster to play rugby, and his mom, Sammy Toa-Schuster, thinks he would've made this sport his No. 1 priority had he been offered a full scholarship.
That first year, Mom couldn't go anywhere in Pittsburgh without someone telling her Smith-Schuster was their hero for knocking out Burfict—"I've never seen anyone so happy to see someone get hit like that!" she says. Quite a different reaction from that rugby clothesline.
CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 04: JuJu Smith-Schuster #19 of the Pittsburgh Steelers stands over Vontaze Burfict #55 of the Cincinnati Bengals after a hit during the second half at Paul Brown Stadium on December 4, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy L
She tried to apologize to the other kid's parents that day, but they weren't having it. Maybe because, as she recalls, the kid was sent to the hospital.
Smith-Schuster is different than everything we're trained to think about the NFL wide receiver.
He loved playing defense on his Long Beach Polytechnic (California) high school football team, too, and was ranked by Rivals as the No. 2 safety prospect in the class of 2014 nationally, just ahead of Pro Bowl Jets safety Jamal Adams. That's why he loves blocking today, the grunt work that most receivers equate to cleaning toilets. Smith-Schuster loves beelining toward a player who has 30 pounds on him—the challenge, the violence. Blocking brings him back to playing safety, to rugby. It's no shock he was carded all the time, with opposing parents always yelling, "Why is he playing? Take him out!"
When the other team saw Smith-Schuster warming up, Mom could hear all the whispers: "Oh my gosh. He's here. He's here."
"They were afraid of this guy," Sammy says. "And if you see the other team, they're huge. They're bigger than him."
Smith-Schuster remembers the clothesline well and makes no apologies. As he explains, he went low on someone who was smaller than him, which meant his forearm naturally lodged underneath the kid's head and, uh, in his words, "choked him." Thus, the mayhem. He's still convinced everyone on the other team went berserk just so he'd get kicked out, too. One thing he says is certain: This is the Samoan in him. Such heritage runs deep in his mother's genes, and his stepdad is also Samoan.
It's as if a menacing, yoked rugby player doing the (slightly terrifying) Haka ritual was suddenly dropped into an NFL Sunday.
Says Smith-Schuster: "I was around all Polynesians my whole life. That made me a more mean, physical person."
Adds Mom, "It's just that Samoan warrior side."
So there was Smith-Schuster at USC, throwing haymakers at a teammate in practice. And here's Smith-Schuster admittedly "salty" that he wasn't the first wide receiver taken in the 2017 draft. He was the sixth, at No. 62 overall, behind Corey Davis (No. 5), Mike Williams (No. 7), John Ross III (No. 9), Zay Jones (No. 37) and Curtis Samuel (No. 40).
"I use that motivation," he says, "that all 32 of these teams that passed up on me—'Yeah, OK, that's what you're going to do?'"
Not that this side of Smith-Schuster is broadcast on his Instagram.
How does he make this switch from jovial JuJu to the player de-cleating anything in his path?
"When the whistle is blown and that ball is hiked," he says, "there's a different JuJu on the field. And it's Bad JuJu. In between plays, I'm Bad JuJu. I'm trying to really score and do anything I can to win this game.
"In my head, I would do anything, by any means, to win this one play. Whether it's a route, whether it's a run play, whether it's me blocking downfield or whether it's me catching the ball. I don't know how to explain it. Have you ever seen the movie Avatar? That Avatar state? Something like that."
As a result, his teams have always won. From high school (33-8) to USC (27-13) to the pros (23-12-1).
Now, he's the one getting proverbially clotheslined.
The good news is that Smith-Schuster can take a hit, too.
For 30 to 35 seconds, he was out cold. Unconscious.
When he awoke, he couldn't move his neck. Not an inch.
That weekend, Smith-Schuster was supposed to fly across the country to Ohio State—his first college visit—but football wasn't on his mind. When Smith-Schuster, the football player, was knocked out in high school, other thoughts crossed his mind.
What can I move?
What can I do?
Am I breathing?
Mom raced down to the field to see her son and tried not to cry. Tried to be strong. Seeing her pain, he repeated, "I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine," even though he still couldn't rotate his head. Smith-Schuster was taken off the field on a stretcher, spent five hours at the hospital, got a MRI and was told that—in addition to the obvious concussion—he must've hit a nerve that "shocked" his body.
Smith-Schuster brushes it off as a stinger today. But at the time, it was scary. Really scary.
Nevertheless, Smith-Schuster flew to Columbus that weekend as originally planned.
The next week, he played.
This is the norm with Smith-Schuster. He does not sit out.
In college, he ravaged the body parts that were supposed to earn him millions: his hands. Smith-Schuster holds them out now and reminisces. As a freshman, he tore tendons in his left thumb…and simply taped it up in a soft cast for every practice, every game, and played on. As a sophomore, he broke the bone beneath the ring finger on his right hand against Cal on a Saturday. He had surgery on Monday, inserting a plate and a screw into his hand, sure to send the gross pictures to head coach Clay Helton. Rehabbed Tuesday through Friday. Played on Saturday.
His first catch that day was a one-hander—with his one good hand—and he finished with 138 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions.
To him, it isn't complicated.
"I just didn't like the feeling of being left out," Smith-Schuster says, "of not being involved and leading my teammates out there."
Mom called Helton to try to convince him to sideline her son, but that was never an option. Not with Smith-Schuster. Through sprained AC joints, a right hip pointer and busting up his hands, he never missed a game at USC.
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 07: JuJu Smith-Schuster #9 of the USC Trojans falls to the ground with an injury during the third quarter against the Arizona Wildcats at Los Angeles Coliseum on November 7, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How
He hasn't let injuries slow him down in the NFL, either. Smith-Schuster suffered two more concussions, a hamstring injury and a bum ankle as a rookie…then hurt his knee, abdomen and groin in Year 2…and already dinged his toe in Year 3.
That's only what's documented, too.
What's even more absurd than Smith-Schuster bouncing back from all of that is how he bounces back. He isn't taking shots of Toradol. He puts practically nothing into his body. Period. Smith-Schuster says he takes ibuprofen only in the most extreme circumstances. In fact, name your inhibitor—alcohol, nicotine, pain meds, even protein shakes—he's never wanted them in his body. The roots of this trace back to Smith-Schuster's Pop Warner days, when he broke a bone and was prescribed Tylenol for the pain. The Tylenol didn't work, so he tried ibuprofen, which made him drowsy. It was a sensation he did not enjoy one bit.
He never forgot. He chose to embrace the pain.
With, granted, a little help from one of his Samoan aunts, who'd use a combination of hot water and tea leaves to massage him—all while praying. As Mom chuckles, "That was his medicine."
Growing up in this house, no doubt, prepared Smith-Schuster for anything this 2019 season throws his way, too.
This was not a sad situation. Everyone always makes it clear that they don't want your tears.
Still, the reality is that up until college, Smith-Schuster never slept in a bed. His home in Southern California was always packed with siblings and cousins and relatives from every branch of the family tree. At one point, 23 people lived under the same roof. Whoever wanted to crash first got the couch. From there, most everyone else Tetris'ed on the floor. Smith-Schuster's go-to spot was the corner of the garage with nothing but a thin blanket between him and the concrete.
After his parents lost their jobs and house, this was home for eight years.
So you bet Smith-Schuster cherished his first bed at USC. He kept the same one for all three years.
Smith-Schuster's late grandmother, affectionately known as "Big Mama," owned this house and opened it up to all family members in need. Such is the Samoan culture. Says Sammy: "We love, we love, we love everybody. We embrace everybody. We were just rich with love."
Each child had one blanket and one pillow, and that was enough.
Food was scarce with up to four full families in the same home at the same time, so they'd all eat buffet-style—"first come, first served," Smith-Schuster recalls.
The weekends consisted of BBQs and ultracompetitive card games and board games.
Smith-Schuster changed his share of baby diapers along the way, too.
He never asked for much. He made one pair of sneakers last until they couldn't function. But by God, did Smith-Schuster want a PlayStation when he was 10 years old. Sammy couldn't afford it, not at $250 with all the controllers and everything, so Big Mama told JuJu that she'd give him $20 for each touchdown he scored on his youth team. Sure enough, there was Smith-Schuster three games later, after a five-touchdown game. He raced into his grandmother's clothing shop. "Big Mama! Big Mama!" he yelled. "I got it! Five touchdowns!"
That's when the gamer in Smith-Schuster was born, and that's when he learned a valuable lesson: Everything always had to be earned.
Hours of Fortnite don't mean a thing if he isn't training like an Olympian just as often.
It's no wonder Steelers veterans were miffed at the sight of Smith-Schuster as a rookie just sitting in the meeting room, not taking any notes, not even holding a pen. "Man," Darrius Heyward-Bey said at the time, "you ain't going to write anything down?" Smith-Schuster instead listened to his coach intently—eyes fixated on the film, on precisely what was being taught—and then he applied it all to the field.
With ease. With a photographic memory.
Smith-Schuster insists he could play any position on the field. Give him an hour, and he'd have running back "down pat."
"It's crazy, because people are writing notes and writing this and that down. I can't function like that," he says. "I see the plays, I scan it, keep it in my memory."
If there's an adjustment to make, it's in his mind. Against every type of coverage, he knows he has this route or that route or must block a linebacker at a specific angle.
"By the time I go out there…"
Smith-Schuster snaps his fingers.
He's not sure where this gift comes from, but it's the same reason that for as long as he can remember, he has been able to assimilate with kids older than himself.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 29: JuJu Smith-Schuster #19 of the Pittsburgh Steelers talks on the sideline during their preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by
Mom knew it was there. She registered Smith-Schuster into school at four years old despite a counselor warning that this could stunt his growth. The moment Smith-Schuster fell behind, the concerned counselor told her, he'd be held back. Period. The first parent-teacher conference arrived soon enough and, lo and behold, the reports were glowing. Smith-Schuster was learning at a faster rate than kids one and two years older than him. By the time he was six, he told his mother he'd attend Long Beach Poly for high school one day, then play at USC, then go to the NFL.
And now, as Mom says, he is still mature "beyond his years."
In the NFL, it's meant becoming the youngest player to score a touchdown since 1964, the youngest to catch a touchdown since 1930, and he has now passed Randy Moss as the youngest receiver ever to reach 2,500 receiving yards.
"In JuJu's world," Sammy says, "nothing is impossible."
So on April 7, there he was. Handling a sucker punch with effortless grace. At precisely 2:10 p.m. ET, Antonio Brown dragged his ex-teammate into the Twitter ring and took a swing. When a fan reminded Brown that Smith-Schuster had been voted team MVP, Brown blamed Smith-Schuster for fumbling away Pittsburgh's playoff chances. One hour later, Smith-Schuster offered a peaceful response. And when Brown tried to stick it to Smith-Schuster, when he posted a DM Smith-Schuster had sent him back when he was still at USC, what was inside Al Capone's vault?
An innocent message in which Smith-Schuster politely introduced himself, called Brown "a great man on and off the field" and asked for any advice.
There is no relationship between the two now—"I don't talk to him," Smith-Schuster says, blankly—but Smith-Schuster also doesn't spike the football. He says he learned plenty from Brown about work ethic, about adapting to other QBs when Roethlisberger goes down.
One day, the difference between how these two former teammates use social media will be written about in textbooks. Whereas Brown OD'ed on dopamine, from Facebook Live'ing Mike Tomlin in the locker room to posting a private conversation with Jon Gruden, Smith-Schuster has provided a master class. What you see is what you get because Smith-Schuster sincerely wants to impact his community. If he feels like going to an elementary school, hell, he just shows up. Lately, he's felt the urge to give back to senior citizens. Because of "Big Mama," and because he says he has always vibed well with seniors.
Told that what he's trying to do is impossible, that there's only so much time available to help, Smith-Schuster cuts in.
"You make time. People say they don't have time. You make time," he says. "There's always time."
And when he's at work, it's time to work. He knows firsthand from 2018 that drama and distractions do matter inside a locker room.
"Of course," Smith-Schuster says. "That's something where we all have to be on the same page—to go win a Super Bowl. I think that's what everyone here is about. And that's what we're doing."
Mature, for sure. Maybe this is why what appears to all of us as the sad collapse of a franchise doesn't appear that way at all to Smith-Schuster. Through the Jaguars embarrassment. Through that crushing fumble in New Orleans. Through losing those three Hall of Fame talents. Through AB's heel turn.
Through his position coach dying.
He can handle all of it.
He stares back down at his hands, the ones battered at USC that have now caught 186 balls in the pros. Specifically, he eyes up the three rubber wristbands on each hand and spins them around to reveal messages inscribed. These are the words Steelers receivers coach Darryl Drake would often repeat.
When drama seeped into the locker room in 2018. When Brown left in 2019.
"The first thing he said was, 'Shut out the noise. Don't let the outside people distract us,'" Smith-Schuster says. "And when you're working hard, 'Never choose good when great's available.' Those are two quotes I live by every day. Day by day. I look at my wrists and just remind myself."
Drake was found unresponsive in his training camp dorm room in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 11. At 62 years old.
The Steelers canceled two days of practice and hired grief counselors. And when the team returned to the field? The visual of Roethlisberger consoling Smith-Schuster captured his heartache. Helmet on, his face buried in clasped hands, all emotion pouring out.
Big Ben and JuJu at Pittsburgh’s first practice following the death of WR coach Darryl Drake.
How Drake coached is how Smith-Schuster always aspired to play—"finishing the play," he says. So he wears these bands 24/7. They never come off. He's dedicating this season to Drake, and Drake's family, too.
"I was devastated," Smith-Schuster says. "There are no words to explain how I felt. It's just something that we all go through. It sucks."
His words grind to a halt.
He stares down at the floor, zoned out, as if it doesn't matter if another question is even asked.
Behind those dark Oakleys, it's impossible to tell if tears are welling up again.
Veterans hand it to Smith-Schuster. The empire he's built is damn impressive. His personality has fueled major endorsement deals with Pepsi, Doritos and HyperX. More impressive to them, though, is how swiftly he makes that "Bad JuJu" switch. Guard Ramon Foster, a Steeler since 2009, calls Smith-Schuster "Hines Ward-esque" and can see that he's carving his own path in the post-Brown landscape.
Trying to "go against that."
Everyone agrees Smith-Schuster is a leader in the receivers room and beyond.
From Foster: "Guys have to fall under him. The stuff that he does day to day, they will mimic him, too. It will be a great precedence set if he can change that room to be like-minded like himself."
To receiver Donte Moncrief: "When it comes down to the field, he knows how to turn it on."
To running back James Conner, who notes that for all the fun YouTubing, the city relates most to Smith-Schuster's stiff-arms, devastating blocks and willingness to go across the middle.
"He could leave a great legacy," Conner says, "being one of the great Pittsburgh Steeler receivers. He's already had a lot of great plays, but I know he's going to make a lot more."
Like his 76-yard touchdown against the 49ers in Week 3, when he lulled Ahkello Witherspoon to sleep…pinned a 3rd-and-4 ball against his facemask…shucked away a defender…and sped away from everyone up the left sideline.
And that's the problem. A wide receiver can only do so much. Smith-Schuster could walk on water, but unless the ball's accurately thrown his way, there's not much he can do—with the weight of permanent, colossal expectations on his shoulders. Since 1971, the Steelers have had only seven losing seasons. Three head coaches have overseen five decades of winning. The mere suggestion of rebuilding is taboo here.
When Canton-bound QBs go down on other teams, the season is effectively toast.
Not here, Foster says.
"The pressure of being here won't allow that. The mentality of us. Maybe the spotlight's off, but the show is still going," says Foster. "You see how it is. Historically through here. That's the biggest part of counting us out—OK, keep thinking that. Same as when Ben came in. JuJu came in and fell into a spot himself. And James. Think about it. Here, historically, the show rolls on."
Long ago, Roethlisberger replaced Tommy Maddox (and went 13-0). Just as Conner replaced Bell (and rushed for 973 yards and 12 scores in 13 games) and Smith-Schuster replaced Brown (and won the city's heart).
Pittsburgh, a city with 300-plus steel-related businesses, has been described as the "poster child for managing industrial transition" by Dr. Robert Mauro. Now, it's on Smith-Schuster to do exactly that with the football team. To serve as the heartbeat of Littsburgh.
"They embrace people who are really physical," he says, "and do the dirty work."
He's seen the clips of Lynn Swann fully horizontal in the Super Bowl. And Franco Harris finger-tipping—cough, out of frame, cough—an Immaculate Reception. And Troy Polamalu leaping over the line of scrimmage. There are so many iconic moments from so many iconic players through Pittsburgh's history. And while calling them all "unbelievable," Smith-Schuster does not feel like reminiscing.
"I'm trying to create my own memories," he says, "and trying to build my own legacy here."
That legacy, he says, will be a player who did everything in his power to help the team win. Who poured himself into every single play of every single game. Such words don't feel like a regurgitated cliche here, either, because Smith-Schuster has the scars to prove this isn't B.S. And the genes. The brain. The heart. So much more than anything anyone's seen online.
To all of us, the Steelers appear doomed. Not to him.
"If you can ride with us, ride. If you can't, don't. We're the Pittsburgh Steelers. We're going to be here regardless."
The AC in the room hums. His voice is slightly above a whisper.
Smith-Schuster knows a leader here is needed, and that it's his time.
"That comes," he says, "with being The Guy."
Tyler Dunne covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @TyDunne.
Mason Rudolph, Juju Smith-Schuster Fantasy Outlook After Roethlisberger's Injury
Sep 16, 2019
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster lines up against the Tennessee Titans in the first half of a preseason NFL football game Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Fantasy football players who have Pittsburgh Steelers skill-position players on their roster received a tough bit of news Monday.
The Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlinannounced that veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be out for the season with an elbow injury. That means Mason Rudolph will step into the starting quarterback role, and it also means the team's receivers—most notably JuJu Smith-Schuster—will take a hit to their fantasy value.
But let's start with Rudolph. Should fantasy players add him on waivers this week?
Well, if you were already rolling with Roethlisberger as your starter, having Rudolph on your team would make sense. Chances are he's a better option than the other quarterbacks still available.
But Rudolph also showed flashes in relief duty on Sunday. The second-year quarterback finished 12-of-19 with 112 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The Steelers still lost against the Seattle Seahawks, 28-26, but Rudolph gave them a fighting shot.
His teammates, at least, have confidence in him.
"We like our chances," guard David DeCastro said, perJeremy Fowlerof ESPN. "He's a guy who cares a lot. That means a lot in this league."
"He is going to throw the ball and make his reads," added tight end Vance McDonald, who caught two touchdown passes from Rudolph and stands to potentially be the biggest beneficiary of the change at quarterback as Rudolph's security blanket. "I think he is very deliberate about that and that is something we can look forward to on offense."
As the #Steelers get ready for life without Big Ben, it’s worth noting veterans spoke highly of Mason Rudolph after yesterday’s game. Said one: “He wants to be the show.” @nflnetworkpic.twitter.com/xPM3Rx4x8h
Still, it's always risky business trusting a backup quarterback in fantasy. Rudolph has solid weapons in Smith-Schuster, McDonald and James Conner, but until he proves he can produce solid numbers with regularity, you should consider him a QB2.
He's absolutely worth a roster stash, however.
On phone with a team personnel guy as he Roethlisberger news broke: “Obviously it’s a huge loss because of his experience and what he’s done but with the way Mason Rudolph played in the preseason and yesterday, they’ll be in better shape than a lot of other teams would be.”
This isn't like many teams where you know the O will be terrible. Rudolph is a second-year QB who actually might be good. Must-add in dynasty and 2QB leagues. We need to downgrade the top weapons, but don't completely panic.
While McDonald has a chance to post very strong numbers with Rudolph, Smith-Schuster could see a decline in production with Roethlisberger injured. One positive, however, was that he was still targeted regularly with Rudolph in the game:
Mason Rudolph target distribution yesterday:
5- JuJu Smith-Schuster 4 - Vance McDonald 3 - Diontae Johnson 2 - James Conner 1 - Jaylen Samuels, Xavier Grimble, James Washington, Donte Moncrief, Ryan Switzer
The question Rudolph has to answer is whether he can consistently deliver quality targets to Smith-Schuster, or hit him down the field for chunk plays. Through two games, Smith-Schuster hasn't quite lived up to his WR1 billing, catching 11 passes for 162 yards.
Solid numbers, but at the moment, that's nothing more than flex production. It's hard to imagine Rudolph dramatically improving his upside.
But the amount of targets Smith-Schuster received with Rudolph in the game is a promising sign. Different people will offer different projections, with some believing he's still in the WR1 tier.
Injury imp resetting the fantasy QB landscape.
JuJu remains a back end WR1. Rudolph throws a quality deep ball and instantly got him involved. Vance McDonald/Washington upticks. Moncrief ... DROP. https://t.co/aEBZumMbMS
That seems slightly optimistic, however. The safe bet is that Smith-Schuster will settle into the low-end WR2 range or even sink to a flex option, well below his preseason projections. James Washington remains an appealing stash, while Donte Moncrief has been dreadful to start the season and can be safely dropped. And McDonald is locked in place as a TE1 with Rudolph at the helm.
Don't panic when it comes to the Steelers. Just know that a regression from certain players, namely the wideouts, is probable. Going from a proven veteran like Roethlisberger to a second-year player like Rudolph is a major adjustment, and one that typically doesn't benefit a team's wide receivers.
JuJu, James Washington Fantasy Outlook After Ben Roethlisberger Elbow Injury
Sep 16, 2019
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster lines up against the Tennessee Titans in the first half of a preseason NFL football game Sunday, Aug. 25, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
The Pittsburgh Steelers now have to turn to backup quarterback Mason Rudolph after Ben Roethlisberger suffered an elbow injury in Sunday's 28-26 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks.
According to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer, the Steelers plan to have Roethlisberger undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.
One Steelers player told ESPN's Dianna Russini that Roethlisberger was dealing with elbow inflammation earlier in the week leading up to the game.
Pittsburgh selected Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 draft. The former Oklahoma State star didn't appear in a regular-season game as a rookie, which won't be reassuring news to fantasy owners who are relying on JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington.
Steelers offensive guard David DeCastro is optimistic about Rudolph, who finished 12-of-19 for 112 yards, two touchdowns and an interception Sunday.
“Not that much drop off, if any,” said David DeCastro about Mason Rudolph taking over for the injured Ben Roethlisberger.
Asked about the offense going forward if it’s with Rudolph rather than Roethlisberger: “I like our chances.”
Smith-Schuster is coming off a Pro Bowl appearance in 2018. He caught 111 passes for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns. His big year provided the team some level of confidence he could step up to replace Antonio Brown.
Through two games in 2019, Smith-Schuster has 11 receptions for 162 yards.
The switch to Rudolph will likely limit Smith-Schuster's big-play ability somewhat since Pittsburgh may not trust Rudolph just yet to make throws deep downfield.
Still, the former USC star had 166 targets in 2018, which were fourth-most in the NFL. He should get enough looks from Rudolph to remain in your lineup.
Washington will be a little tougher to gauge.
He had 16 receptions for 217 yards and a touchdown as a rookie. Most fans likely remember his drop in a defeat to the Denver Broncos last November.
Brown's departure meant a slightly bigger role for Washington, who has registered four receptions for 74 yards so far.
Washington's fantasy ceiling suffers from the fact that he's clearly behind Smith-Schuster in the wide receiver hierarchy and also competing with Diontae Johnson, Vance McDonald and James Conner for targets.
Take Roethlisberger out of the mix, and Washington should head for the bench—if he isn't there already.
Week 2 NFL Picks: Final Vegas Odds and Predictions for Sunday's Slate
Sep 15, 2019
Week 2 in the NFL could serve as a continuation of impressive Week 1 production or as a bounce-back opportunity for franchises that suffered defeats.
Eight teams head into home games Sunday with the goal of avoiding their first losing streaks of the 2019 campaign.
The Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers are among the sides attempting to recover from poor opening results in their home openers.
The matchups for the Broncos and Steelers might seem tough on paper, but there are some trends that suggest they level their records Sunday.
New Orleans atLos Angeles Rams(-1.5) (4:25 p.m., Fox)
Philadelphia (-1.5)at Atlanta (8:20 p.m., NBC)
Predictions
Seattle at Pittsburgh (-3.5)
The one-loss Steelers will try to produce the opposite start at Heinz Field to they did in 2018. Mike Tomlin's team dropped results to the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens on the way to a 1-2-1 September mark.
The good news for Pittsburgh is it went 4-2 in games after a defeat, with three of those victories coming on home soil.
Even though Ben Roethlisberger struggled against the New England Patriots defense in Week 1, he should discover some success versus a Seattle defense that let up 395 passing yards at home in its 2019 opener.
Against NFC opposition in 2018, the 37-year-old went 3-1 and averaged 253.8 passing yards while tossing 14 touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.
In three of those contests, JuJu Smith-Schuster racked up 90 yards or more, including a pair of 115-plus performances versus the Tampa Bay Bucaneers and New Orleans Saints. In addition, the Seahawks lost their opening road games a year ago to the Chicago Bears and Denver.
If those trends continue, the Steelers could take advantage of Seattle's secondary, but the final score could be tight.
Despite conceding more than 300 total yards in five road games, the Seahawks played six one-possession games on their travels last season.
The counter argument to that is seven of Pittsburgh's nine victories were by four points or more.
Chicago at Denver (+2)
Denver head coach Vic Fangio opposes the team he was hired from in his first head coaching appearance at Mile High Stadium.
The 61-year-old spent four seasons as Chicago's defensive coordinator, so he has familiarity with the pieces in the Bears offense.
Fangio will not know the exact plays thrown at his defense, but he has a good idea of the approach Matt Nagy will have, per NBC Sports Chicago's Cam Ellis:
"He has a good imagination with how he goes about it. Each and every week, they put together a different game plan from week-to-week, use their versatile players and run their offense. They’ve got a lot of nice players there that can be moved around and be versatile and play in different spots, and he’s a good guy to have that on his plate because he knows how to use it."
Both offenses are in need of a jolt, as they enter Sunday in the bottom third in team offense and in the lower tier of passing yards.
The Bears produced the better defensive performance by holding the Green Bay Packers to 3.7 yards per play compared to Denver's concession of 6.6 yards per play versus the Oakland Raiders.
However, there is one trend that could tell you which way to lean, as the Broncos are 17-1 in home openers dating back to 2001, per Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune.
Additionally, the Broncos are facing a quarterback in Mitchell Trubisky who has one touchdown pass in his past three games.
The third-year signal-caller did not receive support on the ground in Week 1, as the Bears ran for 46 yards versus Green Bay.
If Trubisky is unable to lead Chicago's offense down the field for scores and the running game sputters again, Denver could roll.
