JuJu Smith-Schuster

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The New England Patriots kicked off their Super Bowl title defense with a commanding 33-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. Pittsburgh may be a fellow AFC contender, but the Patriots were once again head and shoulders above the competition at the start of a new season.

Tom Brady went 24-of-36 for 341 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions, spreading the ball around to seven different receivers and never giving Pittsburgh a chance to get back in the game once it fell behind.

Ben Roethlisberger couldn't keep up in the quarterback battle, going 27-of-47 for 276 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception.

FINAL: @TomBrady's three TDs lead the @Patriots to an #SNF win! #PITvsNE #GoPats

(by @Lexus) pic.twitter.com/WK6IJLr7y4

— NFL (@NFL) September 9, 2019

         

Steelers Given Cruel Reminder of the Large Gap Between Them and the Patriots

Business is always boomin' for the Patriots when they play the Steelers.

New England is now 12-4 in head-to-head matchups with the Steelers since Brady took over as full-time quarterback during the 2001 season. It is 3-0 in playoff games during that span, and Pittsburgh's win last year snapped a five-game losing streak that dated back to October 2011.

The Pats and The Steelers are a rivalry if the Hammer and the nail are a rivalry

— trey wingo (@wingoz) September 9, 2019

so it's interesting...the consensus is that ben roethlisberger is a hall of fame qb. but it's crazy that his squads have lost to the patriots so much that we don't really think of him as a rival of tom brady, and it feels like their teams play each other every year.

— bomani (@bomani_jones) September 9, 2019

The Patriots are the inevitable obstacle that consistently stands in Pittsburgh's way, and Sunday's contest suggests that won't change anytime soon.

Brady is often at his best against the Steelers and outplays Roethlisberger, while head coach Bill Belichick has made a habit of outcoaching his counterpart. Mike Tomlin made a handful of questionable decisions during Sunday's loss, including attempting a field goal from New England's 1-yard line in the third quarter while facing a 20-0 deficit.

i'd hate to hear what belichick says about tomlin in his private moments. he just dominates that dude.

— bomani (@bomani_jones) September 9, 2019

Mike Tomlin has been the Pats MVP tonight

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) September 9, 2019

Whenever the Steelers face New England, and you watch The Patriots precision side by side with Pittsburgh, it really unveils the coaching truth w these two franchises. Surgical v Sloppy. Tonight is downright embarrassing.

— Colin Cowherd (@colincowherd) September 9, 2019

The gap between the two teams is only going to get larger.

Wide receiver Antonio Brown was on the Steelers for much of that history. For all the off-field headlines that come with him, there is no questioning his talent between the lines as a seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time First Team All-Pro selection.

He led the league in catches twice, receiving yards twice and touchdown catches last year, but even the future Hall of Famer could rarely put Pittsburgh over the top in this rivalry.

Now he's joining the other side after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Patriots agreed to a one-year deal with Brown that could be worth up to $15 million following his release from the Oakland Raiders.

“We’re down 17-0 and they don’t even have AB yet…" pic.twitter.com/QcX8dlJOx7

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 9, 2019

Pittsburgh couldn't stop the pass-catching combination of Phillip Dorsett (95 receiving yards and two touchdowns), Josh Gordon (73 receiving yards and one touchdown), Julian Edelman (83 receiving yards) and James White (56 receiving yards) in Sunday's game. Best of luck stopping all those weapons with Brown drawing double-teams as one of the league's premier receivers.

The Steelers' eventual playoff exit feels inevitable as long as the Patriots remain in the AFC.

         

Patriots' New-Look Defense Looks Scary as Ever

Don't look now, rest of the AFC. But New England's defense may be even better than the group that finished seventh in the league in points allowed per game (20.3) last season and allowed a mere three points in a Super Bowl win over a Los Angeles Rams squad featuring Jared Goff, Todd Gurley and a talented group of pass-catchers.

While New England lost pass-rusher Trey Flowers, it replaced him with Michael Bennett. It also signed linebacker Jamie Collins for a second tenure with the team and drafted Chase Winovich to bolster the front seven.

Collins flashed at times with six tackles against Pittsburgh, and a secondary that still features the likes of Patrick Chung, Jason McCourty, Stephon Gilmore and Devin McCourty, among others, kept Pittsburgh's high-octane attack in check.

The #Patriots' defense, which has been stout all night, records its first takeaway of the season with a Devin McCourty interception. https://t.co/44NTfLTu6a pic.twitter.com/8a9rbpDJvL

— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) September 9, 2019

It wasn't just the personnel that changed, as the Miami Dolphins hired former New England defensive play-caller Brian Flores to be their new head coach one season after the Detroit Lions did the same with Matt Patricia.

Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports noted former Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano was in line to take the vacant job but walked away, leaving Belichick as the de facto top defensive coach for the reigning champions.

That is anything but a problem, though, considering his defenses haven't finished outside the top 10 in points allowed since the 2011 campaign, per Sullivan.

There was no adjustment period necessary for the defense even with linebacker Kyle Van Noy sidelined because his wife Marissa Powell was in labor, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Pittsburgh didn't find the end zone a single time, James Conner had nowhere to run on his way to 21 yards on 10 carries and every receiver failed to even reach 80 yards through the air.

How about that defense?!?!?!?!? Them boys hungraaaayyyyyy!! My guys!!!!

— Kyle Van Noy (@KVN_03) September 9, 2019

The Patriots have had a lot of guys play defense tonight. #nextgenstats

Next Gen Stats, powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/G5i8FuyXZG

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 9, 2019

There are surely formidable tests to come against the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles and others, but the Steelers are no pushover with the combination of Roethlisberger, Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster.

New England shut the visitors down and once again looked like Super Bowl contenders in the process. The defense needs to be average at best with Brady and a plethora of weapons on the other side, but the unit on the field Sunday was anything but average.

It may have been even better than last year.

           

What's Next?

Pittsburgh will look to rebound with a home game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, while the Patriots will travel to face the Miami Dolphins on the road.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is positioned for a monster 2019 season, but not everyone thinks he's an elite wide receiver.

New England Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson was asked about the Pittsburgh Steelers wideout and dismissed the notion that he was one of the best in the league.

"In my opinion, I don't think so," Jackson said Thursday, per Ryan Hannable of WEEI. "There's a lot of good receivers in the NFL."

Jackson matched up against Smith-Schuster last season and held the receiver to four catches and 40 yards in a 17-10 Steelers home win. According to Mike Clay of ESPN, Jackson shadowed Smith-Schuster full-time in that Week 15 matchup while teammate Stephon Gilmore mostly stayed with Antonio Brown.

He will have a chance to improve upon these numbers when the two teams play again in Week 1 Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

The 22-year-old receiver has already proved he can put up big numbers with 111 catches for 1,426 receiving yards in 2018, earning a Pro Bowl selection in his second NFL season. With Brown traded to the Oakland Raiders in the offseason, there will be even more opportunities in 2019.

Jackson did concede that Smith-Schuster does have a lot of talent.

"I mean, he's a great receiver. I'm not saying that. He's a good football player," the second-year pro out of Maryland said. "... He's physical. He's a good route runner and he has good hands. He makes a lot of plays on the ball."

The former undrafted free agent might've still created some extra bulletin board material ahead of Sunday.

The first week of the 2019 NFL season is here, football fans! The offseason is almost officially over, as is the wait for a little good old-fashioned side action.

Whether you're a wagering veteran or ready to take the plunge, Week 1 will bring plenty of betting opportunities for you. From straight-up wagers and over/unders to playing the point spread and prop bets, you're sure to find something to suit your style.

Here, we'll examine the latest lines and over/unders from Caesars along with some score predictions for the opening week and season-long prop bets.

    

Week 1 Lines, Over/Unders and Predictions

Thursday, September 5

Green Bay Packers (+3, o/u 46.5) at Chicago Bears: Chicago 23-20

Sunday, September 8

Los Angeles Rams (-2.5, o/u 49.5) at Carolina Panthers: Los Angeles 29-24

Washington Redskins (+9.5, o/u 45) at Philadelphia Eagles: Philadelphia 33-24

Buffalo Bills (+3, o/u 41) at New York Jets: Buffalo 24-22

Atlanta Falcons (+4,o/u 47.5 at Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota 27-25

Baltimore Ravens (-7, o/u 38) at Miami Dolphins: Baltimore 27-17

Kansas City Chiefs (-4, o/u 52) at Jacksonville Jaguars: Kansas City 28-24

Tennessee Titans (+5.5, o/u 45.5) at Cleveland Browns: Cleveland 28-25

Indianapolis Colts (+6.5, o/u 44.5) at Los Angeles Chargers: Chargers 30-22

Cincinnati Bengals (+9.5, o/u 44) at Seattle Seahawks: Seattle 33-23

San Francisco 49ers (even, o/u 50) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tampa Bay 27-24

New York Giants (+7,o/u 45) at Dallas Cowboys: Dallas 26-20

Detroit Lions (-2.5, o/u 47) at Arizona Cardinals: Detroit 22-19

Pittsburgh Steelers (+5.5, o/u 50) at New England Patriots: Pittsburgh 30-28

Monday, September 9

Houston Texans (+7, o/u 52.5) at New Orleans Saints: New Orleans 30-21

Denver Broncos (even, o/u 43) at Oakland Raiders: Oakland 22-20

     

Nick Chubb Over/Under 1,073.5 Rushing Yards

Making season-long prop bets ahead of Week 1 is a fun way to add a little excitement to the season. It creates a sort of fantasy-football atmosphere when you're rooting for or against players on a weekly basis, depending on which side of the prop you pick. 

At first glance of an over/under of 1,073.5 rushing yards for Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb, this may seem like an easy over after Chubb amassed 996 yards in 2018 despite not starting a game until Week 7. However, there are plenty of folks who expect the Browns to be a passing team in 2019, and there's the eventual return of 2017 rushing champion Kareem Hunt to worry about.

The over is still the safe bet here. Once Chubb took over the starting job, he averaged 82.3 yards per game on the ground. Over a 16-game season, that would put him at 1,316 rushing yards.

Keep in mind that even after he got the starting gig, Chubb was still splitting time with receiving back Duke Johnson Jr. With Johnson now out, that complementary role will be filled by Dontrell Hilliard early in the season and likely by Hunt once he does return from suspension.

As long as Chubb stays healthy, he should hit the over.

    

Ben Roethlisberger Over/Under 4,305.5 Passing Yards

This is a season-long over/under that is a bit trickier. The Pittsburgh Steelers parted with No. 1 receiver Antonio Brown in the offseason, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has only passed for more than 4,300 yards twice in his career.

However, it's important to look at Roethlisberger's performance last season. He passed for 5,129 yards, partially because of Brown, but not entirely. JuJu Smith-Schuster emerged as an elite pass-catcher, amassing 1,426 receiving yards.

Smith-Schuster will be Roethlisberger's new No. 1 target. As long as another receiver can step into the No. 2 role, Big Ben's production shouldn't dip that far below where it was last season.

Second-year wideout James Washington, who averaged 20.8 yards per reception in the preseason, could be that guy.

"There is no doubt in my mind he's going to be doing that during the season. Super excited to watch him," Smith-Schuster said of the second-round pick out of Oklahoma State, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

If Washington can approach 1,000 yards receiving and the Steelers can get the same production out of the rest of their receiving corps as last year, Roethlisberger should top 4,306 yards.

    

Marlon Mack Over/Under 999.5 Rushing Yards

With this prop, you're essentially betting whether Indianapolis Colts running back Marlon Mack will have a 1,000-yard season. Because of the retirement of quarterback Andrew Luck, there are two ways to view this one.

Without Luck, the Colts will lean on Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. Either Mack's production (908 rushing yards in 12 games last year) will suffer because teams will focus on stopping the run, or it will thrive because the Colts will run more to make Brissett's job easier.

Go with the over here. Brissett may not stretch the field like Luck, but he's a capable passer with a little running ability of his own (he threw for 3,098 yards and ran for 260 in 16 games two seasons ago). Opposing defenses may key in on the run a bit more, but they'll also be focused on keeping Brissett in the pocket. This should open up more room for Mack.

The Colts also upgraded their receiving corps, adding Devin Funchess and Parris Campbell in the offseason. These additions should help prevent defenses from stacking the box, and let's not forget that Indianapolis has one of the best offensive lines in football.

Even while splitting time with receiving back Nyheim Hines, Mack should hit 1,000 yards.

Three weeks of the 2019 NFL preseason have passed. The "dress rehearsal" games are over, and all that remains is the final slate of games, which will largely serve to sort out the bottom end of depth charts around the league.

We've learned a lot about the NFL landscape over the past three weeks. The Arizona Cardinals offense is still a work in progress. The Cleveland Browns defense may be ready to explode before the much-heralded offense does. Oh yeah, and the Indianapolis Colts aren't going to have quarterback Andrew Luck, who retired on Saturday.

So how does the league stack up with just one obligatory round of exhibition games remaining? Let's take a look.

        

2019 NFL Power Rankings, Preseason Week 3

1. New England Patriots

2. Kansas City Chiefs

3. Los Angeles Rams

4. New Orleans Saints

5. Philadelphia Eagles

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Los Angeles Chargers

8. Chicago Bears

9. Dallas Cowboys

10. Baltimore Ravens

11. Seattle Seahawks

12. Houston Texans

13. Atlanta Falcons

14. Cleveland Browns

15. Green Bay Packers

16. Minnesota Vikings

17. Carolina Panthers

18. Jacksonville Jaguars

19. Detroit Lions

20. Tennessee Titans

21. Buffalo Bills

22. San Francisco 49erw

23. Indianapolis Colts

24. New York Jets

25. Cincinnati Bengals

26. Oakland Raiders

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

28. Denver Broncos

29. Washington Redskins

30. New York Giants

31. Arizona Cardinals

32. Miami Dolphins

        

1. New England Patriots

As defending Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots remain kings of the NFL mountain until someone forces them off the top. This could prove difficult, though, as the team is set to evolve once again.

No team changes its identity more from year to year than the Patriots. Last season, they were largely a run-first team that looked to create mismatches in the passing game with Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon (before his latest suspension).

The Patriots could be back to being a wide-open passing team in 2019, though, and Gordon is likely to be a big part of that. He has been conditionally reinstated by the NFL and is back practicing with the team.

With Gordon, Edelman, Phillip Dorsett and rookie first-round pick N'Keal Harry, New England has a formidable receiving corps that will challenge opposing defenses weekly.

Future Hall of Famer Tom Brady is at the helm of the passing attack yet again, and while we haven't seen much of him in the preseason, the 42-year-old has looked sharp and completed eight of 12 attempts for 75 yards.

A bigger takeaway from the preseason is that undrafted rookie Jakobi Meyers has legitimate star potential. The 6'2" pass-catcher has been difficult to stop in the preseason, amassing 225 yards and two touchdowns on 19 receptions.

If the 22-year-old represents the back end of New England's receiving corps, opposing secondaries are likely to have nightmares in 2019.

    

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

Perhaps the biggest riser during the preseason has been the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were largely overlooked during the offseason—both because of Browns hype and the lack of a playoff berth in 2018. However, anyone overlooking them now could be in trouble.

So the Steelers lost Antonio Brown in the offseason. That's not likely to be an issue. JuJu Smith-Schuster is primed to step into his No. 1 role, while second-year man James Washington appears poised to take over as the No. 2.

Through three preseason games, Washington has caught nine passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. He's averaged 22.6 yards per reception. As long as Smith-Schuster thrives as a No. 1 target, Washington is likely to thrive alongside him.

Then there's the Pittsburgh defense. This is a smothering unit that managed to rack up 52 sacks in 2018. If its dress rehearsal against the Tennessee Titans was an accurate indication, the Steelers defense will pick up where it left off.

Tennessee produced just 223 yards and six points against the Steelers. Its quarterbacks were sacked a combined seven times.

"I don't like to put too much stock in it, but if this is any indication of how we are going to play, it's a good sign," defensive end Cameron Heyward said, per The Athletic's Mark Kaboly.

Don't be shocked if the Steelers once again claim the AFC North in 2019.

     

23. Indianapolis Colts

The biggest fallers of the preseason are the Colts—and it's not even close. Luck's retirement is the biggest reason by far, even if not everyone was aware of it.

"I didn't see that, but I haven't really—I don't really follow them," Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said, per Doug Kyed of NESN.com.

The 29-year-old's retirement is going to reverberate through the entire AFC this season. He was always an elite signal-caller when healthy, and the Indianapolis offense is not the same unit without him.

This isn't to say Jacoby Brissett cannot lead the Colts to some level of success—perhaps even to the postseason. However, the last time he was the starter, Indianapolis went just 4-12.

That was in 2017, and this Colts team is far and away an improved unit. Indianapolis probably isn't headed toward a four-win season. They have too much overall talent for that. They're probably not headed toward a Super Bowl either, though, and the results will likely fall somewhere in the middle.

Indianapolis is still a good football team, but with Luck, it had the potential to be truly special.

Every position is important when it comes to your fantasy football team.

A good, consistent quarterback can be the backbone of your squad, while a star tight end can push you into the win column during a tough week. A consistent kicker will win the occasional close game, and if you don't have a strong defense? Well, you're basically starting every matchup in the hole.

However, running backs and wide receivers are the real stars of fantasy football. Unlike in the real NFL, where quarterbacks are the faces of the game, runners and receivers are the spine of virtually every championship team.

These are the positions you need to prioritize early and often during your fantasy draft.

With this in mind, you'll find here a four-round mock draft featuring only running backs and receivers. You'll also find a look at some top sleepers for the two premier positions, as well as some running back and receiver-centric team-name suggestions. 

         

2019 Fantasy RB/WR Mock Draft, PPR

1.01: Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

1.02: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

1.03: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans

1.04: Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

1.05: Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

1.06: Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

1.07: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

1.08: Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints

1.09: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

1.10: Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns

1.11: James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

1.12: Le'Veon Bell, RB, New York Jets

2.01: Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams

2.02: David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals

2.03: Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland  Browns

2.04: Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

2.05: Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

2.06: Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

2.07: Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2.08: Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

2.09: Antonio Brown, WR, Oakland Raiders

2.10: Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

2.11: Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

2.12: Kerryon Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions

3.01: Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

3.02: Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

3.03: Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

3.04: Damien Williams, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

3.05: Brandin Cooks, WR, Los Angeles Rams

3.06: Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

3.07: Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams

3.08: Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons

3.09: Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3.10: Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland Raiders

3.11: Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks

3.12: Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions

4.01: Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

4.02: Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

4.03: Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

4.04: David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

4.05: Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts

4.06: Mark Ingram, RB, Baltimore Ravens

4.07: James White, RB, New England Patriots

4.08: Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

4.09: Duke Johnson Jr., RB, Houston Texans

4.10: Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons

4.11: Alshon Jeffery, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

4.12: Phillip Lindsay, RB, Denver Broncos

        

2019 Sleepers

Darwin Thompson, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

When looking for sleeper running backs and receivers, rookies are always a great place to start. Their fantasy value is low because they're unproven—just check out where Josh Jacobs, a potential three-down back, resides in the above mock—but they often explode onto the scene.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Darwin Thompson definitely has the potential to explode as a rookie. He's shined during the preseason, amassing 60 yards on just 12 carries while adding 38 yards and a touchdown on three receptions.

In fact, the 23-year-old could prove to be a better fantasy value than teammate Damien Williams. If he doesn't take over the starting job at some point, he'll likely see a large portion of the backfield work.

"Thompson appears to have leaped over veteran Carlos Hyde on the depth chart," Nate Taylor of The Athletic wrote. "Thompson split most of the first-team offense repetitions with Damien Williams, the projected starter."

Thompson currently holds an average draft position (ADP) of 120.9, according to Yahoo Fantasy. This means he's trending as a 10th-round pick in 12-team leagues. Do not wait that long to draft him.

        

James Washington, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Fantasy managers who took a chance on then-second year Pittsburgh Steelers wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster were rewarded handsomely in 2018. The USC product cemented himself as Pittsburgh's No. 2  receiver and produced an impressive 1,426 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.

With Antonio Brown now with the Oakland Raiders, the 22-year-old slides over into the No. 1-receiver role. This could mean it's second-year man James Washington's time to have the sort of breakout Smith-Schuster had last year.

Washington, 23, has been an absolute star during the preseason, catching nine passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. That's an average of 22.6 yards per catch. Ridiculous.

In addition to starring in exhibition games, the Oklahoma State product showed a lot of growth during training camp. He should be Pittsburgh's No. 2 receiver in 2019 and a significant piece of the passing attack.

"We talk about all second-year players making significant steps, he's done that," head coach Mike Tomlin said, per Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Washington is not a complete secret, but with an ADP of just 123.8, he definitely qualifies as a sleeper. Do not wait until Round 10 to snag him.

         

RB/WR-Related Team Names

All I Want is JuJu

Hooked on a Thielen

Hot Chubb Time Machine

There Can Be Only Saquon

That's Amari!

For Whom Odell Tolls

Chubbthumper

Return of the Mack

Saquon is the Loneliest Number

Oh Henry!

Keenan on ah Come Up

Davante's Inferno

Kamara Chameleon

Stairway to Evans

Mixon Cocktails

Fournetter or Worse

If the third game of the preseason is the closest thing there is to an NFL dress rehearsal, the Pittsburgh Steelers should feel far better about the 2019 campaign than the Tennessee Titans. 

Pittsburgh moved to 3-0 in the preseason with an 18-6 victory Sunday at Nissan Stadium. Tennessee is 1-2 but has larger concerns than a preseason loss given the performances of the respective first-team units.

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers starting offense needed a couple of punts to settle in, but he eventually found JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 17-yard touchdown after a heavy dose of the No. 1 receiver and running back James Conner put Pittsburgh in position to score. 

VERY good JuJu‼️@TeamJuJu pic.twitter.com/j4tNKfkhXG

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) August 26, 2019

Big Ben finished 8-of-13 for 63 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions, calling it a day before the end of the first quarter. Conner tallied 41 yards on five carries, and Smith-Schuster had four catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.

It was Roethlisberger's first action of the preseason, and the offense looked ready to go even without Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell. While Bell sat out last season, Brown helped create holes for Conner with the additional attention he draws. Still, the six-time Pro Bowler looked comfortable under center as the primary reason there is remaining optimism in Pittsburgh.

The same cannot be said about Tennessee's starting unit.

Running back Derrick Henry's absence didn't help, but Marcus Mariota and Co. scored more points for the Steelers than the Titans. The Oregon product didn't complete any of his three pass attempts and ended his night on his back in the end zone when Stephon Tuitt sacked him for a safety.

🙏🙏pic.twitter.com/SBs4DULWdJ

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) August 26, 2019

That was it for Mariota, who was unable to build any momentum after directing a 10-play, 87-yard touchdown drive against the New England Patriots last time out. His offensive line struggled against Pittsburgh's front, and he couldn't get rid of the ball before it was too late.

He can at least take solace in knowing Pittsburgh's starting defense didn't take it any easier on Ryan Tannehill, with massive sacks from Tuitt, Vince Williams and Cameron Heyward. It was no accident Tennessee had a mere three points at the half with the Steelers starters flying around on all three defensive levels.

If evaluating Marcus Mariota and Ryan Tannehill, their thousands of regular season snaps are more important than their handful of preseason snaps

— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) August 26, 2019

Tannehill finished 6-of-9 for 62 yards, zero touchdowns and zero picks, failing to make any notable statement after Mariota saw limited action.

Mason Rudolph and Joshua Dobbs didn't have to face Pittsburgh's defensive line while competing for the backup position behind Roethlisberger, and the former wasted little time making an impression when he found Oklahoma State teammate James Washington for a 41-yard touchdown on his first throw.

From @CowboyFB ➡️ @steelers

Mason Rudolph and James Washington have that connection down!

📺: #PITvsTEN on NBC pic.twitter.com/DGZd6uDngO

— NFL (@NFL) August 26, 2019

It was the high point of an up-and-down day for Rudolph, who tried the Big 12 connection again only to be intercepted by Amani Hooker.

He finished 6-of-9 for 75 yards, one touchdown and one interception before giving way to Dobbs for the entire second half. The Tennessee product faced all backups and went a mere 4-of-9 for 79 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception.

Dobbs at least directed a field-goal drive and protected the lead thanks to a stingy Steelers defense that took a bend-but-don't-break approach against Titans third-stringer Logan Woodside. 

Woodside went 11-of-15 for 117 yards but was unable to provide the Titans with the silver lining of a late touchdown drive in what was a dismal showing from the offense. Pittsburgh finished with seven sacks and set the tone on the defensive side throughout the contest.

             

What's Next?

The Titans and Steelers finish their preseason slates Thursday with road games against the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers, respectively.

In theory, building a championship-caliber fantasy football team is straightforward. Pick high-scoring players at each position, and you'll do well.

In practice, however, things aren't that simple. Yes, you want to target productive players during your fantasy draft, but a handful of fantasy studs isn't enough to deliver a title. Your entire team must consistently outperform the opposition, so getting value in Round 10 is just as important as picking the right player in Round 1.

Given limited lineup options, managers also have to how heavily and when they are going to prioritize positions. Doubling up on running backs to start a draft is a fine strategy, but placing too much emphasis on the position can leave you without a single No. 1 receiver on your roster.

Here we'll examine some basic guidelines for your fantasy draft, along with some tips and trends specific to the 2019 season.

              

Know Your Format, Draft Accordingly

The idea of starting a draft with two running backs has already been mentioned. This is a sound plan in standard-scoring formats but not always the best course of action in points-per-reception (PPR) leagues. Adding an extra point or half-point for each catch heavily boosts the value of wide receivers and tight ends.

For a receiver like the Pittsburgh Steelers' JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had 111 receptions last season, that's a lot of extra points.

Knowing your format should also help to determine which players deserve to be valued at each position. If you're looking at running backs in a PPR league, a player like James White (87 receptions in 2018) is likely to have far more value than teammate Sony Michel (seven receptions in 2018), even though Michel is slated to be the starter.

Knowing your format isn't just helpful at the skill positions, either. Know how your league awards points for quarterbacks and draft accordingly.

Does your league award points for rushing to signal-callers at the same rate as running backs? A dual-threat quarterback like Josh Allen—who had 631 yards and eight touchdowns rushing in 2018—suddenly becomes a viable starting option.

You may not have to reach for Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers to come out with one of the league's top fantasy quarterbacks. If so, you will be able to use a high draft pick on another valuable skill player. 

                 

Pay Attention to Targets

When evaluating running backs, it's fairly easy to determine who is a workhorse and who is not. For the top wide receivers, the process is also fairly simple. Guys like DeAndre Hopkins, Davante Adams and Julio Jones are regularly among the league-leaders in reception.

When you get into the middle rounds of the draft, though, things can get a little trickier with pass-catchers. You can look at Adrian Peterson and see that he had 251 carries in 2018, thereby noting that he had a significant workload.

When you look at, say, Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Dede Westbrook, you'll only see that he had 66 receptions for 715 yards and five touchdowns. Those numbers aren't indicative of a heavy past workload or a sizeable on in 2019.

If you take the time to dig through NFL Next Gen Stats, however, you'll see that Westbrook was targeted 101 times in 2018. This means Jacksonville tried to get him the ball at least 100 times last season.

By knowing how often a player might be targeted, you can better predict a player's ceiling. With a more consistent and accurate Nick Foles under center for Jacksonville instead of Blake Bortles, those same 101 targets could turn into 80 receptions for Westbrook instead of the 66 he had last season.

Using Westbrook's 11.4 career yards-per-reception average as a guide, he could see a production increase of more than 200 yards just form improved quarterback play. An increased target rate could quickly push Westbrook past the 1,000-yard mark.

Consider both proven production and potential when evaluating pass-catchers.

                   

Stay Up to Date on Ongoing Situations

It's always a good idea to stay on top of preseason storylines ahead of your fantasy draft. It's all the more important in 2019, however, because there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding some of fantasy's top stars.

If you're unsure of just how it may affect your fantasy team, consider this: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck announced his retirement late Saturday night.

While none may result in a surprise retirement, there are other situations that bear watching. Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, for example, is still holding out for a new contract. The prospect of adding a two-time league rushing champion is enticing, but if Elliott doesn't report, he can't help your fantasy team.

With a deal not imminent, Elliott becomes a huge risk in Round 1.

"I don't think we're close because there's not a lot of activity," Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones told 105.3 The Fan.

Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon, who is staging his own contract holdout, is a similar risk.

Another week, another roundup of fantasy football-relevant news as you prepare for drafts. Information is power, people—keep yourselves informed.

              

Nick Chubb

Here's some good news for fantasy players who are targeting Nick Chubb—he should see his role increase in the passing game. 

"I think he's going to be special like he was last year," Cleveland running backs coach Stump Mitchell told Mary Kay Cabot, Josh Gunter and John Kuntz of Cleveland.com. "He'll be used a little more in the passing game than he was last year. Nick just continues to improve on the skill set that he has, and I think he has a fantastic skill set."

Chubb won't be the sort of player you can wait around to take. His average draft position in ESPN fantasy leagues is 25.7, while in Yahoo drafts he's coming off the board at 11.4. Suffice to say, if you want to guarantee yourself Chubb, you'll need to use a second-round pick to snag him. 

The major cause of concern, of course, is that Kareem Hunt will be back with the team during the second-half of the season after he serves his eight-game suspension. So while Chubb likely will put up RB1 numbers in the first eight games or so, it's possible he'll find himself stuck in a platoon situation down the stretch. 

That is probably keeping him from being selected higher. But for players who do snag him, it sure sounds as though he'll make a major impact early on. 

                                     

JuJu Smith-Schuster

JuJu Smith-Schuster is set to see an increase in production with Antonio Brown in Oakland. But another reason he could see his numbers go up is his added emphasis on improving as a deep threat in Pittsburgh's offense. 

"Being able to catch the deep balls down the field, those go balls, those free balls that they send down the field where I've got to go make those plays," Smith-Schuster said, per Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com. "That's what I've focused on a lot, catching the ball over the shoulder and being able to be a threat on the outside."

As Gorman noted, Smith-Schuster already "led the Steelers with 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and five catches of 40 yards or longer, ranking in the top six in the league in all three categories." So he's already a pretty safe bet to be a WR1 this season. 

But the fact that Smith-Schuster has identified an important area of his game to improve upon is a great sign for both fantasy players and the Steelers.

"That just shows the growth of what he wants and desires to be," quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. "I think that's awesome. If you asked him the question, 'What do you want to improve on?' And he says, 'Nothing, I'm good.' That's when you have issues, right?"

Indeed. Smith-Schuster is primed to have a monster season. It isn't much of a surprise he has an ADP of 17.4 in Yahoo leagues. He'll come off the board quickly in all formats.

                       

Ezekiel Elliott

It wouldn't be a fantasy roundup without an update on Ezekiel Elliott's contract holdout. Ed Werder of ESPN provides the latest news on that front:

Sources: The most recent offer in negotiations between holdout Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys came from the team. Elliott has been offered a contract making him one of the NFL’s 2 highest-paid RB. That would suggest team offering more than LeVeon Bell and less than Todd Gurley.

— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) August 22, 2019

To read between the lines, if the Cowboys offered Elliott a contract that would make him the second-highest-paid running back in the league, and he hasn't accepted it, that means Elliott is gunning to be the highest-paid player at his position.

That shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Elliott has averaged over 1,000 rushing yards and 11 total touchdowns in his first three seasons, numbers that would be even higher had he not been suspended for six games in 2017. He's also been the focal point of Dallas' offense in that time, and the Cowboys would go from being a Super Bowl contender to a fringe playoff team, at best, without him. 

So Elliott will seek major dollars. The fact that the Cowboys are reportedly offering him top-two running back money is a good sign that the sides should eventually work out an agreement. If the reports coming from plugged-in reporters such as Werder were that Dallas and Elliott were far apart, fantasy players would probably want to avoid Elliott in the early rounds out of fear of a protracted holdout.

As it stands, Elliott remains risky for fantasy players with earlier drafts. For everyone else, it's a wait-and-see situation. 

             

Odds and Ends

The Arizona Cardinals signed Michael Crabtree on Thursday.

.@AZCardinals agree to one-year deal with WR Michael Crabtree. pic.twitter.com/7J2dEkfnNz

— NFL (@NFL) August 22, 2019

He probably isn't a player you want to draft, given his mediocre 2018 season (54 receptions for 607 yards and three touchdowns), but if Arizona ends up having a dynamic offense under Kliff Kingsbury, Crabtree could be a player worth monitoring for a future waiver addition. 

Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com broke down some training camp surprises for every NFL team, a solid read for any fantasy player. Among the notable sections, he analyzed a few Baltimore Ravens of note:

"First-round pick Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown isn't in line to be a starter to open the season, if he's playing at all. His recovery from a Lisfranc foot injury has been slow, while fellow rookie Miles Boykin and veteran slot receiver Willie Snead are the early-season favorites for snaps at wideout. No team figures to play with two tight ends on the field more often, with Mark Andrews, Nick Boyle and Hayden Hurst rotating."

LeSean McCoy is also worth taking a flier on. As Rosenthal wrote: "Perhaps this shouldn't be a surprise, but there is little doubt LeSean McCoy will be on the Bills roster in Week 1. T.J. Yeldon hasn't played well enough to even make the team, and there's zero buzz of interest elsewhere."

Rosenthal also noted Jacksonville's top three wideouts heading into the season are Chris Conley, DJ Chark Jr.—who has "reportedly taken a big leap after a quiet rookie season"—and Dede Westbrook.

Here's a bit of running back advice from Rosenthal coming out of Kansas City:

"In theory, it should be a surprise that the Chiefs might burn the $800,000 signing bonus they gave to running back Carlos Hyde by potentially cutting him. But since that possibility was forecast in this space a month ago, the bigger surprise is that I'd rather draft rookie Darwin Thompson in the middle rounds of fantasy drafts than take Chiefs starting running back Damien Williams in the top 40."

Rosenthal doesn't envision rookie wideouts Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler will play a major role in Arizona's offense this season, while New Orleans undrafted receiver Emmanuel Butler is a name to remember.

Oh, and Washington's Jordan Reed is healthy this summer and has been the team's "most explosive player in camp." But Reed's injury-plagued career always makes him a risk, so keep that in mind.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is ready to elevate his game in 2019 as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's clear No. 1 target.

According to Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com, Smith-Schuster plans to extend his route tree since the game-breaking speed of Antonio Brown is no longer part of Pittsburgh's offense: "Being able to catch the deep balls down the field, those go balls, those free balls that they send down the field where I've got to go make those plays. That's what I've focused on a lot, catching the ball over the shoulder and being able to be a threat on the outside."

The Steelers traded Brown to the Oakland Raiders during the offseason, leaving room for Smith-Schuster to put up huge numbers in 2019.

Smith-Schuster acknowledged there is added pressure without Brown: "It was very important. Obviously, it was all eyes on me. The biggest questions: How are the Steelers going to be without two great players that we used to have? How is JuJu going to do without AB?"

Although he had a 97-yard reception in each of his first two seasons, his somewhat modest 12.8 yards per catch in 2018 suggests there is room for improvement as a deep threat.

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‼️ pic.twitter.com/bFQ8ZFV5ix

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 25, 2018

Big Ben loves the fact that Smith-Schuster is striving to get better: "That just shows the growth of what he wants and desires to be. I think that's awesome. If you asked him the question, 'What do you want to improve on?' And he says, 'Nothing, I'm good.' That's when you have issues, right?"

Even with Brown in the fold last season, Smith-Schuster led the Steelers with 111 receptions for 1,426 yards, although his seven receiving touchdowns lagged well behind Brown's NFL-leading 15 receiving scores.

At just 22 years of age, Smith-Schuster already has two seasons with 900-plus receiving yards and one Pro Bowl nod to his credit. All signs point to him becoming one of the NFL's premier wideouts in 2019, especially if he is able to add to his game.

While Brown has been in the headlines throughout training camp because of drama surrounding his helmet and injuries to his feet from a cryotherapy chamber, Smith-Schuster has been going about his business.

There is little doubt that Smith-Schuster will be up to the task of replacing Brown as Roethlisberger's go-to guy provided he is healthy, but the big question relates to whether another receiver such as James Washington, Donte Moncrief, Eli Rogers or Ryan Switzer can make up for some of Brown's production.

Emotions were high for the Pittsburgh Steelers during their first practice following the death of wide receivers coach Darryl Drake on Sunday.

On Tuesday, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was shown consoling star wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster by photojournalist Ed Thompson:

Big Ben and JuJu at Pittsburgh’s first practice following the death of WR coach Darryl Drake.

Heartbreaking.

(via @ThompsonFoto12, @247Sports) pic.twitter.com/wj6tPBMnvq

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) August 14, 2019

Steelers owner Art Rooney II issued a statement about Drake's death at the age of 62: "We are at a loss for words following Darryl Drake's passing this morning. Darryl had such an impact on the players he coached and everyone he worked with throughout his entire career. He was a passionate coach and had a tremendous spirit toward life, his family, his faith and the game of football."

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said the team will honor Drake throughout the 2019 season.

"We fully intend to pay our respects to Coach Drake continuously not only in the upcoming days but this weekend when we step back into a stadium but continually as we pushed through this journey that is 2019," he told Mark Kaboly of The Athletic.

Drake was entering his second season in Pittsburgh. He previously worked for the Chicago Bears (2004-12) and Arizona Cardinals (2013-17). The Kentucky native also spent 21 years as an assistant coach for four college teams from 1983 to 2003.