Photo: Imagn Images

Disclaimer

These contests are intended to be fun as you’re watching the game. It’s incredibly difficult to get a real edge as there are so few options and in MME contests there are often many duplicate lineups. One play or one penalty can change the entire outcome of the game.

This article is going to have a heavy DraftKings lean simply because the decision making process is more interesting with the Captain having a salary premium to correspond with the scoring premium. On FanDuel, the pricing is the same for both MVP and flex, so just play either a quarterback or running back in that spot. There are scenarios where a wide receiver can pay off, but it’s difficult with it being the 0.5 per reception.

Game Strategy

This should be a fun slate this week as while it should be a low scoring affair, there are a lot of narratives that could make it an enticing game. First and foremost this is likely going to be Ben Roethlisberger’s last game at Heinz Field as it appears that he will retire at the end of the year. How that impacts this game remains to be seen, but you would have to think that the Steelers would like him to throw at least a touchdown on his final outing. On the Browns side, they are coming off of some heartbreak on Sunday as all of the scenarios in which they could make the playoffs failed and therefore they have been eliminated. How motivated they will be to show up will be an interesting thing to watch this week.

Captain Consideration:

1. Nick Chubb
2. Najee Harris
3. Chase Claypool
4. Donovan Peoples-Jones
5. Diontae Johnson

Cleveland Browns

QUARTERBACK

Baker Mayfield- Flex

There’s not a lot to love about Mayfield this season as he’s turned into a low upside game manager who has thrown for more than 250 yards just twice this season and has not done it since Week 5. Mayfield seems to have significantly regressed this season and while some of this can be blamed on injuries, his indecisiveness and lack of confidence makes him seem uncomfortable playing the position. The Steelers pass defense has been great as of late as they completely shut down Patrick Mahomes II, Joe Burrow, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Tannehill, and Lamar Jackson holding them to an average of 214 yards as the defense has turned around since Justin Herbert embarrassed them on Sunday Night Football back in Week 11. Mayfield is likely a play on a Browns stack only as at $9,200 you want more upside from a player who has not had more than 16 DraftKings points since Week 5.

Running Back/Wide Receiver/Tight End

Nick Chubb- Captain/Flex

Chubb is in a great spot this week going up against a porous Steelers run defense that seemingly has been unable to stop any quality running backs the second half of the year. The Steelers are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs, while allowing the second-most yards to the position at 120 yards per game. The Steelers did do a good job in the first meeting between these two teams holding Nick Chubb to just 61 yards. Chubb has significant upside on this slate as he has topped 100 yards in five of his last nine games with two of the games he failed were consecutive games against the Ravens.

Anthony Schwartz- Good Punt Play

Anthony Schwartz is an interesting play here as Kevin Stefanski came out after last week’s game and said that Schwartz is going to be much more involved over the last two weeks of the season. Schwartz has Olympic level speed as he had the world best under 18 100-meter dash. The Browns gave Schwartz three touches in their last game, and if that number increases due to the Browns having seemingly little to play for, he has the ability to break a long one at any point in this game.

Jarvis Landry- Flex Play

The Browns passing game is a bit of a mess, but the one constant this season has been Jarvis Landry. Landry is a low ceiling player, but has four or more receptions in 8 of his 10 games this season. On a slate where there are a lot of unknowns, rounding out your lineup with a guy who is likely going to get you 10+ points even without scoring a touchdown is something that you can round out your lineup with if you have the salary for him. Landry should have a favorable matchup here as well as the Steelers are without several defensive players and will be playing Levi Norwood a 7^th round rookie in the slot which should bode well for Landry when he slides into the slot.

Donovan Peoples-Jones- Captain Only

Peoples-Jones is the deep threat for the Browns which could bode well for him this week based off of historical performances against the Steelers. The Steelers have done a decent job shutting down number one receivers this season, but where they have struggled is the secondary receivers as Cameron Sutton has struggled at the cornerback position for most of the season. Since Week 11, the Steelers have allowed 75 yards and two touchdowns to Byron Pringle, 83 yards and a touchdown to K.J. Osborn, 114 yards and a touchdown to Tee Higgins, 97 yards and a touchdown to Mike Williams all of who are secondary targets in the offense with the exception of maybe Higgins although Joe Haden primarily played on Ja’Marr Chase. Peoples-Jones may get zero this week but could be a great captain play if he gets behind this defense for a big play.

Pittsburgh Steelers

QUARTERBACK

Ben Roethlisberger- Flex

Roethlisberger is no longer the player he once was which was a high volume quarterback capable of putting up 300+ yards almost every time he touched the field. Over his last two games, Roethlisberger has not topped 160 yards, and he has topped 300 just twice on the year. However, he still has been efficient when he is throwing as he’s completing 65% of his passes has thrown 20 touchdowns and did have 266 yards and a touchdown earlier this season. In what should be his final game at Heinz Field, Roethlisberger is seemingly a lock to be in most people’s flex lineup, but likely doesn’t have the ceiling that you’re going to look for to play him at the Captain spot this week as he’s too expensive and one of his receivers likely has better upside.

Running Back/Wide Receiver/Tight End

Chase Claypool- Great Captain/Flex

While the Browns defense on the season has largely been fairly good against the pass allowing just 230 yards per game, they have had trouble with big wide receivers this season. Claypool at 6’4’’ 240 pounds will likely see a lot of Greedy Williams in this game who has struggled at times throughout this year as Diontae Johnson will likely be matched up against Denzel Ward who is a top-10 cornerback in the NFL this season. Claypool did not have a great game the last time these two teams played as he had just 4 receptions for 45 yards, but he has been more active recently topping six targets or more in four of his last six games. If there is a player who could have multi-touchdown upside on this slate, it could be Claypool as the second-year player showed last year as he had three touchdowns last season against Cleveland.

Diontae Johnson- Great Flex, Good Captain

Diontae Johnson has turned into an incredibly dependent receiver for the Steelers. He’s an outstanding route runner who has developed into the top receiver in Pittsburgh. The problem is that his price has gotten a little too high based on recent performances to consider him as a great captain play this week. Johnson had a mid-season stretch of three games where he topped 90 yards in all three contests, but in the three games since then he is averaging just 55 yards. The bigger issue for Johnson is the touchdown upside could be limited based on the history of the Browns against the smaller receivers which Johnson falls into at just 5’10’’. On the year, they have shut down Hunter Renfrow, Marquise Brown twice, Ja’Marr Chase, Diontae Johnson earlier this year as the Browns have not allowed a sub-6-foot receiver to score a touchdown since Week 5 when Denzel Ward was injured which was to Christian Kirk.

Najee Harris- Great Captain/Flex

The Browns run defense has largely been hit or miss this season as they have faced a number of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. On the season, they have allowed just two 100-yard rushers, but the Steelers came with a run-heavy approach in the team’s first meeting as Najee Harris ran the ball 26 times for 91 yards and a touchdown while adding another 29 yards through the air. The Browns are very strong on the defensive ends with Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney but do have some issues at defensive tackle as Malik McDowell and Malik Jackson have both struggled this season in making enough plays. Harris is in a tremendous spot to once again see a high-volume performance in a game the Steelers have to win.