Fantasy Take: Ben Roethlisberger Suspension

You are most certainly aware of Ben Roethlisberger's alleged sexual assault cases. More than likely you know that he faces a minimum four game suspension. What you don't know is how this will affect the fantasy world. Self-proclaimed experts will fill your head with garbage about how this is Rashard Mendenhall's big break. They're wrong. They haven't been to Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. The guru has. He has been at St. Vincent College numerous times since the team reported to Latrobe. Trust the guru.

Do not, under any circumstances, draft Roethlisberger in the top 15 quarterbacks. Most rankings around the web have him between 12 and 15. Don't be the moron that wastes a pick on him. He will miss the first four games of the season, enjoy the Steelers' bye in Week 5, and possibly miss more games after that. This means he won't be available to fantasy owners until Week 6 at the earliest. Can you go five games without him and deploy the former stud down the stretch? Only if he returns without any rust and earns the respect of his teammates, two big if's. Still tempted to take a shot? Realize that he will face the Bengals, Jets, and Panthers in Weeks 14-16, three teams that ranked in the top six against the pass in 2009. In the three games leading up to the fantasy playoffs, the Steelers take on the Raiders (7th), Bills (2nd), and Ravens (8th). Why mess with these matchups? Let someone else take the headache while you grab up-and-coming QBs like Chad Henne and Matthew Stafford.

Pundits will tell you that Mendenhall will be a beast in the opening games because he will get plenty of carries with Byron Leftwich under center. Then they say his domination will continue when Big Ben returns because he won't see stacked defensive fronts. They will spin the argument whichever way it satisfies their stance, regardless of whether or not they switch back and forth. The Steelers had a shaky offensive line to begin with and now RT Willie Colon is out for the year with a torn Achilles tendon. (This won't help Roethlisberger either. The Steelers surrendered 50 sacks in 2009.) Avoid Mendenhall in the first round.

Everyone is high on second-year receiver Mike Wallace. As a rookie, Wallace produced 756 yards and 6 touchdowns, quite an impressive feat for a first year player. Looking further into the data, as the guru always does, will reveal that Wallace is primed for a disappointing season. He is known best for his deep-ball catches, reeling in passes of 51, 47, 40, 60, 45, and 54 yards in 2009. These six catches accounted for nearly 40% of his yardage total. How much time will Steelers' QBs have in the pocket to hit Wallace downfield? Not much, meaning that Heath Miller and Hines Ward are the Steelers you want to own.

Will Big Ben return in Week 6? And will he have the respect of his teammates? Does Rashard Mendenhall warrant a first-round selection? Will speedster Mike Wallace prove me wrong? Will Antwaan Randle El be a source of passing yards in 2010? Make yourself heard in the comments.