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.

Image of the Week

AP

In anticipation of Super Bowl XLIV, the guru has chosen a photo of Santonio Holmes' game-winning touchdown grab in last year's showdown to be the Image of the Week. Holmes, who was named MVP, made his toe-tapping catch with 35 seconds left in regulation, completing the 78 yard, 2:07 drive that saw Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger connect with Holmes four times.

Despite the late touchdown, the Steelers were not yet out of the woods. After containing Larry Fitzgerald and the Cardinals prolific passing attack for three and a half quarters, a weakness was spotted in the Steelers secondary. Fitzgerald caught his sixth pass of the 4th quarter with 29 seconds to go before Kurt Warner connected with J.J. Arrington to move the ball into Pittsburgh territory. But the recently dormant Steel Curtain pass rush was reawakened, recovering a fumble after their sack of Warner. Roethlisberger took the knee to wrap up the game in which the Steelers prevailed 27-23.

Holmes finished the game nine receptions and 131 yards through the air. His play perfectly exemplified what greatness stem from a second chance. Holmes was suspended in October for marijuana possession. The play before the Immaculate Reception 2.0, he let a much easier catch go directly through his hands. Despite the drop, Roethlisberger had enough faith in #10 to go back to him, threading the needle with a beautifully thrown pass.

2009 Pittsburgh Steelers: R.I.P.

From the euphoria of the 2008 Super Bowl win to the dejection of a playoff-free 2009 season, the Steelers now look to the future; and it’s tough. A major overhaul is looming, a portion of which has already been played out. Offensive line coach Larry Zierlein and special teams coordinator Bob Ligashesky have been relieved of their duties. Termination rumors surround offensive coordinator Bruce Arians, now quietly writing his memoirs.

For the Steelers, it looks as though they moved away from their historic game plan based on power running and went on a lark. Shifting to a passing game with admittedly talented receivers, they gave up the big blocking back for more air strike candidates. While yielding impressive passing numbers, the increased dropbacks led to 50 ugly sacks. With the team, and the fans, already reeling from the injuries to star strong safety Troy Polamalu, concerns remain that even the rugged Ben Roethlisberger will eventually meet the same fate if he is not provided with more protection. Without Big Ben the Steelers future would indeed bleed bad luck.

If losing steam this year reflected the Steelers efforts, then look no further than the defense. These former champions of the “D”, are now aging by NFL standards. James Harrison, 31, James Farrior, 34, and Aaron Smith, 33, are closer to the end of their careers than the beginning. This translates into a lost step or two within a game that demands speed. Even the famed Polamalu will turn 29 this April. Relatively young William Gay, who turned 25 on New Years Day, will most likely get burned for the garter jump this Saturday at a wedding reception.

Will new assistant coaches, a larger than life blocking back, a reinvigorated defense, strong 4^th quarter play, and capable special teams represent an important part of the formula for turning around the hardship? Time will tell, but remember the Steelers, the NFL's classiest franchise, didn’t make the playoffs the year following their 2006 Super Bowl victory and we now savor the results of 2008. Let’s hope the fruits of the 2009 disappointments repeat the sweetness of 2008, since easy seasons make not champions.

Written by cog

Edited by Fantasy Guru 37