Russell Wilson headlined the Pittsburgh Steelers’ QB change for about a week, and while the arrival of Justin Fields certainly makes this an interesting situation, the expectation is that Wilson will start the season under center. Although Wilson suffered the ignominy of being released by the Denver Broncos at a huge cost to the franchise for the next two years, his fantasy stats in 2023 were actually quite good.
Presuming Wilson is the QB1 in Pittsburgh this season, he could be a very valuable pickup, especially if you take Fields too. This insurance policy presents an interesting dynamic as Fields is expected to be taken before Wilson in fantasy drafts, as per Fantasy Pros. Wilson is the consensus QB29, with an average draft position of 178, while Fields is the QB27 with an ADP of 169.
Realistically, there is a danger that the Steelers will use Fields in a Taysom Hill-esque way in 2024, which would damage his and Wilson’s fantasy perspectives. With this in mind, Russell Wilson is a risky pick, and Justin Fields is a bench stash in case he wins the starting role. If you are going to pick them, you can likely take your time to get your team in order first, but try and pick them both up in quick succession or have a backup plan in mind.
Russell Wilson and Justin Fields’ 2024 NFL fantasy outlooks: What numbers to expect from the Steelers QBs?
This is a difficult situation to predict, but if you have both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, you at least have a QB1 situation covered regardless of whatever happens in Pittsburgh. If Wilson plays the whole season with Fields as an actual backup (not taking goalline snaps etc) it’s worth looking at his 2023 stats.
Wilson was the QB14 on the year, and while he had a few poor weeks, he averaged 17.7 fantasy points per game, which was not far off Patrick Mahomes’ numbers (18.4). Wilson threw for 3070 yards, 26 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, along with 341 yards and 3 TDs on the ground.
The Steelers don’t exactly spend big money on their offense, so while there have been a lot of changes in Pittsburgh, expect similar averages per game in fantasy. If he plays the whole season, 3,500 yards and 30 TDs seems a fair expectation, 300 yards and 3 TDs on the ground.
However, if Justin Fields wins the QB1 spot, which seems unlikely with him taking snaps in a specialized role in June, he would be a very good prospect in NFL fantasy. Fields is a better passer than people give him credit for and has the running game to hit teams for huge touchdown runs from extended plays.
Fields averaged 18.4 fantasy points per game in 2023, recording 239.2 across 13 games for the Chicago Bears in 2023. Fields threw for 2,562 yards, 16 TDs and 9 INTs, while also rushing for 657 yards and 4 TDs. If Fields is the starter in Pittsburgh, expect a better year than he has had in Chicago passing-wise, breaking the 3,000-yard barrier for the first time in his career. A 3,200-yard season with 25 TDs would be appropriate, along with 600 yards and 5 TDs on the ground.
Worryingly for fantasy, the Steelers will probably use Justin Fields as a gadget option, which means on third and short, fourth downs and goalline snaps, he could cut into Russell Wilson’s numbers, so approach with due caution in fantasy drafts.
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