The Pittsburgh Steelers made another addition to their QB room just days after acquiring Russell Wilson from the Broncos. After months of rumors about a potential trade, Justin Fields has found himself a new home in Pittsburgh. The Steelers acquired the former Bear for a conditional 6th-round pick.
Both of these moves appear to be very savvy from the Steelers front office after moving on from first-round bust Kenny Pickett. They have a proven veteran in Wilson under contract for just over one million dollars while also having the ability to evaluate a potential long-term option in Fields.
While these moves benefit the Steelers as a franchise, this creates an absolute nightmare from a 2024 fantasy football perspective. There will be much speculation over the coming months before Week 1 kicks off in early September. But let’s take an early look at how this quarterback room will shake out in Pittsburgh.
RUSSELL WILSON VS JUSTIN FIELDS: WHO WILL BE THE STARTER?
With two former starting quarterbacks on the roster, this will be one of the biggest positional battles of the offseason. However, initial reports indicate that Wilson has the edge on the starting job.
Even though this is coming straight from the mouth of head coach Mike Tomlin, this statement should be taken with a grain of salt for several reasons. First, and most obviously, it’s March. The NFL doesn’t kick off for nearly six months, and we all know how drastically things can change in this league.
The Steelers will also have to get Fields some playing time in order to evaluate him as a potential franchise quarterback. With Pittsburgh unlikely to pick up Fields’ 5th-year option, they will have to make a long-term decision on Fields after this season. Considering they have just one season to evaluate Fields within their system, it would make no sense to let him sit on the bench all year.
Tomlin will start whoever puts the team in the best position to win. This is especially true, considering the Steelers invested very little into both players. At this stage in his career, I believe Russell Wilson is an average quarterback. However, I don’t think he gives the Steelers a much better chance to win football games than Fields.
Given the talent and situation surrounding each quarterback, I believe Justin Fields will start more games than Russell Wilson. He may not be the Week 1 starter, but I believe he will get opportunities throughout the season.
We can only speculate on this quarterback competition for now. However, keeping your eyes on the Pittsburgh beat reports will be critical as the situation will change throughout the offseason.
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT OTHER FANTASY OPTIONS IN PITTSBURGH?
Unfortunately, uncertainty at the quarterback position creates issues when determining the fantasy outlook for other players on the offense. In this case, those players are George Pickens, Najee Harris, and Jaylen Warren.
It may not be the answer most people want to hear, but Russell Wilson likely provides the best chance for these players to succeed in fantasy.
When it comes to the running backs in Harris and Warren, Wilson’s recent checkdown rates will provide them with steady receiving work. Wilson threw 23.3 percent of passes behind the line of scrimmage last season, the highest rate of any full-time starter. This will almost certainly change with a different offensive system, but there is no doubt that Wilson is more beneficial for running backs in the receiving game. This will be especially important for Warren, as he is the primary running back pass-catcher.
Even with Wilson’s tendencies to throw check-downs, he is likely the best quarterback for George Pickens to produce in fantasy. Pickens has developed into a receiver who makes contested catches and provides explosive plays. Thankfully for those interested in drafting Pickens, Wilson has a history of success with this WR archetype and had success with the deep ball in general. Back to his days in Seattle and, more recently, in Denver, the Russell Wilson “Moon Ball” created some big plays.
Wilson may create a better environment for fantasy production, but don’t discount Fields. We saw the connection he developed with DJ Moore last season, which led to Moore’s career-best numbers. Fields can certainly lead Pickens and others to fantasy success, but I believe Wilson has a better chance.
THE FINAL TAKE
While this is an exciting time for Steelers fans, this is a headache for just about everyone else. All we can do for now is keep our eyes on reports coming out of Pittsburgh until training camp kicks off.
Wilson creates a better fantasy environment for the running backs and pass catchers in Pittsburgh. However, the Steelers didn’t bring Fields to leave him on the bench. We will see both QBs in 2024, making this situation incredibly difficult to sort through.
Until more clarity is provided, I assume Wilson will be the Week 1 starter, with Fields getting his opportunities down the stretch. Keep an eye on The Wolf’s 2024 Fantasy Rankings to see where Fields and Wilson land as this situation unfolds.
