NFL Player News

Warren rushed seven times for 11 yards and secured four of five targets for 29 yards in the Steelers' 21-18 loss to the Patriots on Thursday night.

Warren slogged through his most inefficient game of the season on the ground, although his receiving yardage total was his highest since Week 5. The second-year pro logged five fewer carries than backfield mate Najee Harris overall, and although he was more involved than the latter in the passing game, Warren figures to remain in a complementary role in a Week 15 road matchup against the Colts a week from Saturday.

Pickens secured five of six targets for 19 yards in the Steelers' 21-18 loss to the Patriots on Thursday night.

The talented second-year wideout struggled yet again to make an impact, although Mitch Trubisky's lackluster play certainly played a large part in Pickens' struggles. Pickens' catch total was a team high on the night, but his 3.8 yards per reception made it a completely unproductive performance outside of season-long or daily full-PPR formats. Pickens does have at least four receptions in three of the past four games, and he'll aim to take advantage of a more vulnerable Colts secondary in a Week 15 road matchup.

Freiermuth brought in three of seven targets for 18 yards and also recorded a two-point conversion catch in the Steelers' 21-18 loss to the Patriots on Thursday night.

Freiermuth was one of the statistical victims of Mitch Trubisky's struggles with efficiency Thursday, finishing with his fifth sub-20-yard tally of the campaign in the process. The third-year tight end did manage to boost his overall fantasy production to a modest degree with his two-point conversion reception following the Steelers' final touchdown of the night in the fourth quarter. However, he remains very hard to trust due to Pittsburgh's quarterback issues heading into a Week 15 road matchup against the Colts on Saturday, Dec. 16.

Johnson secured three of seven targets for 57 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers' 21-18 loss to the Patriots on Thursday night.

Johnson's receiving yardage paced the Steelers on the night by a wide margin, and his targets were also a team high. The fifth-year pro's yardage tally was also his highest since Week 9, and he's now scored in consecutive contests for the first time this season after recording a 25-yard touchdown grab late in the third quarter. Johnson was the intended target on Mitch Trubisky's fourth-down heave down the left sideline with 1:55 remaining, but the speedy wideout was unable to gain enough separation to come close to making a catch. Johnson next takes aim at a more vulnerable Colts secondary in a Week 15 road matchup on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 16.

Henry brought in all three targets for 40 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots' 21-18 win over the Steelers on Thursday night.

Henry's breakout night, like the performance of the Patriots' typically moribund offense as a whole, was considerably unexpected. The veteran tight end recorded eight- and 24-yard scoring grabs in the second quarter, the second an especially impressive reception among multiple defenders. Henry had only crossed the goal line once since Week 2 prior to Thursday, and it remains to be seen if he'll be able to replicate his numbers against a stingy Chiefs defense in a Week 15 home battle on Sunday, Dec. 17.

Smith-Schuster secured four of six targets for 90 yards in the Patriots' 21-18 win over the Steelers on Thursday night.

Smith-Schuster led the Patriots in receiving yardage with what was also his highest tally since Week 7 of last season with the Chiefs. The 2017 second-round pick of the Steelers burned his original squad with a game-long 37-yard grab on New England's third offensive play, and he added 17- and 28-yard receptions later in the first half. Smith-Schuster's overall performance was easily his most productive of what has otherwise been a mostly lackluster campaign, but he could have a difficult time putting together a successful encore against the highly talented secondary of his other prior team, the Chiefs, in a Week 15 home matchup on Sunday, Dec. 17.

Harris rushed 12 times for 29 yards and secured all three targets for 19 yards in the Steelers' 21-18 loss to the Patriots on Thursday night.

Harris was unsurprisingly stymied on the ground by an elite Patriots run defense, and he wasn't able to do much to complement his production with his work through the air. The third-year back did outpace backfield mate Jaylen Warren by five carries, although the latter drew two more targets. It was a forgettable night for both backs, so Harris' role should remain robust in a more palatable Week 15 road matchup against the Colts on Saturday afternoon, Dec. 16.

Trubisky completed 22 of 35 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the Steelers' 21-18 loss to the Patriots on Thursday night. He also rushed eight times for 30 yards and another score and threw a two-point conversion pass.

Making his first start of Kenny Pickett's (ankle) projected multi-game absence, Trubisky turned in a lackluster effort that featured plenty of inaccurate throws and saw him average only 5.4 yards per attempt. The veteran did serve as the Steelers' leading rusher -- albeit with a modest yardage total -- and connected with Diontae Johnson on a 25-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter. Trubisky added a one-yard scoring sneak early in the fourth quarter following a blocked punt that set the Steelers up in excellent field position, and he tacked on a sharp two-point conversion pass to Pat Freiermuth after that touchdown. However, Pittsburgh's next two drives ended in a punt and on downs, and Trubisky then padded his final numbers with 24- and 21-yard completions to Johnson and Allen Robinson, respectively, on the final two plays. With some additional time between Thursday's contest and a Week 15 Saturday afternoon road matchup against the Colts on Dec. 16, it remains to be seen if Trubisky is usurped by Mason Rudolph for a start if Pickett remains out, as is highly likely.

Elliott rushed 22 times for 68 yards and brought in seven of eight targets for 72 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots' 21-18 win over the Steelers on Thursday night.

With Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) sidelined, Elliott had the Patriots' ground game all to himself, but it was his work as a pass catcher that really stood out. The veteran back led the Patriots in receptions and targets as Bailey Zappe utilized him heavily in the pass game, and Elliott recorded his first receiving touchdown since Week 16 of the 2021 season on an 11-yard grab to cap off New England's game-opening drive. Elliott also shouldered his heaviest workload on the ground since Week 5 of last season, when he logged the same number of carries with the Cowboys in a game against the Rams. Given his volume in the first installment of what's projected to be a multi-game absence for Stevenson, Elliott has solid fantasy prospects heading into a Week 15 home matchup against the Chiefs on Sunday, Dec. 17.

Zappe completed 19 of 28 passes for 240 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in the Patriots' 21-18 win over the Steelers on Thursday night. He also rushed three times for 13 yards.

Zappe was the overriding reason a game with the lowest projected total in 30 years exceeded expectations, with the second-year signal-caller turning in the first three-touchdown effort of his career. A bulk of Zappe's success came in the first half, when he connected with Ezekiel Elliott (11 yards) and Hunter Henry (eight, 24 yards) for his trio of scoring tosses. Zappe didn't lead the Patriots to any second-half points, but his one turnover didn't lead to any Steelers scores, either. Given the virtually unprecedented offensive success -- by the Patriots' 2023 standards -- Zappe was able to help spearhead Thursday, he seems like a lock to draw a Week 15 home start against the Chiefs on Sunday, Dec. 17.