Why to sit Ben Roethlisberger, James Conner, Eric Ebron in Week 12 fantasy football

Monday pm update: Or maybe not. Adam Schefter is reporting the NFL is still considering a move to later in the week. This is a mess.

Monday update: The game remains on track to be played on Tuesday. There is still a chance of a Tuesday morning postponement, but odds would seem to be growing the game will be played. You can potentially adjust your fantasy lineups before Monday Night Football, but it is still a bit of a roll of the dice.

UPDATE: Well, it might be wise to sit James Conner this week regardless of the game status. He has tested positive for Covid-19, and is now awaiting a second test on Sunday to confirm or refute the results, per Aditi Kinkhabwala.

The NFL announced on Friday that it is rescheduling the Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers matchup in Week 12 due to Covid-19. The game was originally scheduled for Thanksgiving night, but multiple Ravens testing positive for the virus resulted in it being rescheduled for Sunday. Now, it has been moved to Tuesday evening.

The Ravens are dealing with a Covid-19 outbreak, resulting in numerous players placed on Covid-19 IR and the list potentially growing. Quarterback Lamar Jackson is the most high profile, but the list includes running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins, offensive linemen Patrick Mekari and Matt Skura, defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Jihad Ward, linebacker Pernell McPhee, cornerback Iman Marshall, and quarterback Trace McSorley. The team continues testing and this list could grow.

Jackson, Ingram, and Dobbins will not play on Tuesday because a positive test means they have to remain on IR for at least ten days. But what about players who are slated to play on Thursday? If we knew for sure the game would happen, we would leave them in our fantasy football lineups.

However, given the nature of testing and how much the NFL is comfortable waiting as long as possible to make a decision, there is a chance this game gets moved again sometime later Sunday or Monday. We don’t know for sure that will happen, but unfortunately we don’t know it won’t happen.

The Steelers have not had positive tests, but you still might be best suited considering players other than the likes of Ben Roethlisberger, James Conner, and Eric Ebron. If you have any of those players or the Steelers wide receivers, you are best suited sitting them and coming up with a contingency plan. If you want to roll the dice that the game happens, feel free. But, with fantasy playoffs starting in a couple weeks, it’s a significant gamble to keep them in your starting lineups this week.