Week 8 of the NFL season is almost over! Monday Night Football can either make or break your fantasy matchup as the last game of the slate.
Let’s highlight my start/sit fantasy football picks for Steelers vs. Giants on MNF.
MNF Must-Starts
- Malik Nabers
Start ‘Em: Russell Wilson
I almost can’t believe I’m writing this… but yes, start Russell Wilson this week.
I was among those questioning Mike Tomlin’s decision to bench Justin Fields for the veteran despite Pittsburgh’s recent success, and while I still believe Fields can be a starter in this league, it looks like Tomlin made the right call. Pittsburgh’s offense looked fantastic against a truly elite Jets secondary, carving them up for 37 points. Wilson was at the center of it all, racking up three total touchdowns and 264 passing yards. His instant rapport with George Pickens was particularly impressive, as the two looked like longtime teammates.
Wilson should continue to cook this week against a Giants squad that is quite vulnerable against quarterbacks from a fantasy perspective.
Sit ‘Em: Wan’Dale Robinson
There was a time when Wan’Dale Robinson and Malik Nabers could co-exist as top 20 fantasy receivers.
That time, at least temporarily, has ended. After a surprisingly strong start to the year, the Giants’ offense looked as awful against Philly as most of us expected it to coming into the season. New York managed to score just three points, Daniel Jones was benched, and both Robinson and Nabers failed to get anything going.
For the immensely talented rookie, that should change regardless of the offense’s production. For Robinson, I’m not as optimistic. He’s now scored just 18.3 points across New York’s last two games, and will have to match up against a Steelers secondary that just bottled up Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson. Wait for Wan’Dale to bounce back before starting him again.
Start ‘Em: Najee Harris
Doubling up on Steelers may not sound like the smartest idea, but it’s impossible to ignore Harris’ recent performances.
Known for getting stronger as the season progresses, Najee has kickstarted that typical bump in production a bit earlier this year. After failing to find the end zone in his first five outings, Harris has done so in back-to-back contests. With Justin Fields no longer under center he should continue to see a bump in carries, as demonstrated by his 21 attempts against the Jets.
I expect Najee to keep the momentum rolling this week against a Giants defense that allows over 138 rushing yards per game.
Sit ‘Em: Tyrone Tracy & Devin Singletary
Before Tracy entered the equation, Singletary was a viable week-to-week option. When Singletary went down with an injury, Tracy was thrust into a high-volume role and greatly exceeded expectations. With both of them healthy, the Giants backfield is a fantasy mess.
Tracy is undoubtedly the more talented option, and will almost certainly continue to steal touches from Singletary as the year progresses. Unfortunately, for the time being, it’s fair to expect them to split the backfield work relatively evenly. That isn’t a recipe for individual success against a Steelers defense that allows the second-fewest rushing yards per game and the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing backs.
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em fantasy football picks for Monday Night Football! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice next week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
