The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) and Cleveland Browns (6-3) will square off in a battle for AFC North positioning. They will be one of two games this weekend that feature AFC opponents. The Ravens are currently in first place in the division, but that could change this weekend, so whoever wins this matchup will be in a good position. The Browns will be short-handed because QB Deshaun Watson has been ruled out with a season-ending shoulder injury. Kickoff for the game is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET from FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, OH.
Fantasy Football analysis: Steelers RBs Jaylen Warren & Najee Harris
Steelers RB Jaylen Warren has carried the ball 71 times for 364 yards and two touchdowns. He has also caught 31 passes for 218 yards. Najee Harris has 116 carries for 464 yards and three touchdowns. He has also caught 18 passes for 115 yards.
Start or sit in Week 11 PPR leagues?
Start Warren. He has been productive over the past two weeks in the running game, carrying the bay 26 times for 189 yards and a touchdown. He also caught five passes for 34 yards. Warren has seen his carries increase and has made the most of his opportunity. He is projected to get 11 points in a PPR this week, and although he is splitting carries, he’s still finding a way to be productive.
Start Harris as well. Starting two running backs in the same backfield doesn’t seem like a great idea, but Harris has scored touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. He has also added four receptions, which give you a boost in PPR leagues. He has also seen 16 carries in the last two games. The Steelers will likely need to grind this one out against a tough Browns defense. There will be plenty of carries between Warren and Harris, so you can start both guys in a PPR.
Start or sit in Week 11 standard leagues?
Sit Warren. He only carried the ball six times in Week 2 against the Browns, but he should see more this week. He will see plenty of touches, but he doesn’t have the benefit of PPR to help him. He is projected to get 8.6 points in a standard league this week. Those are bad numbers for an RB2, but there is a difference in the scoring primarily due to the yards in the receiving game.
Start Harris. He has scored in two straight weeks, which gives him the edge over Warren this week. He will likely see the majority of the carries barring injury. In the Week 2 matchup, he carried the ball ten times. With the Browns short-handed on offense this week, this will be a good game for the Steelers to grind it out on the ground, resulting in opportunities for Harris to rack up one solid yardage. He is projected to get 8.6 points in a standard this week.
Player(s) you would start ahead of Jaylen Warren/Najee Harris
If you don’t want to start Warren or Harris, take a look at the guy they will be facing in Browns RB Jerome Ford. Ford had 107 yards on the ground last week. He is averaging 4,3 yards per game on the ground but has caught some passes out of the backfield as well. He has seen double-digit carries in all but two games, so the volume is there for him. He is projected to get 12.3 points in a PPR this week.