Pittsburgh, Team Vibes and Players to Target and Avoid

As we race toward August, Footballguys.com will look at one team per day with our quick-hitting Team Vibes and Players to Target and Avoid, where we check out the overall mood of each team's offense and let you know the players we are in on (because they are great values at the cost it takes to acquire them) and who we're out on (because they are too expensive and won't give you a good return on that investment).

Go Deeper: See in-depth projections for every Steelers player here >>>

This is a daily series that will stretch through July 31. If you like this and want another, come back tomorrow. Another will be here. And all 32 of them will be free to Insiders. To become an Insider, simply sign up with a free account.

And here are all of the Team Vibes and Players to Target and Avoid articles we've done so far:
Pittsburgh | San Francisco | Seattle | Tampa Bay | Tennessee | Washington

Quick Hits

Want a brief overview? Here it is:

• General Vibes - Neutral
• We're In On at Cost - Najee Harris
• We're Out On at Cost - George Pickens

Want a longer breakdown of how it's going in Pittsburgh? Read on.

Steelers, Team Vibes

• Good - 3
• Neutral - 11
• Bad - 1

Staffers with Good Vibes

• Jeff Haseley: The Steelers don't stay down long, and while I think there is work to do, there is something to be said about 7 wins in their last 9 games streak.
• Daniel Harms: I think the offensive line improvements and Pickett, assumedly, taking a step forward will yield good results.
• Craig Lakins: An improving offensive line and second-year quarterback should provide more opportunities for fantasy production.

Staffers with Neutral Vibes

• Jason Wood: While Mike Tomlin is a phenomenal head coach, Pittsburgh may not have a good quarterback, much less a great one. And Matt Canada lacks the creativeness to unlock the offense.
• Chad Parsons: Minimal faith in Kenny Pickett to turn into a cornerstone quarterback.
• Jeff Bell: Kenny Pickett showed flashes of competence, and they should have their best offensive line play in years.
• Phil Alexander: But with upside if Kenny Pickett can make a year-two leap.
• Jeff Tefertiller: I have little faith that Kenny Pickett can lead the Steelers on a deep playoff run. Pittsburgh may be in quarterback purgatory very soon. .
• Christian Williams: While the team invested in the offensive line, it's difficult to project a high ceiling for an offense led by Kenny Pickett.
• Dave Kluge: The production from a talented group of pass-catchers will hinge on Kenny Pickett’s ability to take a step forward in Year 2.
• Dan Hindery: There are plenty of solid offensive pieces but not one dominant force that opposing defenses will fear.
• Andy Hicks: A progression by Kenny Pickett and this side is going places. If not, middle ranked once again
• Ryan Weisse: I debated saying Good because they should be better than last year, but I'm still not sure we'll see many fantasy stars.
• Joey Wright: While no player is an elite caliber of talent, Pittsburgh provides safe options to provide balance on your roster.

Staffers with Bad Vibes

• Ben Cummins: The combination of quarterback Kenny Pickett and offensive coordinator Matt Canada is one of the worst in the NFL.

Players We Are Targeting

• Najee Harris - 8
• Jaylen Warren - 4
• Diontae Johnson - 2
• George Pickens - 1

Reasons to be In on Najee Harris

• Jeff Haseley: Harris quietly was the RB8 after Week 10 last season. The foot injury kept him from his full potential last year. He should rebound this year.
• Chad Parsons: Round 1 pedigree in his prime with receiving upside and a prototypical size profile.
• Jeff Bell: Harris was RB8 down the stretch last year, dominating touches compared to Jaylen Warren. At RB12 ADP, there is plenty of upside here.
• Jeff Tefertiller: A rebound to fantasy stardom is possible. He is in his prime with fantasy upside from the passing game.
• Christian Williams: While inefficient behind a bad offensive line in 2022, Harris is in line for a massive workload behind a better offensive line in 2023.
• Andy Hicks: Harris couldn’t get into top gear with injury, but still played every game and finished RB12. Improvement expected.
• Daniel Harms: Everyone wants Jaylen Warren, but Najee Harris will still see the volume behind a better offensive line.
• Joey Wright: If you are starting your draft with an elite wide receiver, Harris is an excellent second-round selection. He averaged over 87 total yards a game with a touchdown in six of his last nine games.

Reasons to be In on Jaylen Warren

• Jason Wood: He’s one of my favorite handcuffs as he arguably outplayed Najee Harris on a per-touch basis and could force a full committee even without an injury opening.
• Phil Alexander: Last year's Lisfranc injury and 694 total touches over the last two years have me terrified of drafting Najee Harris at his current ADP.
• Ben Cummins: Warren outplayed Najee Harris last season as a rookie undrafted free agent and is primed for a bigger role in year two.
• Dan Hindery: Warren is the type of late-round handcuff who really does have league-winning potential, and Najee Harris has had a number of lower-body injuries over the years.

Reasons to be In on Diontae Johnson

• Dave Kluge: He draws targets at an elite rate and should fare better in the touchdown column in 2023.
• Ryan Weisse: He was a top-30 receiver with no touchdowns last year and top-10 in 2021. He is going to score touchdowns in 2023, and now he's a draft value.

Reasons to be In on George Pickens

Craig Lakins: I expect Pickens to take the classic second-year leap as the team's primary outside threat. His ability to win at the point of the catch makes him a great value at his current ADP.

Players We Are Avoiding

• George Pickens - 8
• Diontae Johnson - 2
• Pat Freiermuth - 2
• Kenny Pickett - 2
• Najee Harris - 1

Reasons to be Out on George Pickens

• Jeff Haseley: Diontae Johnson is still the team's top target. Pickens thrived due to some outstanding catches. I'd much rather have Johnson than Pickens this year.
• Chad Parsons: Diontae Johnson is the WR1 here, and betting on WR2 types attached to middling quarterbacks is a risky endeavor with any decent fantasy cost.
• Phil Alexander: Pickens is exciting to watch and had a fine rookie year, but how much room is there to grow in this offense? I'd rather have Jordan Addison or Brandin Cooks in the same ADP range.
• Jeff Tefertiller: Let's not hold Diontae Johnson's zero touchdowns against him. He is the team's top receiver and playmaker.
• Christian Williams: Despite the highlight-reel catches, Pickens was an inefficient separator in 2022. He'll need a healthy share of touchdowns to return value on his ADP.
• Dave Kluge: He made some eye-popping catches as a rookie, but the volume might leave those who draft him wanting more.
• Andy Hicks: Is he another Chase Claypool who flashes rookie ability but doesn’t take that next step?
• Daniel Harms: The third option in Pittsburgh with a good defense, lower volume passing attack, and a receiver that doesn't create natural separation.

Reasons to be Out on Diontae Johnson

• Jason Wood: Kenny Pickett is a massive wild card, and Johnson isn’t the kind of player to create offense for himself.
• Dan Hindery: What happens if he sees fewer targets? Johnson was woefully inefficient last season, catching only 58.5% of his targets and managing just 10.3 yards per reception on the ones he did haul in.

Reasons to be Out on Pat Freiermuth

• Jeff Bell: Unless he makes a huge leap, his production is readily available on the waiver wire, and there are higher upside options later.
• Ryan Weisse: I hate mid-round tight ends, and his target volume should fall as George Pickens gets more involved and the team adds Allen Robinson.

Reasons to be Out on Kenny Pickett

• Joey Wright: There were glimpses of competent quarterback play last season, but the position has never been deeper for fantasy managers. There is no reason to roster Pickett in your typical 12-team redraft leagues.
• Craig Lakins: Pickett hasn't shown much of a ceiling. He's a fantasy spot starter at best right now.

Reasons to be Out on Najee Harris

• Ben Cummins: Harris is inefficient and lacks big play ability playing in one of the worst offenses in the league.