2022 Week 15: Steelers 24, Panthers 16 (Dynasty/Fantasy Analysis Game Report)
Not a shock here… Carolina with everything to play for, at home as a favorite in a very winnable game over a Mitch Trubisky-led Steelers team -- and the Panthers fell flat, were down most all this contest, and lost a golden opportunity to take over 1st-place in the NFC South division.
Both these teams stink but the Steelers played better/wanted it more, it seemed, and they controlled the game and just quietly put Carolina away. The Panthers are not built to play from behind…or win games.
Carolina falls to (5-9), still just a game out of first place and the division title in their control if they can win out and beat Tampa Week 18, but none of us sees that possibly happening -- but after Week 15’s outcomes/game endings, who can confidently say what’s possible?
Pittsburgh keeps their meager playoff hopes alive at now (6-8)…they need to win out and get a lot of help. Doubtful either thing ends up happening but going into Week 16 the Steelers have hope. With a Week 16 win, it’s very possible they will be just a game off the wild card…with 3-4-5 other teams still in that chase as well.
*Note any fractional numbers in parentheses (4/2) or (2/3), etc., are a ‘split’ stat on our definition of a ‘quality start’ (or not) marker on a player -- using 14 PPR points in a game for RB-WR-TE and 21 for a QB…point levels that are good/productive/well above average starts for a Fantasy week. Trying to identify trends, consistency (or not) in players we might not normally realize.
A (3/2), for example, means: 3 times the player hit at/above the mark, and 2 times they did not.
Fantasy Player Notes…
-- What’s wrong with D’Onta Foreman (10-9-0)? Let me count the ways…
Defenses know he’s Carolina’s only real offensive threat.
Defenses know when D’Onta is in the game that Steve Wilks is likely running the ball…up the middle, no matter what.
Foreman is never used in the passing game to give defenses something to think about.
Sam Darnold doesn’t strike fear in the hearts of defenses, so they are comfortable overplaying Foreman.
It’s a crying shame such a talent gets limited touches, unimaginative touches, and is just going to waste. Hard to trust him for FF this week, but that’s a cold weather game that demands a lot of rushing attempts…unfortunately the Lions’ run defense is smoking hot right now and Dan Campbell is out talking to the media about how much Carolina wants to run the ball -- you’d think that’d make Wilks change strategy. It won’t.
Chuba Hubbard (4-10-0, 3-57-0/3) does not strike fear in anyone’s hearts, so he has a little room to run on his limited touches.
-- Must win game here that the Steelers had control of = Najee Harris (24-86-1) with 24 carries. In a frigid must-win game this week vs. Las Vegas, at home, I’m sure Najee will see another 20+ carry game.
Jaylen Warren (11-38-1, 1-11-0/1) provides the relief spark and is the 3rd-down back of minor note. An RB3/4 behind their real desired plan…Najee.
-- Mitch Trubisky (17-22 for 179 yards, 0 TD/0 INT, 6-9-1) did his usual nothing…but game-managed the win. Kenny Pickett is back for Week 16 and will take back over, into the frigid weather Saturday. Pickett, nor Trubisky, have been doing much in the passing game…so, the rough weather Week 16 is not going to help change any of that.
So, it’s a shaky Week 16 for Diontae Johnson (10-98-0/10)…who got going a bit the past two weeks with Trubisky, but now gets Pickett back.
George Pickens (2-53-0/5) is the new Chase Claypool -- misused, goes deep without purpose, lowly targeted, is the best WR on the team but doesn’t get the target respect anything like that. Three lowly targeted games in a row for Pickens, and then a Week 16 weather condition begging for an even lower pass attempt environment...hard to trust or get excited about Pickens Week 16.
-- Terrace Marshall (3-51-0/3) got more than one target in a game from Sam Darnold! Still, not FF relevant. Sorry. Sad.
-- CB Keith Taylor (8 tackles) went in for an early-in-game injured C.J. Henderson, and Taylor covered Diontae Johnson a good amount in this game…and gave up a bunch of easy pitch & catch throws. Jaycee Horn was not shadowing but was on George Pickens a fair amount of the game. It wasn’t that Horn locked down Pickens so much as Pittsburgh is just not looking to Pickens enough.
Snap Counts of Interest:
29 = Hubbard
14 = D Foreman
45 = Najee
23 = Jaylen W
