Antonio Brown may have finally found the man who can stop him from being the No. 1 wide receiver in the NFL—Michael Vick. That’s unfair to Vick, so maybe the statement should be amended; Brown’s fantasy stock takes a hit with anyone other than Ben Roethlisberger under center.
By now fantasy football owners know that Roethlisberger is going to miss around four to six weeks with a knee injury, and that he’ll be replaced by Michael Vick, who has never been known as a volume passer. Vick has always relied on his athletic superiority to dominate, and now that a good deal of it has been taken from him by Father Time, he looks to be a poor fit in Pittsburgh’s offense.
Steelers Have To Pare Down Playbook For Vick
Since last season the Steelers have thrived in a pass-happy offense that mostly featured Roethlisberger chucking it to Brown; that’s how Brown led the NFL in receptions (129) last year, and hauled in 29 passes through three games in 2015. Vick has not thrown more than 141 passes since 2012, and has never completed 60 percent of his passes in a season.
Roethlisberger has only dipped below 60 percent twice, in 2006 and 2008, when he completed 59.7, and 59.9 percent, respectively. With Vick running the show, the Steelers will have to simplify the playbook, and lean more heavily on Le’Veon Bell on the ground. Brown will still make the most of his opportunities, but the sheer volume won’t be there for him to catch double-digit passes.
Twitter Reactions to Big Ben's Knee Injury
This is why Brown should be a stay-away in daily fantasy leagues such as Draft Kings and FanDuel. While he is still one of the best receivers in the league, his value comes from volume. If his price drops accordingly, welcome him back with open arms. But as one of the five most expensive wide receivers available, other players are suddenly more worth it.
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