Ben Roethlisberger Week 9 vs. Ravens
What do you do for an encore after throwing for 522 yards and six touchdowns? That's what we'll find out with Ben Roethlisberger this week. Yes, the Ravens have been good against the pass overall this season, but they haven't been as good on the road, where they have allowed at least 266 yards passing in four games, including a pair of 300-yard games. Roethlisberger has eight TD passes in his past two games and should be a decent start again this week.
Ben Roethlisberger Week 8 vs. Colts
Ben Roethlisberger enjoyed his return to Heinz Field after playing four of the previous five games on the road by throwing for 265 yards and a pair of scores. He'll get an Indianapolis team this week that is allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. But, the Colts have been a little easier to put up points against on the road. In fact, in three road games, they have allowed six of their eight passing touchdowns. Roethlisberger won't be a fantasy stud in this game, but he should be OK.
Ben Roethlisberger Week 7 vs. Texans
Ben Roethlisberger had a tough time last week with receivers dropping passes and just not being on the same page with the quarterback in Cleveland as he threw for just 228 yards and a score. He returns home this week to face a Houston defense allowing 272 yards passing per game. The Texans have also given up two or more passing TDs in each of the past four weeks. Roethlisberger should bounce back with a nice effort this week, though Pittsburgh will need to get over its red zone issues.
Ben Roethlisberger Week 6 vs. Browns
Ben Roethlisberger had a strong yardage game last week in Jacksonville, throwing for 273 yards. But he also threw just one TD pass. He had 365 yards passing and a score in the opener against Cleveland, which is coming off a game in which it allowed 273 yards and three scores to Tennessee. Joe Haden is also likely out of this one. Roethlisberger is a borderline fantasy starter this week.
Ben Roethlisberger Week 5 vs. Jaguars
Ben Roethlisberger topped 300 yards for the second time this season, throwing for 314 yards and three TDs last week. Both of his 300-yard games have come at home. But he faces a horrific Jacksonville defense this week that has allowed 11 TD passes this season. Jacksonville's best defensive effort against the pass has been holding Washington to 288 yards. Roethlisberger is a strong start this week.
Ben Roethlisberger Week 4 vs. Bucs
Derek Anderson, Austin Davis and Matt Ryan have had their way with the Bucs' defense this season. Why not Ben Roethlisberger as well? He didn't go to the air a lot last week against Carolina, but he did throw for 196 yards and a pair of scores as the Steelers hammered the Panthers on the ground. Opposing quarterbacks are completing over 70 percent of their passes against Tampa Bay this season. And not all of them have been household names. Roethlisberger is a nice safe start this week, especially with some other guys on byes.
Ben Roethlisberger Week 3 vs. Panthers
Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers' passing game struggled in Baltimore last week, as he failed to throw a TD pass and managed just 217 yards. Carolina's pass defense is predicated on pressure and forcing turnovers. But that doesn't necessarily mean Roethlisberger can't be effective. The Panthers have allowed three TDs in their first two games. All have been through the air. That said, there are plenty of better options than Roethlisberger this week.
Ben Roethlisberger Week 2 vs. Ravens
Coming off a 365-yard effort against Cleveland Sunday, Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers head to Baltimore on a short week. Roethlisberger threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns in Baltimore last season against largely the same group of players. And the Steelers pretty much did whatever they wanted offensively last week against a good Cleveland defense before shutting things down a little too early. But Pittsburgh-Baltimore games are typically low-scoring. Keep Roethlisberger on your bench this week, despite Andy Dalton torching the Ravens for 300 yards last week.
Ben Roethlisberger Week 1 vs. Browns
Ben Roethlisberger has owned the Browns to the tune of having an 18-1 record against them in his career, including a 9-0 mark at home. Roethlisberger and the Steelers dominated the Browns last season, beating them by a combined score of 47-18. But that meant he also didn't have to throw the ball a lot, combining for just under 400 yards and three touchdown passes in the two games. Given the Browns figure to be offensively challenged this season as well, that's unlikely to change. We have him as our 17th-rated quarterback this week and that sounds about right.
Fantasy Upside
Ben Roethlisberger is coming off a season in which he quietly threw for 4,261 yards and 28 touchdowns, both of which were the second-highest marks of his career. He had five 300-yard games and two in which he topped 400 yards, while also throwing at least one touchdown pass in all 16 contests.
Fantasy Downside
While Roethlisberger played in all 16 games last season, it marked just the second time in his career he’s done so. He usually doesn’t miss a bunch of games, just one or two here or there. Also, both Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery left in the offseason. Those two caught 16 of Roethlisberger’s 28 TD passes in 2013.
Bottom Line
Roethlisberger has traditionally been pretty undervalued in fantasy football. Since 2009, he’s averaged 250 yards passing or better, in every season, while also reaching 26 or more touchdown passes in three of those five years. We could be seeing a trend with him taking every snap for the Steelers in 2013 as well. While he was sacked 42 times in 2013, that number was just 11 in the second half of the season as he bought into offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s short passing game, getting the ball out quickly. Somebody needs to step up to replace Sanders and Cotchery, but when you see Roethlisberger getting drafted in the 11th-13th rounds in most drafts, he’s a bargain as a low-end starter or quality backup.
