The Philadelphia Eagles are traveling to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers this week. The Steelers have yet to lose and are coming off a much needed week of rest. The Eagles vaulted themselves into first place in the NFC East after registering their first win of the year over the 49ers.
In their win over the Niners, the Eagles were outgained by 150 yards. How they won is beyond me and purely down to a few plays here and there. But, much like their entire division, they weren’t impressive.
The Steelers are heavy favorites against the Eagles, rightfully so. If you want to pour any water on the Steelers, it’s simply that their schedule has been a joke. Their three wins are against the Giants, Broncos, and Texans. Not the best opponents.
TV Info
Date: Sunday, Oct. 11
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
Channel: FOX
Broadcast map
Notable Statistical rankings (Football Outsiders)
Eagles: #30 Overall — #31 offense, #14 defense, #8 special teams
Steelers: #7 Overall — #18 offense, #3 defense, #13 special teams
DraftKings Sportsbook odds
Eagles: +7.5, +280
Steelers: -7.5, -335
Total: 44.5
Injury report
Eagles
OUT: WR DeSean Jackson (hamstring), WR Alshon Jeffery (illness, foot), CB Avonte Maddox (ankle)
Steelers
OUT: LB Marcus Allen (foot), FB Derek Watt (hamstring)
Fantasy football start/sit advice
Eagles
Miles Sanders, RB, $6,500
Sanders has been one of the few impressive pieces for the Eagles this year. The tough part is that he’s about to go up against the best rush defense in the NFL. If you rely on Sanders, you might want to find an alternative option for this week.
Zach Ertz, TE, $5,700
Assuming the Steelers shut down the Eagles rushing game, Ertz will be huge for Carson Wentz’s comfort levels. Ertz is the second leading receiver for the Eagles this year and will be vital to any semblance of a chance for the Birds offense.
Steelers
Steelers, D/ST, $3,800
The Steelers should have a nice week back against the Eagles. The Steelers have a top five scoring defense and the league’s best rushing defense. The only flaw in their defense is the passing defense, which isn’t a top ten performer. Luckily for them, they get to face an abysmal Carson Wentz this week.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, $6,700
A fresh JuJu is a fun JuJu. He’s had a decent start to the year but a breakout performance has to be coming soon. His longest catch of the year is only 26 yards and that doesn’t feel sustainable.