NFL Player News

Washington secured three of five targets for two yards and a touchdown during Thursday's 33-31 loss to Cincinnati.

Washington was targeted five times for a second consecutive game, and while he didn't generate much yardage Thursday after accumulating 62 yards last week, he recorded his first touchdown of the season. He led Steelers tight ends in playing time in the previous two contests, but he played 63 percent of the team's offensive snaps Thursday, which ranked slightly behind both Jonnu Smith (70 percent) and Pat Freiermuth (65 percent). Smith and Freiermuth were more productive in the passing game as well, and the three tight ends likely will continue to see some sort of timeshare as the season progresses.

Wilson secured both of his targets for 17 yards during Thursday's 33-31 loss to the Bengals.

Although Calvin Austin (shoulder) remained sidelined for a second consecutive game Thursday, Wilson didn't generate much production in the loss. Over the two games that Austin has missed, Wilson has secured all three of his targets for 29 yards, marking his most productive stretch of the season, but that hasn't been enough to garner much fantasy appeal.

Miller secured his lone target for nine yards during Thursday's 33-31 loss to Cincinnati.

Miller was on the field for just eight offensive snaps Thursday after logging double-digit snaps in each of the team's last two games, but he still recorded his first reception of the season in the loss. Even though Calvin Austin (shoulder) remained sidelined for a second consecutive game Thursday, most of the Steelers' passing game flowed through DK Metcalf, Jaylen Warren and the team's three tight ends, leaving minimal work for Miller and the rest of the team's wide receivers.

Johnson was active but wasn't on the field for any snaps during Thursday's 33-31 loss to the Bengals.

Johnson recorded six carries in each of the Steelers' last two games, but he was held off the field Thursday night despite being active. Jaylen Warren was dominant in Thursday's loss, racking up 158 yards from scrimmage, while Kenneth Gainwell was on the field for 39 percent of Pittsburgh's offensive snaps, so work likely will continue to be hard to come by for Johnson as long as the team's top two running backs are healthy.

Gainwell rushed three times for 14 yards, brought in both targets for one yard and returned three kickoffs for 88 yards in the Steelers' 33-31 loss to the Bengals on Thursday night.

Gainwell was back to a strict complementary role in Thursday night's game, as Jaylen Warren put together his best performance of the season with a 127-yard tally on the ground. Gainwell's carry and rushing yardage totals were both season lows, but the veteran back was able to make some solid contributions in his capacity as a returner. Gainwell should remain in a similar role when the Packers come to Pittsburgh for a Sunday night Week 8 showdown on Oct. 26.

Fant secured all four targets for 44 yards and a touchdown in the Bengals' 33-31 win over the Steelers on Thursday night.

With Mike Gesicki (pectoral) hitting injured reserve earlier in the week, Fant stepped into the top tight-end role Thursday night and made good use of the opportunity. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins were the focal points of the air attack, but Fant was an effective complementary option while posting a new season high in receiving yards and scoring his second touchdown of the campaign via a five-yard catch on the first play of the fourth quarter. Fant should remain the top pass-catching option at his position while Gesicki is sidelined, and his next opportunity to fill that role comes in a Week 8 home matchup against the Jets on Sunday, Oct. 26.

Freiermuth brought in five of six targets for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers' 33-31 loss to the Bengals on Thursday night.

Freiermuth's performance would have naturally been all the sweeter in a victory from the Steelers' perspective, but fantasy managers certainly had to be thrilled with a night that featured the second-highest yardage tally of the veteran tight end's career. Freiermuth struck from 19 and 68 yards away in the second half, the latter score coming with just 2:21 remaining and erasing a 30-24 deficit. While Joe Flacco was subsequently able to drive Cincinnati into position for a game-winning field goal, Freiermuth's breakout effort was an especially welcome sight after he'd mustered a 2-17-0 line on four targets over the previous three games. The fifth-year pro will aim to carry over the momentum into a Week 8 Sunday night home battle against the Packers on Oct. 26.

Metcalf brought in three of five targets for 50 yards in the Steelers' 33-31 loss to the Bengals on Thursday night.

On a night when Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins mostly stole the headlines in conjunction with Joe Flacco, Metcalf was almost a forgotten man, even on his own team to an extent. While the star wideout's yardage total was second on the night for the Steelers, he wasn't on the receiving end of any of Aaron Rodgers' quartet of scoring tosses, which all went to tight ends. Nevertheless, Metcalf and Rodgers have already flashed plenty of strong chemistry early on in their working relationship, as evidenced by the 22-406-4 receiving line on 36 targets Metcalf will take into a Week 8 home matchup against the Packers on Sunday night, Oct. 26.

Higgins secured six of 10 targets for 96 yards and a touchdown in the Bengals' 33-31 win over the Steelers on Thursday night.

Higgins was outshined by fellow wideout Ja'Marr Chase, who finished with a surreal 16-161-1 line on 23 targets. However, under normal circumstances, Higgins' night would be considered a rousing success, as the veteran receiver put together season highs in all three components of his stat line. Higgins has encouragingly logged a combined 18 targets over his first two games working with Joe Flacco, and the duo will now have some extra practice time to continue building chemistry ahead of a Week 8 home matchup against the Jets on Sunday, Oct. 26.

Brown rushed 11 times for 108 yards and brought in two of four targets for minus-8 yards in the Bengals' 33-31 win over the Steelers on Thursday night.

Brown left a mostly frustrating first six games of the season in the rearview mirror Thursday, posting a season high in rushing yards by a wide margin. Prior to Thursday, Brown hadn't even cracked 47 rushing yards in any contest, but he blew past that threshold on his way to his first 100-yard tally since Week 9 of last season, with the help of a season-long 37-yard run. Brown's overall workload still remained modest, however, but Cincinnati doesn't figure to have to take as much of a pass-heavy approach when the Bengals return to action in a Week 8 home matchup against the Jets on Sunday, Oct. 26.