The Worksheet, a fantasy football overview by Rich Hribar, breaking down everything you need to know for the Week 5 Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills Sunday afternoon game.
| Pittsburgh | Rank | @ | Buffalo | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | Spread | -14 | ||
| 16.75 | Implied Total | 30.75 | ||
| 18.5 | 23 | Points/Gm | 28.5 | 5 |
| 22.5 | 15 | Points All./Gm | 14.5 | 2 |
| 58.5 | 26 | Plays/Gm | 68.8 | 7 |
| 74.5 | 32 | Opp. Plays/Gm | 55.5 | 2 |
| 4.8 | 30 | Off. Yards/Play | 6 | 6 |
| 5.1 | 12 | Def. Yards/Play | 4.2 | 2 |
| 41.45% | 15 | Rush% | 35.27% | 26 |
| 58.55% | 18 | Pass% | 64.73% | 7 |
| 44.30% | 23 | Opp. Rush % | 42.79% | 18 |
| 55.70% | 10 | Opp. Pass % | 57.21% | 15 |
- Pittsburgh has two passing touchdowns, tied with the Bears for the fewest in the league. The Steelers have thrown 62 more passes than Chicago.
- The average length of touchdown for the Steelers has been 3.0 yards, the lowest in the league.
- The Steelers have scored a touchdown on 6-of-46 (13.0%) drives, tied with the Panthers for the lowest rate in the league.
- Opponents have scored on just 1-of-20 possessions in the second half against the Bills this season, the lowest rate in the league.
- The Steelers are averaging 23.9 yards per drive, the second-fewest in the NFL.
- The Bills are averaging 42.0 yards per drive, the second most in the NFL.
- Buffalo has converted 55.0% of their third down passing plays, the highest rate in the league.
Quarterback
Josh Allen: Week 4 was a strong endorsement as to what makes Allen so good for fantasy. Despite completing a season-low 52.8% of his passes for 213 yards and 5.9 Y/A, he still churned out a QB5 (23.5 points) scoring week on the strength of adding 70 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Allen has now been a top-five scorer in all four weeks this season, the only quarterback to do so. He is the only quarterback that has accounted for all of his team’s offensive touchdowns via the air and the ground.
Allen’s yards per pass attempt has dropped in each game this season, while his depth of target has been reduced. Through four weeks, Allen’s depth of target sits at 6.9 yards (28th) after an 8.2 aDOT in 2021, which was ninth in the league.
Just 7.7% of his targets have come on throws 20 yards or further downfield (34th) after an 11.5% rate in 2021, which was still 31st. His rate of throws 10 yards or shallower is at 73.8% after 69.5% in 2021.
While we could be working with small sample noise impacted by a bad weather game in Week 4 and the defensive approach Miami took in Week 3 mid-game, the Bills also do not have a wide receiver winning downfield outside of Stefon Diggs.
After Diggs, the next three target leaders on the team are Isaiah McKenzie, Devin Singletary, and Dawson Knox. Gabriel Davis is averaging a team-high 12.5-yard aDOT, but simply is not commanding targets.
That is all more food for thought to keep an eye on. Despite all of that, Allen still is pumping out strong fantasy games because this offense remains aggressive in terms of passing rate over expectation while he comes with so much rushing insulation. That keeps Allen at the top of quarterback ranks.
The Steelers are 19th in passing points allowed per game (14.9) while facing Mac Jones, Jacoby Brissett, and Zach Wilson the past three weeks and being tied for the league lead with seven interceptions.
