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On Tuesday, the NFL announced Martavis Bryant’s reinstatement, which has us salivating at the fantasy implications it holds for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense. Bryant’s activation, combined with the presence of Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, gives the Steelers one of, if not the most impressive set of skill position players in all of football.
There is considerable upside with Bryant, but there remains plenty of risk in acquiring the 25-year old wideout in both dynasty and redraft formats.
Here's a look at the fantasy implications of Bryant's recent reinstatement to the NFL just ahead of the draft.
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Martavis Bryant's Impact in Pittsburgh
First, the upside. Martavis Bryant has scored 17 total touchdowns in 24 career games, including the playoffs, and will presumably be inserted into a Pittsburgh offense that hasn’t finished lower than 7# overall in total yards over the past three seasons. No one really believed Ben Roethlisberger was going to retire, and Big Ben continues to go deep, having averaged eight yards per attempt over the past three seasons. Averaging 17.3 yards per reception in his career, Bryant should see plenty of deep balls from Roethlisberger.
Bryant’s impact on the Steeler’s offense has been significant even when he’s not getting the ball. Since 2014, Bryant’s rookie year, the Steelers have averaged 392 total yards per game, while averaging 412 total yards in the games in which Bryant has played. Even more significant, Ben Roethlisberger has averaged a RIDICULOUS 334 passing yards per game in games where Bryant has been on the field, including the playoffs.
Needless to say, there’s no reason to think Bryant won’t continue to maximize opportunity for Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell as he has in the past. Those who believe Bryant will cut into Bell’s usage in the passing game, don’t worry. In games in which the Steelers have fielded Roethlisberger, Bell and Bryant, Bell averages 5.5 receptions and 60.3 yards per game, solid numbers for a wide receiver, let alone a running back. Antonio Brown should continue to beast as well, but you already knew that. For the record, Brown has averaged 113 receiving yards per game when paired with Bryant on the field.
Looking deeper into the Pittsburgh depth chart, it will be interesting to see how Bryant’s presence affects wide receiver Eli Rogers and his role in the offense. Rogers was sneaky efficient in 2016, catching 48 of 66 targets for 594 yards while averaging 9 yards per target. With so many weapons in the passing game, it’s going to be tough for Rogers to produce on a consistent basis, but a repeat of his rookie season is certainly possible, so keep an eye on him in deeper redraft and dynasty leagues.
It is worth mentioning, the one player in Pittsburgh’s offense who gets a downgrade in value due to Bryant’s return is wide receiver Sammie Coates. While Coates did average close to 21 yards per reception in 2017, catching only 21 out of 49 targets will not inspire confidence from your quarterback. Bryant will handle the downfield passing game, and with Eli Rogers as the primary slot receiver, Coates can fight with Justin Hunter for the leftover scraps.
Unfortunately, there is clear downside with Martavis Bryant, as another failed drug test would likely result in another yearlong suspension, if not longer. This could easily jeopardize his NFL career, and would certainly be the end of his opportunity in Pittsburgh. As we have seen with Le’Veon Bell and Josh Gordon, some players have more trouble laying off the recreational marijuana than others, and Bryant has been suspended twice already. If he didn’t learn the first time, there’s a chance he hasn’t learned from the second suspension, either.
Additionally, while Bryant’s presence in the Steelers’ offense provides a significant boost in efficiency, Bryant himself has generally been inconsistent from game to game in his brief NFL career. Bryant has only caught 54% of his 140 career targets, has averaged a mere six targets per game, and has registered 10 career games of three receptions or fewer. There is also the possibility of Bryant being rusty after a year away from football, and it remains to be seen how any wide receiver can improve their efficiency without consistent in-game reps.
With Martavis Bryant, it’s going to come down to whether you want to take the risk or not. The news concerning his reinstatement will make it harder to acquire him in dynasty formats, and he’s sure to be overdrafted in redraft formats based on name recognition alone. However, Bryant can straight up win you fantasy weeks, as few receivers possess this combination of opportunity and upside. Regardless of how Bryant performs, if he’s on the field, it will only open things up for Roethlisberger, Bell, and Antonio Brown, as the Steelers’ offense will be a force to be reckoned with.
Draft Martavius Bryant at your own risk, and continue to draft Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell, and Antonio Brown with confidence, as the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense should continue to be one of the best sources of production in fantasy leagues in 2017.
