Van

Jefferson

Jefferson followed Arthur Smith from Atlanta to Pittsburgh when the former header coach got a job as Pittsburgh’s offensive coordinator. While he ran plenty of routes, Jefferson rarely contributed much to the box score. He topped 30 yards in a game three times during the regular season. Jefferson ended the season with 24 grabs for 276 yards and two scores. Many years removed from fantasy relevancy, Jefferson will be looking for a one-year deal as a depth option in free agency.

Amazingly, those three catches were the most of any Pittsburgh wideout during Saturday’s loss. Jefferson has been a fantasy non-factor for the overwhelming majority of his career outside of a strong sophomore campaign, and there’s not really a reason to believe that’s going to change anytime soon/ever.

Jefferson managed just two first half catches in a game played without alpha wide receiver George Pickens. Ben Skowronek also left early with an injury, leaving Jefferson, Calvin Austin, and Mike Williams to serve as the top pass-catchers against the pass-funnel nature of the Baltimore defense. It appears likely that Pickens returns to the active roster with a long week before Week 17, which could open up the offense against another tough opponent in the Chiefs.

Jefferson was tied for fifth on the team in targets, so it’s not a huge box score; however, he saw his playing time tick up in the second half after Calvin Austin left the game with a concussion. If Austin were to miss next week’s game against the Browns, Jefferson could see enough time on the field to be worth a look in deeper formats.

Jefferson continued to operate as the WR2 for an offense without clear options behind alpha wide receiver George Pickens, catching a 36-yard pass in the first quarter to propel his fantasy score. Even with a key role in the offense, Jefferson remains of little fantasy utility playing for an offense that typically does not go out of its way to push the offensive aggression behind one of the top defenses in the league.

Van Jefferson reeled in a four-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter from quarterback Russell Wilson against his father’s team, the latter of whom coaches for the Jets. He isn’t likely to return many startable fantasy weeks given the low pass volume of the Pittsburgh offense.

Austin was the Steelers’ primary returner in the team’s win over the Falcons. He was also the team’s second leading receiver with Van Jefferson also catching a pass for one yard. It is difficult to expect Austin or Jefferson to be fantasy relevant in Arthur Smith’s offense.

Wilson suffered an ankle injury at the start of camp and is still working his way back from the issue. He told reporters earlier today he plans to be back soon but didn’t give a specific timetable for his return. Van Jefferson has cemented himself as the second receiver in the Steelers’ offense and will see a full complement of snaps early in the year. His familiarity with Arthur Smith’s scheme makes him a good fit for the offense but isn’t enough to warrant consideration from fantasy managers.

Jefferson played on 15-of-15 first-team snaps alongside George Pickens, establishing himself as a Steelers starter in two-wide receiver sets. The role be a low-yield endeavor for fantasy purposes but he now profiles as a potential late-round flyer in best ball.

Kaboly pencils in free agent signee WR Van Jefferson as the team’s current No. 2 but believes “it would show a lack of awareness and urgency” if the front office opts not to bring in outside talent. Jefferson is best used as a rotational player, having failed to best his 2020 rookie season 1.46 yards per route run average in the three years since. When considering other in-house options, Kaboly did not list third-round rookie Roman Wilson as a candidate which bodes poorly for his access to the fantasy-friendly two-wide receiver sets. A veteran addition would further jeopardize his 2024 relevance.