The Sunday game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals doesn't seem like much for NFL fans as Pitt is a lock for the W. However, NC State fans and fantasy players who have Jaylen Samuels on their active roster are probably jumping up and down over the possibility of the man having another breakout game.
He's been patiently waiting on the sidelines, hoping to get another crack and prove to Mike Tomlin that he deserves to get more touches and get included to the team's game-planning more often. If he performs in this game (which many expects he would), fantasy players will have a field day.
One of the more obvious reasons why he'll have a better game this time around is due to the number of opportunities that he'll be getting. James Conner is the Steelers' first-choice running back but will be out for this game to heal his shoulder. He's the next man up for the Steelers so he'll naturally get more carries to try and get the ball past the defense.
Another reason why he'll get more touches of the football is the absence of JuJu Smith-Schuster. The Steelers' top receiver sustained a concussion and a knock to his knee during their controversial game against the Cleveland Browns. Without their top passing option, Mason Rudolph will be forced to look at other passing options. Samuels will be a terrific target for him.
Rudolph will also be a factor in his increased number of touches. The second-year quarterback is a terribly inconsistent passer who has the ability to throw five interceptions as much as he can throw a long-range bomb to a wideout. He's not the reliable passer that Tomlin wants, and his accuracy has significantly dropped over the past two games. It's likely that Tomlin will be calling more runs, which in turn will benefit Samuels.
Finally, he is one of the most versatile players in the entire draft. NC State fans will be the first to tell you that his rushing abilities only scrape the surface of what Samuels can do. He's taken on a number of hats during his four years with the Wolfpack, building an all-around game that can patch whatever spot in the Steelers offense needs work.
Since Tomlin faces an opponent that they should easily beat, there's no reason why he shouldn't try to integrate him more into their offensive scheme. It's fine if it doesn't work; he knows more than anyone that this iteration of the Steelers won't cut it even if they do make it to the playoffs.
Giving Samuels more reps will help him develop into a better contributor. Since he'll be getting more of that this game, it will be of great value for fantasy fans to pick him up.
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