3 Bengals Vs Steelers Week 11 Fantasy Takeaways

Kenneth Gainwell, despite logging much fewer rushing yards than Jaylen Warren, still posted a better day. Warren turned his 10 carries into 62 rushing yards, while Gainwell was only able to produce 24 yards with one fewer attempt. 

Where Gainwell excelled, though, was through the air. Catching seven of his eight targets, he converted those catches into 81 yards and two touchdowns. 

Gainwell actually tied DK Metcalf for the most targeted Steeler on the day, so being outshined by Warren should be no concern to Gainwell’s fantasy managers. In fact, his day on the field should be encouraging, as Warren only had two targets through the air and only produced five yards with them. 

The ability to translate to the passing game should cement Gainwell as a regular starting option for those who have him rostered, as he excels among all players, not just RBs. This isn’t to say that he’ll be scoring 20-plus points a week, but it is saying he’s firmly established his game as a big part of Pittsburgh’s ability to move the ball.

With all the injuries this season and the inevitable bye weeks, Gainwell should be a viable option for anyone who has him on their roster. Especially considering the Steelers still have to play Chicago, Baltimore, Miami, and Cleveland, he still has plenty of opportunities to drop a fantasy bomb on your opponent. 

Fant Can Replace Ja’Marr Against Patriots

With Ja’Marr Chase having received a suspension for spitting on Jalen Ramsey, many fantasy managers are now without their top receiver. Not to fret, however, as there’s still a Bengal who could have a big week against the New England Patriots. 

Noah Fant, although inconsistent in fantasy, has proved that he’s a reliable target for whoever is under center. Against the Steelers, he turned six targets into five catches for 36 yards and between six and seven fantasy points in most formats.

While this doesn’t seem impressive on the surface, it’s yet another game where Fant was peppered throughout. He has only one week with zero targets (Week Five against the Detroit Lions), and has scored between six and 15 points in every other game. 

This means that, unless there’s a radical shift in the offensive scheming, Fant will be targeted more than a few times and turn that into a solid chunk of points. With Chase out, however, he has an opportunity to explode for the first time this season. 

Tee Higgins will be the WR1 for the day, and will thus receive the same (relative) coverage that Chase would. The real advantage of having a WR2 as good as Higgins, though, is that, with Chase, it’s near impossible to cover them both all game adequately. 

This will effectively place Higgins in Chase’s role, Anderi Iosivas in Higgins’s role, Mitchell Tinsley or Jermaine Burton in Iosivas’s role, and so on. While Higgins (and the rest of the receiving staff) might struggle with the uptick in their coverage, Fant should remain a viable target. 

Cincinnati’s receivers have shown that, even under good coverage, they can come down with the ball regardless. This means that, even without their WR1, the Bengals are still a threat through the air, and New England will still have a (presumably) tough time locking them down. 

Fant could very well end the day with the most touchdowns of any Bengal, and possibly even the most targets overall. Whether or not next week will be his breakthrough performance or not, one thing is about as certain as it gets. He will be targeted and will post (at minimum) a moderate amount of points. At this point in the season, there may not be many better options available on waivers.

Washington Could Be Last Waiver Darling

Darnell Washington certainly stood out in this game, as the six-foot-seven, 264-pound tight end was running over Bengals left and right. He turned his five targets into four catches for 67 yards.

While this falls one target short of Washington’s season high, he produced his most yards of the season. Jonnu Smith hasn’t been bad, but with how good Washington looked, it could be time for his emergence as Pittsburgh’s lead TE.

The waiver wire is rather barren at this point in the season, typically bereft of anyone who could help your team for more than a single week. Washington, however, could be the last of the 2025 waiver darlings. If he is available, and you need a TE, you should absolutely add him as quickly as possible (especially with the Steelers’ upcoming schedule).

End Of My Cincinnati Bengals And Pittsburgh Steelers Rant

While it’s getting more and more difficult at this point in the season to find new fantasy takeaways in each game, there were a few standouts this week. Gainwell looks like a major part of Pittsburgh’s offense going forward, Washington seems poised to take over as lead TE, and Fant could have a big week with Chase suspended.

Fantasy is won in the margins, and any of these moves could help to eke out a win at a time when playoff brackets are starting to take shape. Tune in next week for the three biggest fantasy takeaways from the Bengals’ Week 12 (November 23) matchup with New England.