NFL Week 17 inactives: Steelers to rest offensive weapons
By John Buhler
Week 17 of the 2016 NFL season is about to begin. Here are the players that will be inactive for the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoffs. So many Pittsburgh Steelers.
Week 17 of the 2016 NFL season will be an interesting one. With 10 of the 12 playoff spots already clinched, many teams in the NFL will elect to sit starters in hopes of getting healthy for the 2016 NFL Playoffs. There are also some teams that just want their dreadful season to end.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Pittsburgh Steelers are sitting all three of their offensive triplets. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, running back Le’Veon Bell, and wide receiver Antonio Brown will be inactive for Pittsburgh’s Week 17 home game against the lowly division rival Cleveland Browns.
Inactive today so far include QBs Ben Roethlisberger and Tyrod Taylor, WRs Antonio Brown, Jordan Matthews and... https://t.co/kpkLAikpOO
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 1, 2017
Schefter would add that the Buffalo Bills would sit former starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who will be benched in favor of E.J. Manuel in Buffalo’s Week 17 road game against the rival New York Jets.
Two other wideouts to be out in Week 17 include New England Patriots’ Malcolm Mitchell and Philadelphia Eagles’ Jordan Matthews. New England needs Mitchell to be healthy in the AFC Playoffs. Matthews has had an injury-riddled 2016 campaign for the Eagles.
The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport would add two more names of note on the Week 17 active/inactive list. New York will be without Brandon Marshall in the Jets’ home game against the Bills.
#Jets WR Brandon Marshall is inactive. So are Steelers QB Big Ben, Antonio Brown & Le’Veon Bell. #Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi is active.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 1, 2017
The big active of note will be Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi. Miami can still get the No. 5 seed if they beat the Patriots on Sunday afternoon and see the Kansas City Chiefs lose to the San Diego Chargers later this afternoon.
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Week 17 is the perfect example of why fantasy football wraps up in Week 16. Imagine if you had the Steelers’ triplets on your fantasy team and needed them to win the championship. Ouch!