Showdown Ravens @ Steelers
- Ryan Porter
- Jan 4
- 3 min read
Ravens @ Steelers
This matchup isn’t just a regular Week 18 game — it’s AFC North championship football. The winner secures the division and a playoff berth, while the loser’s season ends. Steelers lead the division, but a Ravens victory puts Baltimore in as the No. 4 seed.
Injury & Game Notes
Ravens: QB Lamar Jackson is expected to play after missing time with a back injury, a massive boost for this offense.
Ravens WR Rashod Bateman is out — another pass-catcher missing that softens the aerial attack.
Steelers: DL stalwart T.J. Watt could return after missing several weeks, promising a defensive force against Baltimore’s offense.
Steelers offense remains thin: WR DK Metcalf (suspension) and TE Darnell Washington (broken arm) are out, putting more offensive focus on secondary weapons.
This sets up a hard-fought, low-to-moderate scoring game — but with plenty of DFS leverage plays if you identify the right usage.
Captain / MVP Targets
(High-usage players you want as your primary slate pieces)
Captain Picks
Derrick Henry (RB, BAL) — The centerpiece of Baltimore’s offense — a workload of rushing attempts and goal-line touches gives him huge Showdown equity.
Jaylen Warren (RB, PIT) — Steelers’ lead back with both rushing and receiving path value; his usage can swing lineups big if the Steelers lean ground game in a cold NFC North game.
Lamar Jackson (QB, BAL) — Dual-threat QB adds rushing bonus on top of passing, giving a safe floor + upside in a must-win contest with playoff intensity.
Core DFS Plays (Flex / Utility)
High-Ceiling Plays
Kenneth Gainwell (RB/WR, PIT) — Target magnet especially with Pittsburgh’s WR corps thin; elite pass-catching RB floor gives solid points.
Aaron Rodgers (QB, PIT) — Veteran quarterback under center for Pittsburgh; lower risk than stacking secondary receivers and mixed offensive weapons.
Zay Flowers (WR, BAL) — If active and playing through his various health questions, Flowers has target share upside and could explode vs. a soft Steelers secondary.
Value / Contrarian Plays
Adam Thielen (WR, BAL) — Mid-tier salary with potential red-zone targets — cheap pivot for Showdown builds.
Jonnu Smith (TE, PIT) — Teammate targets in short and intermediate areas against a defense susceptible over the middle — low-ownership leverage.
Game Script & Slate Strategy
Low-total, physical tone: A projected total near 40.5 points and cold weather can cap offensive fireworks, favoring short passes and ground control.
Ball control matters: Henry and Warren anchor their respective run games — RB usage will have a large impact on yards and red-zone scoring.
Stack smartly: QB + primary RB combos (e.g., Jackson + Henry or Rodgers + Warren) maximize correlation and scoring likelihood.
Contrarian leverage: Cheap WR/TE plays who see targets because of injuries and game script shifts are key to separating from the field.
Sample Captain Combos
Captain: Derrick Henry — Lamar Jackson + Kenneth Gainwell
Captain: Jaylen Warren — Aaron Rodgers + Jonnu Smith
Captain: Lamar Jackson — Zay Flowers + Adam Thielen (contrarian pivot)
Final Thoughts
Tonight’s Ravens @ Steelers Sunday Night Football Showdown is high stakes and low margin. Focus on workhorses and short-area pass players in a grindy divisional tilt. Build around dual-threat RBs and QBs with rushing upside, then sprinkle value receivers who benefit from thin corps due to suspension/injury.
With a division title on the line, this game will feel more like a playoff atmosphere — and fantasy scoring could hinge on one or two explosive plays.
Good luck — cash those Showdown lineups! 🏆
