2025 Steelers Week 12 Fantasy Football Recap - Herbig Moves Up and Watt Makes The Top 10

After a strong showing in Week 11, the Pittsburgh Steelers took a major step back in Week 12, falling to the Chicago Bears in a 31-28 thriller.

The loss not only knocked them out of the AFC North lead, but also pushed them out of a playoff spot entirely. For fantasy managers, this setback underscores the volatility of Pittsburgh’s offense—big plays one week, inconsistency the next.

In the aftermath, several players across the Steelers roster saw their fantasy value take a hit.

Offensive Fantasy Movers -

QB Mason Rudolph

Announced as the starter prior to kickoff, veteran backup Mason Rudolph aimed to build on his strong relief performance for Aaron Rodgers, who was sidelined with a left wrist injury. Instead, Rudolph struggled to establish rhythm, consistently missed downfield opportunities, and failed to complete a single pass beyond 20 yards. He closed the day with 170 passing yards on 24 completions, tossing one touchdown but also surrendering an interception.

Despite the lackluster outing, Rudolph still scraped together 17.0 fantasy points, climbing two spots to QB46. With Rodgers expected back in Week 13, fantasy managers should view Rudolph as a temporary plug-in at best—and benching him until further notice is the prudent move.

RB Kenneth Gainwell

As of late, running back Kenneth Gainwell has been the Steelers most productive player. After a big performance in Week 11, he followed it up with 123 all-purpose yards (92 rushing, 30 receiving), which include a 55-yards near-touchdown run on 4th-and-1 in the second quarter. For his performance this week, he moved up three spots to RB22 with 127.0 fantasy points.

RB Jaylen Warren

Together, Warren and Gainwell have emerged as one of the league’s more dynamic backfields, showcasing their ability to consistently generate plays on the ground. In the Steelers’ loss to the Bears, Warren shouldered the workload with 18 carries for 68 yards and punched in a rushing touchdown.

The effort was solid but not spectacular from a fantasy perspective, as Warren climbed just one spot to RB19, now sitting at 131.3 fantasy points on the season. While he continues to offer steady production, his ceiling remains capped unless Pittsburgh’s offense finds more consistency.

📈 Other Notable Offensive Movers

Defensive Fantasy Movers -

LB T.J Watt

After signing one of the largest non-quarterback contracts in NFL history this summer, All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt has experienced a noticeable dip in production. Still, he continues to deliver splash plays when the Steelers need them most. In the second quarter against Chicago, Watt broke through to sack quarterback Caleb Williams in the end zone, forcing a strip that fellow linebacker Nick Herbig scooped up for a defensive touchdown.

Watt wrapped up the game with the team’s lone sack, five tackles, a forced fumble, and a quarterback hit. The performance bumped him up five spots to LB09 with 98.6 fantasy points on the season. Now back inside the Top 10, fantasy managers will be watching closely to see if this marks the start of a late-season surge.

LB Nick Herbig

Despite not registering a sack, Nick Herbig made his presence felt with a defensive touchdown and two tackles, one of which went for a loss. While the stat line wasn’t flashy in terms of pass-rushing numbers, Herbig continues to impact games in different ways, proving to be a versatile playmaker for the Steelers defense.

His performance this week earned him a significant jump in fantasy rankings, climbing an impressive 13 spots to LB25 with 83.1 fantasy points on the season. For managers in deeper IDP formats, Herbig’s knack for finding the ball makes him a sneaky asset with upside.

📈 Other Notable Defensive Movers

Start or Bench For Week 13

Start: RB Kenneth Gainwell, RB Jaylen Warren, QB Aaron Rodgers, LB Nick Herbig, DT Cameron Heyward, LB T.J Watt, DB Jalen Ramsey, and TE Darnell Washington.

Bench: TE Pat Freiermuth, LB Patrick Queen, LB Payton Wilson, CB Joey Porter Jr., WR D.K Metcalf, WR Calvin Austin III, TE Jonnu Smith, and CB Darius Slay Jr.