{"id":107720,"date":"2025-06-06T04:42:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T04:42:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/107720\/"},"modified":"2025-06-06T04:42:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T04:42:10","slug":"aaron-rodgers-signing-with-steelers-2025-fantasy-football-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/107720\/","title":{"rendered":"Aaron Rodgers signing with Steelers: 2025 fantasy football impact"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;right:0;bottom:0;width:100%;height:100%;z-index:2\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/82404042007-usatsi-25048090.jpg\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"vidplayicon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/icon-play-alt-white.svg.svg+xml\" alt=\"play\" style=\"height:40px;margin:auto 18px auto 27px;width:40px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Mike Greenberg says Aaron Rodgers still has ability to succeed in the NFL<\/p>\n<p>ESPN commentator Mike Greenberg chats with Mackenzie Salmon about what&#8217;s left in the tank for Aaron Rodgers as he searches for a new team.<\/p>\n<p>Sports Seriously<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/aaron-rodgers\/213957\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Aaron Rodgers<\/a> might no longer be the perennial MVP candidate he was for over a dozen seasons in Green Bay, but he showed late in 2024 that he had plenty left in the tank. He returns for his 21st NFL season after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/steelers\/2025\/06\/05\/aaron-rodgers-pittsburgh-steelers-contract\/81796322007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">agreeing to a one-year deal<\/a> with the <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/teams\/pittsburgh-steelers\/356\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s been a wild ride again for Rodgers, although not quite the saga from years past &#8211; the 41-year-old looks to set the foundation for his third NFL home in the Steel City. Rodgers aims to return to prominence after a tumultuous two years in New York, surrounded by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/steelers\/2025\/03\/31\/aaron-rodgers-steelers-dk-metcalf-throwing-session\/82737905007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">rumors<\/a> of &#8211; where or if &#8211; he will be playing football in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>He may no longer be one of the league\u2019s premier quarterbacks but he&#8217;s not far removed from earning back-to-back MVPs in 2020 and 2021. Rodgers was also named MVP in 2011 and 2014 joining Brett Favre (3), Peyton Manning (5) and Tom Brady (3) as the only players to win the award more than twice.<\/p>\n<p>The 41-year-old\u2019s\u2019 play had dropped off through the first seven games in 2024 (10 TDs, 7 INTs) but got back on track in a big way over the final 10 games (18 TDs, 4 INTs). He notoriously tore his Achilles four plays into his career with the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/teams\/new-york-jets\/352\" data-autotag=\"61e70eee-950b-4335-a373-675b010563dc\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Jets<\/a> in 2023 and it took some time to get his legs back under him.<\/p>\n<p>Things folded quickly in New York but the four-time MVP showed signs of life in the second half of the 2024 season. Mike Tomlin and the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/teams\/pittsburgh-steelers\/356\" data-autotag=\"c4d4185f-a327-423a-aa54-67a40f9dee05\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Steelers<\/a> have managed 21 consecutive seasons with a record of .500 or better and hope Rodgers can be the one to lead them past the wild-card round for the first time since 2017.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the fantasy football implications with Rodgers officially signing with the Steelers.<\/p>\n<p>Aaron Rodgers 2025 fantasy outlook<\/p>\n<p>Despite the Jets&#8217; poor record, Rodgers finished with 3,897 yards (8th in the NFL) and 28 passing TDs (7th). He slid in as the 19th overall QB in terms of fantasy points per game. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/2024\/09\/19\/oldest-player-in-nfl-2024-list-who\/75265369007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Rodgers is the oldest player in the NFL<\/a>,\u00a0but his vision, accuracy and arm talent are still present.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/garrett-wilson\/1164889\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Garrett Wilson<\/a> exceeded 1,000 yards and <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/davante-adams\/611417\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Davante Adams<\/a> managed to post 854 yards and 7 TDs in just 11 games alongside Rodgers in New York. He attempted the second-most passes in the league, which can be attributed to the inflated stats. Meanwhile, Arthur Smith&#8217;s offenses with the Titans, Falcons and Steelers have leaned on the ground game. The Steelers had the fourth fewest pass attempts per game with Wilson and Fields under center.<\/p>\n<p>Pittsburgh&#8217;s 533 total rush attempts were only behind the Eagles (621), Ravens (554) and Lions (534). A similar output from a fantasy perspective can be expected in a better environment but with fewer pass attempts.<\/p>\n<p>WR DK Metcalf fantasy outlook<\/p>\n<p>The Jets supplied Rodgers with plenty of firepower in New York when they acquired\u00a0Davante Adams midseason. The Steelers did the same but stocked up before Rodgers&#8217; arrival. Pittsburgh acquired <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/dk-metcalf\/945633\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">D.K. Metcalf<\/a> in a trade from <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/teams\/seattle-seahawks\/361\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Seattle<\/a>\u00a0earlier in the offseason, and according to reports, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/steelers\/2025\/03\/31\/aaron-rodgers-steelers-dk-metcalf-throwing-session\/82737905007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Metcalf and Rodgers have already been working out together<\/a> in California during this offseason.<\/p>\n<p>The 27-year-old has unmatched physical traits and is a true No. 1. He leads the NFL with 96 end-zone targets since entering the league.<\/p>\n<p>Metcalf has finished between 967 and 1,114 yards in the past four seasons. His best season was in 2020, where he finished as the 10th overall wide receiver in fantasy points per game. He hasn&#8217;t demanded an elite target share, but perhaps Rodgers can unlock some of the promise he displayed during the 2020 season.<\/p>\n<p>Adams and Rodgers had one of the best connections in NFL history. In arguably their best season together in 2020, Adams led the league with 18 touchdowns and 98.1 receiving yards per game. It&#8217;s unlikely Metcalf can replicate those numbers in the Steelers&#8217; run-first environment, but he&#8217;s capable of finishing inside the top 20 at the position.<\/p>\n<p>Steelers WRs fantasy outlook<\/p>\n<p>The other receivers for the Steelers have intriguing value. On one hand, Pittsburgh was the fourth-most run-heavy offense in the NFL. Conversely, Rodgers showed he can support two elite wide receivers for significant stretches last season.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/george-pickens\/1172053\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">George Pickens<\/a>\u00a0was traded to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/teams\/dallas-cowboys\/331\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dallas Cowboys<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/nfl\/2025\/05\/07\/george-pickens-trade-details-steelers-cowboys\/83490465007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">exchange for a package that includes a third-round pick<\/a>\u00a0in the 2026 NFL Draft.<\/p>\n<p>With Pickens out of the fold, <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/calvin-austin-iii\/1062765\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Calvin Austin<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/robert-woods\/555693\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Robert Woods<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/roman-wilson\/1229669\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Roman Wilson<\/a> will compete for snaps and targets.<\/p>\n<p>The Steelers lack a true No. 2 option. Expect the Steelers to add another veteran to the room as the offseason progresses.<\/p>\n<p>As things stand, Austin will likely be the top slot man unless usurped by second-year wideout Wilson.<\/p>\n<p>The rest of the receiver room is comprised of low-cost veterans and undrafted rookie free agents.<\/p>\n<p>RB Jaylen Warren fantasy outlook<\/p>\n<p>Rodgers will also have <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/jaylen-warren\/1176443\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jaylen Warren<\/a> at his disposal, one of the most underrated backs in the league. Since entering the NFL, Warren ranks sixth in yards per carry (4.8), yards after contact per carry (3.4) and explosive run rate (9.5%).<\/p>\n<p>He ranks 12th among running backs in fantasy points per touch since 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, the Steelers led the league with a 13.4% check-down rate on pass attempts. Warren has ranked fifth among running backs in targets per route run since 2022. <a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/breece-hall\/1162537\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Breece Hall<\/a> caught 57 passes in 16 games last season from Rodgers &#8211; the fourth-most in the NFL. Dating back to his time with the Packers, Rodgers has never had a running back with fewer than 49 receptions in a healthy season since 2018.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/sportsdata.usatoday.com\/football\/nfl\/players\/najee-harris\/973964\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Najee Harris<\/a>\u00a0signed with the Chargers in free agency, leaving the door open for a massive workload ahead. However, the backfield will likely be a timeshare again as the Steelers drafted Kaleb Johnson in the third round. Though, Johnson is not a threat to take snaps away from Warren on passing downs.<\/p>\n<p>TE Pat Freiermuth fantasy outlook<\/p>\n<p>The veteran tight end recorded a season-high 653 yards, 65 receptions and seven touchdowns in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>From a fantasy perspective, Freiermuth finished 2024 as the ninth-best tight end in PPR points per game. A thin depth chart sets him up for another potential top-10 finish in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Steelers QB depth chart<\/p>\n<p>With Aaron Rodgers under contract, he&#8217;s expected to take the reigns under center. Meanwhile, Mason Rudolph should retain his QB2 role and slot in nicely as the backup. Here&#8217;s a look at how the Steelers depth chart should break down:<\/p>\n<p>Rudolph was a 2018 third-round pick by the Steelers and returned after spending 2024 with the Titans. He signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract in free agency. Rudolph went 8-4-1 in 13 games as a starter with Pittsburgh over four seasons and 1-4 in five starts with Tennessee.<\/p>\n<p>Thompson provides solid veteran depth. Will Howard was drafted in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and now has time to develop his skills at the next level.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mike Greenberg says Aaron Rodgers still has ability to succeed in the NFL ESPN commentator Mike Greenberg chats&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":107721,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1635,1586,3979,247,265,3978,5430,2417,2870,5626,1999,6914,7,18898,2933,2310,10541,1736,226,2418,677,679,248,267,206,255,88,6,245,537,7621,9073,520,57,530,1636,818,817,829,9,266,819,426,678,776,6059,1434,225],"class_list":{"0":"post-107720","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nfl","8":"tag-aaron","9":"tag-aaron-rodgers","10":"tag-adams","11":"tag-american","12":"tag-american-football","13":"tag-davante","14":"tag-davante-adams","15":"tag-dk","16":"tag-dk-metcalf","17":"tag-fantasy","18":"tag-fantasy-football","19":"tag-fantasy-sports","20":"tag-football","21":"tag-freiermuth","22":"tag-garrett","23":"tag-garrett-wilson","24":"tag-jaylen","25":"tag-jaylen-warren","26":"tag-jets","27":"tag-metcalf","28":"tag-modular","29":"tag-modular-story","30":"tag-national","31":"tag-national-sports","32":"tag-new","33":"tag-new-york-jets","34":"tag-news","35":"tag-nfl","36":"tag-overall","37":"tag-overall-positive","38":"tag-pat","39":"tag-pat-freiermuth","40":"tag-pittsburgh","41":"tag-pittsburgh-steelers","42":"tag-positive","43":"tag-rodgers","44":"tag-scores","45":"tag-sport","46":"tag-sport-scores-u0026-statistics","47":"tag-sports","48":"tag-sports-news","49":"tag-statistics","50":"tag-steelers","51":"tag-story","52":"tag-u0026","53":"tag-warren","54":"tag-wilson","55":"tag-york"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107720\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/107721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}