Participant: OLB Alex Highsmith
Inventory Worth: Up
Reasoning: After lacking three video games because of harm, Alex Highsmith sounds set to return towards the New York Jets. The Steelers have struggled to enhance T.J. Watt in his absence due to Nick Herbig’s subsequent harm. Getting Highsmith again might be an enormous enhance for a protection making an attempt to enter the bye week sturdy.
Alex Highsmith has recorded 11 tackles, together with two for loss, with a sack and a go defensed in 123 snaps. Now, that will pale compared to what Nick Herbig might do, however let’s not child ourselves. Highsmith is a good participant, and the Steelers felt his absence.
Highsmith injured his groin enjoying towards the Chargers in Week 3, a brand new groin harm from the one in camp. He didn’t return to apply till final week, engaged on a restricted foundation. Whereas he labored restricted yesterday, he expressed nice optimism that he would play Sunday evening towards the Jets.
The Steelers started the season with solely three true exterior linebackers, Herbig backing up Highsmith and T.J. Watt. That’s as a result of that they had Jeremiah Moon on the Reserve/Injured Checklist and DeMarvin Leal might additionally flex inside.
However Leal is doubtlessly out for the remainder of the season, and I’m guessing we gained’t see Nick Herbig once more earlier than the bye week. Whereas Moon deserves credit score for his efforts, getting Alex Highsmith again now can be an enormous enhance.
Highsmith is likely one of the most full 3-4 edge defenders within the league, additionally an excellent run defender. Whereas the Steelers don’t drop their exterior linebackers into protection as a lot anymore, he can deal with his enterprise there, too.
The underside line is the Steelers can do much more on protection as soon as they’ve Highsmith again. Even with Herbig, he’s nonetheless a younger participant who has some limitations. And there’s a motive the Steelers signed Highsmith to an extension a pair years again.
With the Giants dropping left deal with Andrew Thomas to a reported season-ending harm, it’s much more fortuitous for Highsmith to return now, as they play them in two weeks. However first, he should face Tyron Smith, who’s having merely a “good” 12 months by his requirements.
Because the season progresses, Steelers gamers’ shares rise and fall. The character of the analysis differs with the time of 12 months, with in-season concerns being extra typically short-term. Concerns within the offseason typically have broader implications, significantly when gamers lose their jobs, or the group indicators somebody. This time of 12 months is stuffed with transactions, whether or not minor or main.
A nasty sport, a brand new contract, an harm, a promotion—any variety of issues have an effect on a participant’s worth. Consider it as a inventory available on the market, based mostly on hypothesis. You’ll really feel higher a couple of participant after a great sport, or worse after a nasty one. Some inventory updates are minor, whereas others are prone to be fairly drastic, so keep in mind the diploma. I’ll do my finest to elucidate the character of that within the reasoning part of every column.
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