Steelers Believed To Be Interested In Fantasy Football’s Worst Nightmare for OC

As the Pittsburgh Steelers begin their search for their next offensive coordinator, they seem to have cast a wide net.

The expected favorites for the job are more experienced names like Darrell Bevell, but the team has already

planned a meeting with Kliff Kingsbury and Rams quarterback coach Zac Robinson.

It appears that they might be considering a name that won’t make fantasy football players very happy.

Over seven teams have expressed serious interest in hiring former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith as their offensive coordinator, according to ESPN’s Dianna Russini.

93.7 With only eight offensive coordinator positions available, The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi noted that the Steelers are probably one of those teams.

For any team contemplating Smith, his failure to make the most of a wealth of youthful talent with the Falcons should be concerning.

A Lot of Wasted Weapons in Atlanta

There might not be a single coach across the league that fantasy football players have been more upset with than Arthur Smith over the last three seasons.

After Smith assisted Ryan Tannehill in becoming a Pro Bowl player with the Titans, expectations were high.

Regretfully, despite the front office’s persistent efforts to acquire him pieces to enhance that side of the ball, the Falcons’ offense performed poorly throughout his three seasons with the team.

The team already had Matt Ryan and standout receiver Calvin Ridley when he took over as head coach.

Then, with the fourth pick in Smith’s inaugural draft, they added Kyle Pitts.

Even though Ridley only ended up participating in five games that year, Pitts had a debut season that saw him record 1000 yards. He only managed one touchdown during the season because the Falcons were unable to utilize him effectively in the red zone.

The team ended up 26th in scoring.

The Falcons signed a terrific receiver to replace Ridley, who was lost to suspension the following season.

Drake London was selected as the eighth overall choice in the 2022 draft, making him the first receiver off the board.

The two young stars for the Falcons combined for just 100 catches and 1222 yards in their first season together.

The running game was the team’s greatest asset.A 1000-yard season was accomplished by rookie running back Tyler Allgeier.After Cordarelle Patterson added 695 yards of his own, Smith’s Titans teams started to resemble the Falcons.

The offense was better, finishing 15th in scoring in 2022.

In 2023, the franchise made the obvious move for a coach who once had Derrick Henry run for 2000 yards in a season and was beginning to make the run game a big part of his team’s identity.

They selected Bijan Robinson eighth overall to give Smith a true bell cow back.

The Falcons had now used premium picks on offensive skill position players in three consecutive drafts. The offense had to finally be ready to succeed.

Robinson got 214 carries. That was four more than Allgeier, who was drafted in the fifth round, got in the previous season.

Robinson averaged just 57.4 rushing yards per game.

Robinson received just 7 carries in Week 15’s 2 point loss to the woeful Panthers.

In his second season, London saw seven fewer targets and four games with two catches or fewer.

Pitts scored slightly over five goals a night on average.

The Falcons regressed to 26th place in scoring and caused consternation among fantasy football players worldwide by mishandling some of the best prospects in the game.

London hasn’t yet concluded a season ranked among the top 30 wide receivers. Pitts was a top-12 tight end for one year.

The way he mishandled three guys who came into the league with such high hopes will worry fans about how he will groom the young players on their squad.

How Smith Might Fit With the Steelers

Now that we’ve gotten the negatives of Smith’s time with the Titans out of the way, let’s talk about how he might fit with the Steelers.

Hiring Smith probably wouldn’t be great for George Pickens and it might not fix Kenny Pickett, but he might help the offense find an identity.

How can you strive to score points when your quarterback isn’t reliable? Run the ball as frequently as you can.

Smith tried this in Tennessee, and the Titans saw success with it.

Although Najee Harris isn’t Derrick Henry, it might not be significant.

The top defensive player in the league is with the Steelers. Around him, they have some sturdy parts. They might prioritize free agency and the draft to continue building that defense.

As of right now, Pickett is the AFC North’s worst starting quarterback. They could need to come up with another strategy if he stays the team’s starter.

That may be consistent running and a stout defense.

Smith is a coordinator that would lean into that.

Smith really only fits with the Steelers if they’re planning to take their team in one very specific direction, but that still might be more of a fit than some other candidates.