AFC features plenty of star power even without Tom Brady
Even without Tom Brady the AFC features plenty of star power and some terrific storylines in 2020NOVEMBER 10, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
VANCE MCDONALD
Confirmed out for Week 10 Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin confirmed that McDonald (reserve/COVID-19 list) won't be available to play Sunday against the Bengals, Chris Adamski of TribLive.com reports.
Impact McDonald's Week 10 absence comes as no surprise after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday. According to Alan Saunders of the Associated Press, McDonald experienced cold-like symptoms at practice last Friday, but he was cleared to play in the Steelers' Week 9 win over the Cowboys after testing negative for COVID-19 three times in a row. After Monday's positive test, however, McDonald will have to self-quarantine before potentially rejoining the Steelers in Week 11 if he's symptom-free and testing negative again. On Tuesday, the Steelers placed four players on the reserve/COVID-19 list who were determined to be high-risk close contacts of McDonald, but Tomlin is optimistic each of those players will be available against the Bengals if they continue to test negative throughout the week.
NOVEMBER 10, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Steelers' Roethlisberger, 3 teammates go on COVID-19 list
The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed four more players on the COVID-19 list, including quarterback Ben RoethlisbergerNOVEMBER 10, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Latest: Knicks shut training center after positive tests
The New York Knicks have temporarily closed their training facility after three team employees tested positive for the coronavirusNOVEMBER 10, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cowboys cancel practice after Steelers TE Vance McDonald tests positive for coronavirus The Cowboys lost a game to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. They lost a practice to them on Monday. Tight end Vance McDonald, who was adde...
NOVEMBER 10, 2020 • DALLASNEWS.COM
Rapoport: Vance McDonald placed on COVID-19 list after Week 9 NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Vance McDonald has been placed on the COVID-19 list after Week 9.
NOVEMBER 9, 2020 • SPORTINGNEWS.COM
Placed on COVID-19 list The Steelers placed McDonald (illness) on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reports.
Impact McDonald's placement on the reserve list follows a report from Pittsburgh stating that a player has tested positive for COVID-19. The veteran tight end missed Friday's practice due to what was labeled an 'illness' and was listed as questionable for Sunday's win over the Cowboys, but he ultimately suited up and played 24 snaps.
NOVEMBER 9, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
The Latest: Dodgers organization has 5 positive virus cases
The Los Angeles Dodgers organization has five people that have tested positive for the novel coronavirusNOVEMBER 9, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Active Week 9 McDonald (illness) is active for Sunday's Week 9 tilt against the Cowboys.
Impact The reserve tight end apparently was dealing with a non-COVID-19 illness late in the week, but he's gotten past it and will work in his usual role behind starter Eric Ebron. McDonald has logged just 10 targets through seven games, parlaying them into an 8-59-0 line.
NOVEMBER 8, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Illness leaves Steelers’ Vance McDonald questionable for Sunday; Mike Hilton doubtful Tight end Vance McDonald was a surprise late-week add to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ official injury report. An undisclosed illness left the ve...
NOVEMBER 6, 2020 • TRIBLIVE.COM
Uncertain for Week 9 McDonald is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Cowboys due to an illness, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Impact The Steelers didn't include McDonald on either of their first two Week 9 injury reports, but the tight end was added Friday after his illness prevented him from practicing. With Eric Ebron clearing 80 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps in the team's past two games, McDonald has naturally noticed a role reduction as the No. 2 tight end. He's played less than half of the snaps in both of those contests, drawing only two targets between those games.
NOVEMBER 6, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Gets no looks against Ravens McDonald was not targeted on 21 offensive snaps during Sunday's 28-24 win against Baltimore.
Impact McDonald went untargeted for the second time in three weeks against the Ravens, while Eric Ebron has compiled 12 receptions, 107 yards and a touchdown over the same span. Ebron has also attracted 5.8 targets per game since Week 2, clearly indicating him as the preferred pass-catching option compared to McDonald's 1.3 targets-per-game average over his past six appearances. Pittsburgh faces a Dallas defense in Week 9 that has surrendered four tight end touchdowns through eight outings, but McDonald remains a long shot to score with just one red-zone target in 2020.
NOVEMBER 4, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Targeted twice against Titans McDonald hauled in both of his targets for 14 yards in Sunday's 27-24 win over the Titans.
Impact After seeing just one target over the past two weeks, McDonald was slightly more involved in the offense in the team's Week 7 matchup. While it was encouraging to see the 30-year-old get some involvement, his target share was quite limited, especially considering that the Steelers attempted 49 passes in the favorable matchup. McDonald has been targeted just 10 times over the first six weeks of the season, recording eight receptions for 59 yards.
OCTOBER 26, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
No catches against Cleveland McDonald was not targeted on any of his 40 offensive snaps during Sunday's 38-7 win against the Browns.
Impact The veteran tight end was right on trajectory with his usual workload in Week 6, as he had averaged 39 offensive snaps per game over Pittsburgh's first four outings of the year. The Steelers ran 37 times compared to just 23 pass attempts against the Browns, having jumped out to a dominant 24-0 advantage by the 5:43 mark of the second quarter. McDonald may see more work in the passing game Week 7 against the Titans in what figures to be a highly competitive clash between undefeated squads, and he has a decent chance of falling into the end zone with Tennessee already having surrendered four touchdowns to opposing TEs on the season.
OCTOBER 21, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Records one catch in Week 5 McDonald recorded one catch for four yards in Sunday's 38-29 win over the Eagles.
Impact McDonald was more involved in Week 3, logging a season-high three receptions and 35 yards, but he took on a minimal role once again following the Steelers' bye week. He remains entrenched behind Eric Ebron on the team's depth chart, which has resulted in McDonald being targeted just eight times over the first four weeks of the 2020 season.
OCTOBER 12, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Loud and proud; Steelers TE Ebron gleefully making noise
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Eric Ebron is walking the walk while talking the talkOCTOBER 9, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Back to work: Unbeaten Steelers welcome improving Eagles
The unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers return from an unexpected bye week when they host cross-state rival PhiladelphiaOCTOBER 8, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Steelers' Vance McDonald 'spent the weekend being angry' about postponement Even by its own lightning-fast standard, the NFL news cycle has been moving at warp speed for the last week or so. As a father of three who...
OCTOBER 8, 2020 • POST-GAZETTE.COM
Remains in Ebron's shadow McDonald caught all three of his targets for 35 yards in the Steelers' 28-21 Week 3 win over the Texans Sunday.
Impact Eric Ebron led Pittsburgh in receiving yards -- and finished tied with receiver James Washington for the most receptions and targets -- further widening the gap with McDonald as the primary pass-catching tight end. Week 4 opponent Tennessee has limited opposing tight ends to just 54 yards per game but have allowed them to score a touchdown in each game. This favors Ebron, making it difficult to insert McDonald in fantasy lineups.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
More of the same in Week 2 McDonald had three yards on one catch in Pittsburgh's 26-21 win over Denver Sunday.
Impact Targeted twice, McDonald produced an identical stat line as in Week 1. He is behind Eric Ebron on the tight end depth chart and the offense just has too many receiving options to suggest McDonald has any fantasy value heading into Week 3 against the Texans.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
One catch in opener McDonald caught one pass for three yards in Monday night's 26-16 win over the Giants.
Impact This was a disappointing outing for McDonald, who was only targeted twice all game and not at all in the second half. He saw fewer targets only twice all last season, but with Eric Ebron now in the mix at tight end, McDonald cannot be relied on heading into Pittsburgh's Week 2 home opener against the Broncos.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Finally pain-free, Roethlisberger ready to sling it
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says his surgically repaired right elbow feels better than it has in yearsAUGUST 27, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ben's back and the Steelers believe the playoffs are, too
The Pittsburgh Steelers believe the return of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will thrust them back into the playoff mix in 2020AUGUST 27, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
‘Availability is everything,’ including the only thing holding back Steelers’ Vance McDonald McDonald has missed 27 games because of injury. He has missed game time on 14 other occasions for differing ailments.
AUGUST 19, 2020 • PENNLIVE.COM
Roethlisberger's return raises expectations in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner says it's not time to relax just because star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has returned from elbow surgeryJULY 29, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
