Niner Noise
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Fantasy football: The ideal mock draft for 2018

By Chris Wilson

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Todd Gurley #30 of the Los Angeles Rams leaps over Bashaud Breeland #26 of the Washington Redskins before scoring a touchdown during the third quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Todd Gurley #30 of the Los Angeles Rams leaps over Bashaud Breeland #26 of the Washington Redskins before scoring a touchdown during the third quarter at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 17, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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fantasy football 2018 mock draft
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 10: Cameron Heyward #97 of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Anthony Chickillo #56 of the Pittsburgh Steelers sack DeShone Kizer #7 of the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Round 14: DEF Pittsburgh Steelers

In most fantasy football leagues last year, we streamed defenses — particularly targeting the defense facing the Cleveland Browns. Although the Browns should take step forward toward NFL legitimacy this season, they are Week 1 touchdown underdogs to the Pittsburgh Steelers — who are available for our 14th-round selection.

The Browns should be playing from behind, and even though quarterback Tyrod Taylor isn’t prone to throwing interceptions, he was sacked a league-leading 42 times in 2016, and 46 times in just 14 starts in 2017.

After Week 1, Pittsburgh continues a defensive-friendly start to the season, with games against the Chiefs, the Buccaneers and the Ravens. Given their schedule, we could potentially stick with the Steelers’ defense through the first quarter of the season — which is what we’re looking for, since the top projected defenses are off the board.