Steelers Edge T.J. Watt had surgery Thursday to "stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility," according to his brother J.J. Watt. Pittsburgh has ruled him out for Monday's game against the Dolphins.
What They're Saying
J.J. on Friday: "Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well and he is being released from the hospital today."
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport: "Watt is expected to play again this season following surgery on his partially collapsed lung. ... Sometimes this heals on its own. This didn't, so surgery was necessary. A scary 24 hours. But full recovery expected."
2025 Fantasy Football Impact
A "TBD" timeline and expected return "this season" sure sounds like we should anticipate at least a couple of missed games.
At the very least, you'll need to find a Week 15 replacement for your IDP lineup. Nick Herbig should elevate to fill Watt's role for Pittsburgh, and the Dolphins have actually been the 10th-best scoring matchup for D-linemen by our adjusted fantasy points allowed -- despite tying for just 19th in sacks allowed.
Check the updated DL rankings to see where Herbig lands and who else might make sense for your lineup.
Pittsburgh gets a negative matchup at Detroit in Week 16 before a top-shelf spot at Cleveland in Week 17.
