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Tyler Matakevich's signature red beard is a jagged mess.

All knots and snarls [url=http://www.cowboyscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-mike-white-jersey]Cheap Mike White Jersey[/url] , a series of small mushroom clouds exploding from his jowls.

The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker knows it's time for a trim but he's a little particular about the way he wants it cut, so Matakevich decided to hold off until he could get back home to Connecticut, where a good friend has doubled as his barber for years.

Then organized team activities and minicamp started and the itching nearly became too much.

"I sort of forgot that it's a little different when it's hot out," Matakevich said with a laugh.

The player nicknamed "Dirty Red" by coach Mike Tomlin as a rookie two years ago expects to have the beard a little more under control when the Steelers report for training camp next month.

Considering the workload Matakevich could carry in 2018, that's probably wise.

The seventh-round pick in 2016 will be given every chance to earn the starting linebacker spot created by Ryan Shazier's spinal injury.

No pressure or anything, all Matakevich has to do is take over for a Pro Bowler and good friend who also happened to be one of the most physically gifted players in the NFL.

Matakevich is doing it by leaning on Shazier, who has become a de facto coach while continuing his recovery from the collision in Cincinnati last December that altered both the course of his career and his life.

When Matakevich wasn't sure about a specific coverage during a workout on Tuesday, he trotted over to Shazier's golf cart and started peppering him with questions.

"I saw like, 'Hey Bro, what are we doing here?' Stuff like that," Matakevich said. "He just helps you out. I'm so thankful for that."

And for the opportunity to play at all. The Steelers took a flyer on Matakevich when they selected him with the 246th overall pick in the 2016 draft following a highly productive college career at Temple in which he recorded at least 100 tackles in each of his four seasons.

The numbers and the awards 鈥?such as being the 2015 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year 鈥?were hard to dismiss.

So too, were the other ones. Like his sluggish 4.81-second 40-yard dash time at the combine and his 6-foot-1, 235-pound frame that makes him more fire hydrant than fighter jet.

Still, Matakevich carved out a roster spot by making himself a special teams ace 鈥?he's already blocked two punts in two seasons 鈥?and is keenly aware that in most places the prospects for seventh-rounders is iffy at best. Pittsburgh, however [url=http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tremaine-edmunds-jersey]http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-tremaine-edmunds-jersey[/url] , is not most places.

"These coaches love you," Matakevich said. "They're going to tell you what you need to do to be successful. They're going to put you in the right spots and at the end of the day it's on you. You've got to be able to do whatever it takes."

Inside linebackers coach Jerry Olsavsky understands Matakevich isn't Shazier or former Steeler Lawrence Timmons, but he is refusing to hold Matakevich to a different standard.

"He might not be big enough," Olsavsky said. "He might not line up like Lawrence and Ryan ... but if you just look at the plays he's made here, you're like, 'wow, that guy's made a lot of plays.'"

The key will be doing it on a more regular basis and staying on the field.

Shortly after Shazier's wrenching exit, Matakevich found himself on the sideline when the left shoulder problems he'd been battling all season simply became too much to bear. He spent most of the season wearing a harness during games to protect it after initially tweaking his labrum in Kansas City in mid-October.

When a Bengals player bumped into him in the third quarter on Dec. 4, the shoulder was cooked for good.

"They tried, even once they got it in I was like, 'Alright, let's go' and they were like 'You're not going anywhere,'" Matakevich said. "It was frustrating because those opportunities don't come around too often."

There's a small three-inch scar on the front of Matakevich's left shoulder, a reminder of the procedure that took care of his labrum, his rotator cuff and his biceps in one fell swoop. The arm that he admits was "just hanging there" for much of last season is now fully healthy.

The front office is so encouraged by Matakevich's progress it opted not to use a draft pick on a linebacker for the first time since 2010.

General manager Kevin Colbert made it a point to bring up Matakevich's name unprompted in the aftermath and Matakevich heard the message loud and clear even as the team signed well-traveled veteran Jon Bostic as insurance.

"It makes you really believe in yourself because you know that the guys upstairs believe in you [url=http://www.jaguarscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-ronnie-harrison-jersey]Authentic Ronnie Harrison Jersey[/url] ," Matakevich said.

There's no question that Matakevich has earned the belief of the guy he may line up alongside. In many ways he's following in Vince Williams' footsteps. A former sixth-round pick himself, Williams is now the elder statesmen in the linebackers' room thanks in part to his skill and work ethic. He sees the same things in Matakevich.

"He's smart. He understands the game. He understands what it takes to be a pro," Williams said. "He takes care of his body. He studies. That's really all you can expect from him right now."

Well that and maybe a haircut by the time the team reports to Saint Vincent College on July 25, when Tomlin is expected to shout "Dirty Red" early and often. That's fine by Matakevich.

"You can call me whatever you want," Matakevich said. "Just keep me around."

The wide receiver position in fantasy football has been one of the more hotly debated topics in recent seasons. The depth at receiver and amount of consistent scoring led to the advent of the "zero running back" draft strategy.

Utilizing that approach, you would refrain from selecting a running back in the early stages of your draft while loading up on the upper tier of receivers to bolster your roster. What we have seen recently in the NFL is more teams starting to employ balanced and traditional run-based attacks. This change in philosophy has thrown a wrench into fantasy drafts regarding wideouts. As we head into 2018, drafts are once again very running back heavy early on, pushing receivers that we are used to seeing in the first round back into the second round and beyond.

The top tier of WRs is made up of the very elite. Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh) could be considered in a class all his own, but inside this superstar group you also have players such as Houston's DeAndre Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr. of the Giants. Brown has led receivers in scoring the last several seasons by a wide margin, but Hopkins and Beckham are two that could close the gap and have first round draft value.

The next grouping is made up of players that will likely be taken during the second round of drafts. Players like Michael Thomas (New Orleans) and Keenan Allen (Chargers) provide solid floors but have the intrigue of an insanely high ceiling as well. Atlanta's Julio Jones and Cincinnati's A.J. Green are stars from previous seasons, but is their time beginning to come to an end? Possibly, but they are still safe enough bets to bring you WR1 production. Davante Adams of Green Bay is the wild card among this group. Playing with Aaron Rodgers vaults his value and the touchdown production is there.

From Mike Evans (Tampa Bay) down to Golden Tate (Detroit), you'll find players in the next range during Rounds 3 and 4 that can give you a mix of points-per-reception (PPR) league value as well as touchdown scoring in standard leagues. T.Y. Hilton of Indianapolis and Denver's Demaryius Thomas find themselves back in this conversation as their quarterback situations have greatly improved from a year ago. Vikings receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs could have even better years in 2018 with the arrival of Kirk Cousins.

You have injury concerns with players like Allen Robinson (Chicago) and Alshon Jeffrey (Philadelphia). Players like Browns wideout Jarvis Landry, Rams receiver Brandin Cooks and Baltimore's Michael Crabtree find themselves in new homes in hopes of making a significant fantasy impact. The potential is there for each of them, but they could struggle at times. Players in this grouping are being drafted between Rounds 5 and 6 [url=http://www.titanscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-harold-landry-jersey]Cheap Harold Landry Jersey[/url] , a point where you certainly need the value but you can also swing for a bit of upside as well.

In the next tier, you start to see players that will be flex options or even matchup plays in given weeks. You have the upside of players like Corey Davis (Tennessee), Chris Hogan (New England) and Sammy Watkins (Kansas City). But even those receivers come with questions and concerns. Can they avoid the inconsistencies that have plagued them in previous seasons? Other players in this group have been disappointments. Those names include Randall Cobb (Green Bay), Devin Funchess (Carolina) and DeVante Parker (Miami). With WRs in this range, just know there will be weeks of poor play. But they can also give you matchup-winning performances if started in the right scenario.

Sterling Shepard of the Giants, Miami's Kenny Stills and Buffalo's Kelvin Benjamin are players that can provide safe floors in production but rarely have huge games that get you excited to put them in your lineups. Will Fuller of Houston and Nelson Agholor of Philadelphia are complete wild cards. They can both have big games or disappear for weeks at a time. Jordy Nelson (Oakland), Allen Hurns (Dallas) and Marqise Lee (Jacksonville) are players that don't jump off the page. They could be worthy of flex consideration but most likely they will be bench guys for you with matchup plays in mind.

As you get into the double digit rounds, you can find the player that is getting undervalued that hits and becomes a weekly staple for you, leading to wins. You will start to see the rookies really come off the board later with a lot of talk surrounding WRs like Anthony Miller of Chicago, Denver's Courtland Sutton and Pittsburgh's James Washington in the preseason. The hype surrounding these rookies will greatly affect their average draft position, so if you like the player be prepared to jump earlier than usual.

The names you will see as you finish your draft off won't give you that tingly feeling, but they will be quality receivers that can provide depth on your bench. Some may catch fire and find themselves firmly implanted in your lineup rotation, others could fall flat. The good thing is that you don't waste much value in these later rounds, making these receivers expendable if they aren't up to par.

Ultimately, you may keep hearing about how the wide receiver position is deep. Don't buy into that. This position is very top-heavy with upper echelon players and can quickly fall off as you go through your draft. The best fantasy owner is one that isn't fazed by curve balls being thrown their way during a draft. They are fully prepared for what comes [url=http://www.officialcapitals.com/authentic-adidas-riley-sutter-jersey]Authentic Riley Sutter Jersey[/url] , either good or bad.

ROTOEXPERTS TOP 15 WR

Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals

Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks

T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts

Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings

A.J. Gre.