Nick Vannett, Will Dissly Updated Fantasy Outlook After Steelers-Seahawks Trade

When trades happen in the NFL, more than just the two teams are impacted.

Fantasy football players are also interested in how it affects their rosters, and Tuesday's reported trade between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks is sure to do just that. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Seahawks will send tight end Nick Vannett to the Steelers in the deal.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network noted Seattle received a 2020 fifth-round draft pick in exchange for Vannett, who bolsters the position for Pittsburgh after tight end Vance McDonald suffered an injury in a Week 3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Steelers beat reporter Dale Lolley pointed out McDonald was wearing a sling Tuesday.

McDonald has 10 catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns through three games. While the catch and yardage numbers are somewhat underwhelming, the Steelers have clearly been comfortable working him into their red-zone offense. That is encouraging for fantasy players who are going to rely on Vannett with a new team.

An opportunity for a breakthrough is there for Vannett now that he is no longer sharing a roster with Will Dissly. The former has largely been a nonfactor this season with four catches in three games, but that is because Dissly has 12 catches for 124 yards and three touchdowns.

Vannett was not worth rostering in the early portion of the season with no real established track record to fall back on. His 29 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns from last year were all career-high marks, but the Steelers figure to have additional motivation to use him given the draft pick they gave up in this trade.

They also face a Cincinnati Bengals team that is 27th in the league in points allowed per game in their next contest, so there is a chance to make a quick impact.

Fantasy players in need of tight ends should look to the waiver wire for Vannett, who has a much higher ceiling in Pittsburgh's offense while McDonald is sidelined.

This trade also eliminates any doubt about who the top tight end is in Seattle. Dissly has been a valuable weapon this year already and has largely passed his production from his rookie season in 2018 when he tallied eight catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns.

He averaged a touchdown per game while splitting time with Vannett in the first three weeks and is now a clear-cut starter at a position that is not exactly known for depth. Don't hesitate to start Dissly in fantasy leagues for the rest of the year.