Browns vs. Steelers: Rashard Mendenhall Will Be Primetime Fantasy Monster

Rashard Mendenhall has always been a fascinating running back. He has never been the best player at his position, but fantasy owners love him because he is a touchdown machine. It's a product of playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, I guess.

Well, look for him to run like one of the best backs in the league tonight against the Cleveland Browns inept run defense. 

The Steelers have caught fire after a slow start with seven victories in their last eight games. They are peaking at the right time because the postseason chase is starting to heat up, and they have the inside track to least get a wild card berth now and a shot at the division. 

Mendenhall has not been following the rest of the team's lead. He has not run for more than 60 yards since Oct. 30 against New England and has just one 100-yard game all season. 

But all of that will change on Thursday night against the Browns, who have the 31st-ranked run defense in the NFL. They allow 151.3 yards on the ground per game. 

As bad as the Steelers offensive line has been this season, and it's not been pretty, they will look like the most dominant unit in the game against the Charmin soft Browns defense. 

After last week's game against the Ravens, in which Ray Rice ran for 204 yards, the Browns players had no answer as to why it happened. 

From Mary Kay Cabot's report in the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

"

"They just flat out whupped us up front," said linebacker D'Qwell Jackson. "It wasn't anything special. The front line, the defensive line, the linebackers, we didn't get it done. They embarrassed us."

"

The Browns have had no answers for anyone on the ground this season. Last week was just the tip of the iceberg. 

Mendenhall's yardage drought will end tonight in a big way. Fantasy owners will never love him more, especially with the playoffs starting. 

Expect Mendenhall to have a huge game, and the Steelers to run all over the Browns on Thursday Night Football.