Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Troy Polamalu sat out of practice on Wednesday in order to rest an ankle injury. He did not play in Weeks 15 and 16 in order to protect an ankle and Achilles injuries. He then returned in the season-finale against the Cleveland Browns. Polamalu is expected to return to practice sometime later this week and should play in Saturday's playoff game. Cornerback Bryant McFadden (abdomen) and defensive end Aaron Smith (triceps) were limited for Wednesday's practice according to NFL Network's Jason La Canfora. He also mentioned that Smith is unlikely to play unless the Steelers make it to the Super Bowl.

Fantasy Analysis:

Polamalu is vital to the Steelers. In the last two seasons, the Steelers are 6-7 with Polamalu in the lineup and 15-5 while he plays. He adds a new dimension to their defense. Consider he had seven interceptions in only 14 games this year as an example. This weekend, the Steelers play the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday. In Week 4, the Ravens won 17-14 and in Week 13, Pittsburgh won 13-10. So this game should be very close. This is one of those games where the team with the fewest turnovers has a huge advantage. The Steelers will need to protect the ball and run it effectively in order to establish their offense.