It was another eventful week of NFL football — Week 8 concludes with just one Monday night matchup. Though not the most star-studded slate, the Pittsburgh Steelers host the New York Giants in front of a national audience.
The Steelers enter with a 5-2 record and will start Russell Wilson at quarterback for the second-consecutive week. Wilson opened up the offense through the air in a way that was not seen with Justin Fields under center, although the quarterback situation will continue to be one to keep an eye on. Pittsburgh has still embraced its identity as a defensive-minded team and ranks second in the NFL in points allowed and fourth in turnovers forced.
The Giants have not gotten off to as strong of a start at 2-5 on the season. They rank 30th in scoring and 28th in total yards this season. New York has combined for just 10 total points across the past two weeks.
The Steelers enter this game as six-point favorites and are -270 on the moneyline. The Giants are +220 underdogs on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook, and the game total is set at just 36.5 for the matchup. With the stage fully set, here are four player props I like in the Monday Night matchup.
George Pickens Over 62.5 Receiving Yards (-120)
No player has been positively impacted by the quarterback change as much as George Pickens. The Steelers’ top pass catcher produced 1,140 receiving yards last season and led the NFL in net yards per pass attempt. So far this season, he has tallied 31 receptions for 474 yards and a touchdown. While he also had a 113-yard receiving performance with Fields at quarterback, Pickens tallied five receptions for 111 yards and his first touchdown last week with Wilson at QB. He also has recorded over 62.5 receiving yards in three of seven games this season.
Wilson has shown a willingness to air the ball out and give Pickens a chance to make plays. They connected on a 44-yard pass last week and have a great opportunity once again. The Giants allow a league-worst 60.7% completion percentage on deep balls this season, and have allowed over 62.5 receiving yards to seven different pass-catchers already this year. Expect Pickens to be the next name added to this list and to receive plenty of targets.
Najee Harris Over 66.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
Najee Harris has eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in all three of his NFL seasons and is on track to reach this mark once again. So far this season, he has tallied 117 carries for 478 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He has received at least 13 carries in every game and is also coming off back-to-back 100+ yard rushing performances. Harris also has eclipsed 66.5 rushing yards in five of seven games.
The Steelers enter as six-point favorites in this game and there is more blowout potential than that number might indicate. Pittsburgh is plenty comfortable taking a lead and then running out the clock on the ground. If things play out this way, expect Harris to have the ball in his hands plenty. Defensively, the Giants rank 23rd in rushing yards and dead last in net yards per rush attempt.
Even if Pittsburgh is not able to take a lead, expect Harris to have his usual level of opportunity. Count on Harris to continue to produce at a high level and exceed 66.5 rushing yards for the third consecutive week.
Russell Wilson Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns (+155)
While Justin Fields deserves credit for leading the Steelers to a 5-2 record, there is no doubt that Russell Wilson can elevate their passing game. Wilson threw for two touchdowns last week while Fields threw for just five passing touchdowns across his six starts. In fairness to the younger quarterback, Fields also added five rushing touchdowns.
Looking at the Giants defense overall, they rank 13th in points allowed and 11th in yards given up. Expect the deep ball to be a weapon Pittsburgh utilizes often and for a potential long touchdown to occur. The Steelers have tallied eight rushing touchdowns compared to seven passing touchdowns as a team this year.
While Pittsburgh will continue to hang its hat on defense, there is some available production in the passing game that Fields was unable to reach. Buy into the two-touchdown performance from Wilson last week and expect the Steelers’ playbook to open up a little more in this game. Wilson has one of the most impressive resumes across football and has thrown for 336 passing touchdowns in his career. Expect him to add to the tally in tonight’s matchup with at least two passing touchdowns.
George Pickens and Malik Nabers to Combine for 150+ Receiving Yards (+160)
While we already broke down the improved outlook for George Pickens, Malik Nabers will be a tough competitor for the leading pass catcher in this game. The prized rookie has tallied 39 receptions for 427 yards and three touchdowns on the season while missing two games with a concussion. Even with the absence, he ranks 11th in the NFL in targets and 17th in receptions.
While Pittsburgh’s defense has been sharp overall, they rank 20th in passing yards allowed. This is their biggest weakness and New York will look to target it in the matchup. If the Steelers are able to get out to an early lead, New York will be forced to play from behind and will air the ball out accordingly.
With both wide receivers in line for a significant target share and big play potential, the +160 line for them combining for 150+ receiving yards is great value. Expect there to be some in-game competition between Nabers and Pickens as they battle for the top wide receiver in this matchup, but for both guys to have a chance at a 100+ yard receiving game.
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All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
