Best Steelers vs. Vikings Player Prop Bets for Thursday Night Football
What kind of performances can we expect Thursday night from Justin Jefferson, Diontae Johnson, and Ben Roethlisberger? NFL betting analyst Nick Galaida has some picks. Follow along as he breaks down his four favorite Steelers vs. Vikings prop bets for Thursday Night Football.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Minnesota Vikings will open Week 14 of the NFL season on Thursday evening at U.S. Bank Stadium. Pittsburgh has already ruled out Joe Haden, Robert Spillane, and Isaiah Buggs on the defensive side of the ball. Minnesota is dealing with a myriad of injuries to both sides of the ball. The Steelers seemed to be spiraling towards the bottom of the AFC standings prior to an upset win in Week 13 over the Baltimore Ravens, but will be looking to keep their playoff hopes alive on Thursday Night Football. Minnesota allowed a walk-off touchdown last Sunday to the previously winless Detroit Lions. Oddsmakers are anticipating a tightly-contested matchup between these two teams trying to improve their postseason chances, pricing the Vikings as a field goal favorite on the spread. As we approach kickoff, the value on the spread and the total has been reduced compared to its opening market price. Instead of forcing action on saturated markets, bettors may find more expected value on player props for this Thursday Night Football game.
Read more: Steelers vs. Vikings Odds
Steelers vs. Vikings Player Props
Justin Jefferson o90.5 receiving yards (-110)
Justin Jefferson would have been a strong play at this number, even if Adam Thielen was playing tonight. Per Pro Football Focus, Jefferson grades as the third-best wide receiver in the NFL this season out of 129 players with a qualifying number of offensive snaps. This evening, Jefferson is likely to be shadowed by Cameron Sutton, who has been one of the worst cornerbacks in the league this fall. Even with Thielen on the field, Jefferson commands a massive target share from Kirk Cousins. Thielen’s absence, coupled with the fact that Pittsburgh has an extremely exploitable secondary unit, should lead to a big night for the star wideout.
Diontae Johnson o6.5 receptions (-110)
Patrick Peterson is a big name, but he is no longer a big-time talent. Peterson has been largely ineffectual since his outstanding 2018 season, which creates an opportunity tonight for Dionate Johnson to have a big game, assuming that he sees a significant amount of coverage from Peterson. Johnson has seen double digit targets in all but two games this season. He has totaled at least seven receptions in four consecutive games, despite not converting a great number of targets to catches. Against a beatable cornerback tonight, Johnson could have a big night.
Ben Roethlisberger u34.5 passing attempts (-110)
The Vikings have one of the worst run defenses in the entire NFL. If Pittsburgh wants to stay competitive in this game on the road, they are going to need to establish a strong rushing attack in the early portion of this contest. It is surprising that Mike Tomlin has let Ben Roethlisberger throw the ball so much this season, considering that Roethlisberger ranks only 24th in QBR and has been largely ineffectual through the air. Expect the Steelers to emphasize the running game tonight, and for that to lead to the under hitting on this prop.
Najee Harris Anytime Touchdown Scorer (-120)
Despite playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league this fall, Najee Harris has found the end zone seven times. Harris gets a strong matchup this evening against a Minnesota defense that is allowing 4.7 yards-per-carry on the ground in 2021. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers have allowed more yards-per-carry this year, meaning that Harris should have plenty of opportunities to break-away for a long touchdown, or find some room around the goal line if the Steelers find themselves in a position to score.
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