Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Picks & Player Props

In Week 1, the Pittsburgh Steelers overperformed more than perhaps any other team, while the Denver Broncos were one of the most disappointing. The Broncos are likely to look a lot worse in Week 2 with Mike Tomlin and the vaunted Steelers defense coming to town. Check out our betting picks and player props for the matchup.

Denver Broncos vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Picks & Player Props - Sunday @ 4:25

All odds provided by Betway.

The Pittsburgh Steelers surprised a lot of people with their Week 1 win over the retooled Atlanta Falcons. The defense was dominant, and they managed the W despite the fact that they didn’t score a TD all day, instead relying on six Chris Boswell field goals (four of which were from 50+ yards) to get the job done.

The Denver Broncos kept it close against the Seattle Seahawks, but the game really wasn’t as close as the 26-20 final score would suggest, as rookie QB Bo Nix really struggled, throwing two picks, no TDs, and averaging just over three yards per toss.

Veteran Kirk Cousins had a helluva time deciphering the Steelers defense in Week 1. He threw two interceptions, and he had a third go right through a defender’s hands. He was also strip-sacked by T.J. Watt twice, though both were wiped off the board for dubious reasons.

If Pittsburgh can confuse and frustrate a veteran like Cousins, just imagine what they can do to an antsy rookie like Nix. If Joey Porter Jr. can take Courtland Sutton out of the game, the former Oregon Duck will have very few places to turn in Denver’s talent-less offense.

On top of that, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin might be the last guy you want to see on the opposition’s sideline when you’re a rookie QB. He’s 24-6 straight up all-time against freshmen QBs, which is even better than Bill Belichick’s 22-7 mark, and third-best all-time behind only Don Shula and Hank Stram.

It’s also worth noting that Tomlin has never lost to a rookie QB in back-to-back seasons, and he lost to two in 2023, with defeats at the hands of C.J. Stroud and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Another reason we love the Steelers in this spot is their dedication to the running game. They ran the ball 41 times for 137 yards in Week 1, and we’d expect those numbers to be even higher in Week 2 against a Broncos defense that allowed 146 yards to the Seahawks last week. Denver also gave up the third-most rushing yards and the highest yards per carry mark in the NFL in 2023.

Broncos vs. Steelers Player Prop Betting Odds

As we were saying, the Steelers are likely going to win this game through ball control and defense, so that means sustaining a lot of drives on the ground. Pittsburgh has a lot of options in their backfield, but Najee Harris is still the top dog, having rushed for 70 yards for the fourth straight game last week going back to the end of the 2023 regular season.

In Harris’ only other game against Denver, he ran for 122 yards in his first-ever 100-yard game. He clearly likes this matchup. And with Pittsburgh expected to be playing with a lead, they will be rushing the ball a lot, especially late in the game, which is when a big back like Harris typically shines. It’s also worth mentioning that Harris’ sidekick, Jaylen Warren, is not yet back to 100 percent, and should see limited snaps and touches again as he did last week. At 60.5, we like the over on Harris’ rushing yards prop.

Another one we like is tight end Pat Freiermuth. Last week, the big man hit his over by a half yard at 26.5, and this week, his number has dropped down to 23.5 for some reason. Even last year, his worst as a pro, Freiermuth averaged 25.7 yards per game, so we think he should be able to hit this number again no problem.

He is essentially the number two receiver in this offense, and with Fields’ propensity for quick and short throws, we can expect him to look for his tight end often: last week, Freiermuth had four targets, second-most on the team and more than enough to rack up 24 yards.

Best Bets

• Najee Harris Over 60.5 Rush Yards (-110)
• Pat Freiermuth Over 23.5 Receiving Yards (-110)