Best NFL Picks and Predictions Today (How to Bet Bengals vs. Steelers in NFL Week 18)

Breaking down the best bets to place for the Week 18 clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins is an elite prop target in Week 18. / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Major playoff implications in the AFC are on the line on Saturday night when the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Cincinnati Bengals in their last games of the 2024 regular season.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals knocked off the Denver Broncos in Week 17 to keep their season alive, but they need a Broncos loss, a Miami Dolphins loss, and a win to make the playoffs this season. It’s certainly a plausible scenario, but Cincy doesn’t have complete control entering Saturday’s matchup.

Meanwhile, the Steelers have a chance to win the AFC North (if the Baltimore Ravens lose earlier in the day on Saturday). If Baltimore wins, this game still matters to Pittsburgh, as it could lose the No. 5 seed in the AFC with a loss and a Los Angeles Chargers win on Sunday. 

With so much to play for on both sides, oddsmakers have set the spread for this game at 1.5 points, favoring Cincinnati. 

Earlier this season, the Bengals lost 44-38 against the Steelers, turning in one of their worst defensive showings of the 2024 campaign.

If you’re looking to bet on this standalone matchup, the SI Betting team has you covered with a pick for a side, player props, and more for Week 18. 

Best NFL Picks and Predictions for Bengals vs. Steelers

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Cincinnati Bengals -1.5 (-108) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – Iain MacMillan
• Tee Higgins Anytime TD (+110) – Peter Dewey
• Jaylen Warren OVER 39.5 Rushing Yards (-115) – Peter Dewey
• Ja’Marr Chase OVER 92.5 Receiving Yards (-120) – Peter Dewey

Cincinnati Bengals -1.5 (-108) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – Iain MacMillan

Earlier this week, SI Betting’s NFL betting insider Iain MacMillan shared his pick for this game in his Road to 272 column. He’s siding with the Bengals in what is a must-win for their playoff hopes: 

The spread was set at Bengals -3 for some time on Monday morning, which made me lean toward Pittsburgh, but sharp money has come in on the Steelers forcing oddsmakers to move the line down to Bengals -1.5, which flips which team holds the value, in my opinion.

The Steelers have historically struggled late in the season and this year is no different. They enter the final week of the regular season ranking 23rd in Net Yards per Play at -0.3 including dead last in that stat at -1.3 over their last three games.

The Bengals' defense, while bad, has improved compared to their early-season numbers. Since Week 11, they've been 17th in opponent EPA per play, four spots above the Steelers' defense, which is 21st. That's good enough for me to lay the 1.5 points on them in a pivotal game on Saturday night.

Tee Higgins Anytime TD (+110) – Peter Dewey

Tee Higgins found the end zone against Pittsburgh earlier this season, catching five of his 10 targets in that game, and he’s coming off a massive showing against Denver in Week 17.

Higgins caught 11 of his 12 targets for 131 yards and three scores against Denver, and he’s going to get a lot of one-on-one coverage with Ja’Marr Chase attracting so much attention from opposing defenses.

Burrow has looked Higgins’ way 10 or more times in four of his last six games, and the veteran receiver has 10 touchdowns in 11 games in 2024. 

Jaylen Warren OVER 39.5 Rushing Yards (-115) – Peter Dewey

Jaylen Warren has quietly been taking over the Pittsburgh backfield, playing 67 percent of the snaps in Week 16 and 53 percent of the snaps in Week 17.

He’s rushed for over 39.5 yards in both of those matchups, carrying the ball at least 11 times in each game. In fact, Warren has cleared this rushing yards total in eight of his last 10 games.

He was held to just nine yards on three carries in his last matchup with Cincy, but Warren has nine or more carries in each of the eight games that he’s picked up at least 40 yards in this 10-game stretch.

Cincy is allowing 4.5 yards per carry this season, so if Warren’s touches are more consistent than the last meeting, he should soar past this total. 

Ja’Marr Chase OVER 92.5 Receiving Yards (-120) – Peter Dewey

It’s hard to pass up a chance to bet on Ja’Marr Chase given the amazing season he’s had in 2024.

With his receptions prop set at 8.5, I think the way to back Chase is in his receiving yards, as the Bengals will likely do anything they can to get him the ball to win this game. Chase had six catches for 86 yards and a score against Pittsburgh earlier this season, and since then he has four straight games with 94 or more receiving yards (including two games over 100 yards). 

Chase is averaging 100.8 yards per game, so he’s certainly worth a look in this prop in Week 18.

---

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.