Steelers vs. Falcons Best NFL Prop Bets for Week 1 (Should You Back Russell Wilson?)

Iain MacMillan | Sep 6, 2024

Aug 24, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (3) throws a pass against the Detroit Lions in the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Two teams who are starting new eras at quarterback will face off in Week 1 action when Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers take on Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons.

You can find out everything you need to know to bet on this game in my full betting preview, which you can read here. In this article, I'm going to focus on player props. Specifically, there are two players who I'm zeroing in on in this interconference showdown. Let's dive into it.

Steelers vs. Falcons Player Props

• Russell Wilson OVER 18.5 completions (-122)
• Bijan Robinson OVER 3.5 receptions (-115)

The above bets are available at FanDuel Sportsbook

Russell Wilson OVER 18.5 Completions

Hating on Russell Wilson has become the popular opinion across NFL fans and while I agree he's a shadow of his former self, he's not as bad as the public discourse says he is. He completed 66.4% of his passes with the Broncos last season and while he only averaged 6.9 yards per pass attempt, he was the king of checkdowns and still racked up completions.

I expect more of the same from him in Arthur Smith's offense. He may not get plenty of yards, but he'll be able to rack up the completions so for that reason, I like him to complete OVER 18.5 completions.

Bijan Robinson OVER 3.5 Receptions

I rated this bet as my No. 4 favorite bet in the Week 1 edition of "Player Prop Countdown":

There have been reports all offseason that Zac Robinson, the Falcons' new offensive coordinator, plans to use Bijan Robinson in a Christian McCaffrey-esque role this season. To me, that means using him in the passing game a ton. Considering he averaged 3.4 receptions per game in Arthur Smith's offense last season, I think that number's going to balloon in 2024.

It's also important to note the Steelers gave up the sixth most receptions to running backs (92) last season.

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!