King of Props: Looks like easy Pickens
Separated by only 135 miles, Pittsburgh and Cleveland have a football rivalry that’s the oldest in the AFC, dating back more than 70 years. But it has largely been one-sided since the Browns returned to the league in 1999, as they haven’t earned a season sweep since 1988. The Steelers won both matchups last year, and we’re counting on their newest weapon to deliver our prop play on Thursday night:
The bet: Over 2½ receptions for Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (FanDuel)
A talented rookie who fell to the second round in the draft because of the injuries he sustained at Georgia, Pickens generated a ton of buzz this summer. He started the first preseason game, caught the first pass thrown by new quarterback Mitch Trubisky, and finished as the co-leader in targets with five.
That debut saw Pickens make three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown, and he was likewise targeted five times and had three receptions in the finale. Yet he has recorded just a single catch in each of the first two regular-season games despite playing nearly every passing snap.
Quotes from several sources indicate that the breakout is coming. Never lacking for confidence, Pickens estimated that he was open “90% of the time” in last week’s game against the Patriots. Trubisky admitted, “I think I can look for 14 more often,” and offensive coordinator Matt Canada said, “I’d love to get George more involved.”
Against a secondary that was just torched by Jets QB Joe Flacco, anything less than three grabs for Pickens would be a travesty.
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