Week 3 Monday Night Football Props (Steelers vs Buccaneers)

• Pittsburgh visits Tampa Bay on Monday Night Football of Week 3
• Will the Fitzmagic continue?
• See 3 props you’ll want to bet for the game

Monday Night Football features the winless (0-1-1) Steelers travelling to Tampa Bay to face the 2-0 Buccaneers. We dig into the prop cards to find the three best bets for MNF.

Prop #1: Fitzpatrick Has 300+ Passing Yards & 2+ TDs

*All odds taken on 9/23/18

I was skeptical of Ryan Fitzpatrick replicating his Week 1 success two weeks in a row, and so were online sports betting sites. I did, though, believe he could do enough to keep the starting role despite the return from suspension of Jameis Winston next week.

After back-to-back 400+ passing yard and four-touchdown games, I’d say he’s pretty close to doing just that. (Fitzpatrick has even made an appearance in the 2018 NFL MVP conversation.) In fact, it was reported Sunday that the two-week NFC offensive player of the week will be keeping the job.

Report: Buccaneers plan to stick with Ryan Fitzpatrick https://t.co/1mwiseS4eg pic.twitter.com/tRcKbW3Y9i

— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 23, 2018

At home and full of confidence, Fitzpatrick will be facing a Steelers defense which can be exploited.

Last week, the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes carved up their secondary in going 23/28, for 326 yards and six TDs.

4 touchdowns.
Over 400 yards passing.
And a WIN over the defending champs.

Ryan Fitzpatrick = FITZMAGIC! 🔥🔥🔥 #PHIvsTB #GoBucs https://t.co/VrHskO4NFg

— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2018

Having a third straight 400-yard, four-TD day just seems unfathomable.

However, against Pittsburgh we could be in for another high-scoring affair. Pittsburgh allowed two Chiefs’ receivers to reach the century mark last week and another to reach 90.

The Bucs have two receivers in DeSean Jackson and Mike Evans averaging over 100 yards per game and will be able to do their part in helping Fitzpatrick to cash this prop.

Pick: Fitzpatrick to Pass for At Least 300 Yards & Throw At Least 2 TDs.

Prop #2: DeSean Jackson to Score a TD

Any of the top players from either team likely stand a chance of cashing, but if you’re searching for some value look no further than DeSean Jackson at +150.

Jackson has the most touchdowns of any receiver on either team heading into this game with three. Steelers’ running back James Connor is tied with Jackson overall with three of his own.

Through two games he has nine receptions and 275 yards, which is the most on the team. His nine receptions have also come on nine targets, meaning he’s locked in with Fitzpatrick in the passing game.

Pick: DeSean Jackson to Score a Touchdown.

Prop #3: Antonio Brown & Juju Smith-Schuster Combine 15+ Receptions

Through two weeks these two have accounted for 59.4% of Ben Roethlisberger’s passing targets.

Big Ben has attempted 101 passes with Brown (33) and Smith-Schuster (27) being thrown to the most. There’s good reason for their high usage, as both have averaged nine receptions per game. That once again accounts for 58% of Steelers’ catches.

There’s little reason to see this changing against the Bucs, who have been no strangers to allowing the other team’s top receivers to do as they please.

In Week 1 Tampa Bay allowed a total of 14 receptions to just the second and third top receivers from the Saints. Michael Thomas alone had 16. Last week against the Eagles, Zach Ertz and Nelson Agholor combined for 19 receptions.

.@steelers Wide Receivers

Antonio Brown: (@AB84)
18 receptions
180 yards
1 TD

JuJu Smith-Schuster: (@TeamJuJu)
18 receptions
240 yards (#5 in @NFL)
1 TD pic.twitter.com/yYmyMOmx7Q

— Chase Williams (@chasepwilliams) September 17, 2018

Against the Chiefs, Brown and Juju were relied upon heavily and combined for 22 receptions.

When both are in the lineup, the tandem are typically easy money to record double-digit receptions. Note Brown was injured for Weeks 16-17 in the chart below.

Brown vs Smith-Schuster Receptions in Last 5 Games

*2017 stats

Best Bet: Antonio Brown & Juju Smith-Schuster to Combine for At Least 15 Receptions.