I think this is a huge year for the Steelers, with AB and Bell now gone, those shoes have to be filled by some young talent, which they have in James Conner and Juju Smith-Schuster, but can they be consistent week in and week out, only time will tell. As for Big Ben, you have to think that he only has a couple of seasons left in him, so if he wants another ring it’s now or never. He has a decent o-line in front of him, so that may help a little, if he doesn’t hold onto the ball too long. The defence is also going through a transition, with Keith Butler putting an emphasis on getting quicker during the off-season. Drafting Devin Bush and signing Mark Barron certainly fixes that problem, and a few new additions in the secondary should help to shore up their worst area from last season.
In terms of touchdown value, Big Ben had his joint best scoring effort last season with 3 rushing touchdowns, but with a scoring rate at 8% it’s unlikely you will see any odds worth backing.
I for one wasn’t sold on James Conner as an every down back heading into last season, but he certainly proved all the doubters wrong on his way to the Pro Bowl, I still don’t think he has anywhere near the ability of LeVeon Bell, but he’s a smart player who does all the little things right. Conner registered 13 scores in 13 starts last season, and with Bell no longer in town I’d be shocked if you see odds over evens for the former Pitt Panther.
I don’t think anyone could have predicted just how good Juju was going to be just 2 season into his NFL career, having already racked up 2,300 yards and 14 scores by the age of 22. Much like Conner I think you will be lucky to see any decent odds for Juju, as everyone now knows he’s the go to receiver. That means Donte Moncrief, James Washington, Eli Rogers or Ryan Switzer should take advantage. Out of all the guys it looks as if Washington has a handle on the second receiver slot, although he only scored once last season, so you may have to see how the first few weeks play out.
With Jesse James gone, Mr Stiff Arm a.k.a Vance McDonald will see all the reps at tight-end. After managing 4 scores last season you would expect to see that number rise in 2019 with all of the departures, so I would look for McDonald to offer a lot of value early in the season.
Touchdown Profit 