Bengals vs Steelers: 3 Player Props and Best Bet for Saturday, January 4

One of the most intriguing matchups for the final week of the 2024 NFL regular season will take place in Pittsburgh between AFC North when the Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) square off against the Steelers (10-6) on Saturday.

Cincinnati has a narrow path to the postseason, needing a win on Saturday against the Steelers and losses by both the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins to make a postseason appearance. The Bengals have won four straight games, climbing back into contention after a 4-8 start to the season.

Pittsburgh is assured of a playoff berth, but the Steelers could still manage to earn the AFC North crown with a victory and a Baltimore Ravens’ loss earlier in the day. The squad would finish as either the fifth- or sixth-seed in the Wild Card without the victory, meaning the Steelers’ first game in the postseason would take place on the road.

Will Pittsburgh or Cincinnati win this Saturday night matchup? We’ll cover that and our three best player prop bets for this AFC North rivalry game below.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow UNDER 284.5 Passing Yards

Fifth-year Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow continues to improve each season. This year, he’s thrown for a career-best 4,641 yards and 42 touchdowns against only eight interceptions, helping the Bengals be within striking distance of a postseason berth.

In his previous outing against Pittsburgh, Burrow completed 28 of his 38 attempts for 309 yards and three touchdowns. In total, he’s surpassed the 285-yard mark in five out of the past seven games.

Still, the Steelers should have a plan to slow him down on Saturday night with their AFC North crown potentially on the line. The Bengals will be successful through the air, but savvy bettors will take the under on Burrow this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jaylen Warren OVER 40.5 Rushing Yards

Although teammate Najee Harris has gotten the majority of the backfield work, Pittsburgh running back Jaylen Warren provides a strong secondary punch for the Steelers. Through 14 games this season, Warren has rushed for 490 yards on 114 carries, scoring one touchdown on the ground.

Cincinnati’s defense is not one of the best in the leagues as the Bengals have surrendered 128 rushing yards per outing. That allows Warren to redeem himself from his previous outing against Cincinnati, one where the 5-foot-8 running back earned only nine yards on three carries. Expect him to finish with at least 41 yards to cover this player prop bet.

Cincinnati Bengals TE Mike Gesicki OVER 29.5 Receiving Yards

Cincinnati tight end Mike Gesicki is not a household name. The seven-year veteran has had two solid seasons with Miami during 2020 and 2021, but the 6-foot-1 player struggled over the next two seasons.

This year, Gesicki has caught 57 passes for 597 yards and two touchdowns, stats that are almost equal to his combined production during the previous two seasons. After catching five passes for 53 yards against Pittsburgh in the first outing, expect him to continue to find open spots down the field to cover this player prop bet on Saturday.

Best Bet: Under 48.5

In these two teams’ first game, Pittsburgh held on for a wild 44-38 victory over the Bengals. The 82 combined points are the highest this season for both franchises, but the Steelers have had only five of their 16 games surpass the 49-point mark.

Expect the home team’s defense to control this contest, keeping the game below 49 points in a Steelers’ victory. Bettors could combine this prop bet by taking the 2.5 points Cincinnati is giving to Pittsburgh for double the profit from Saturday’s game.