Pittsburgh Steelers over/under: 1.5 week one rookie starters
There has been a lot of hype surrounding the Steelers 2019 draft class. Could they provide two new starters by week one?
The 2019 NFL season is fast approaching, and it’s time to start looking at what this year might look like. The Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Foxborough, Massachusetts on September 8th to take on the New England Patriots.
Today I want to take a look at how many rookie players will be starting for the Steelers in that game.
Over 1.5 rookie starters
The argument for the over, in this case, would be open playing time. The Steelers drafted three rookies at positions that could be upgraded.
In my opinion, it’s highly likely that Devin Bush can be penciled in as a week one starter. Inside linebacker was arguably the Steelers biggest need heading into the offseason, and Bush will likely be a better player than Mark Barron – who was the 76th ranked linebacker in the NFL last season by Pro Football Focus.
They also traded up in the draft to acquire Bush, who fills the role previously held by Ryan Shazier. Devin Bush will be given every opportunity to win the starting job.
Rookie cornerback, Justin Layne, is entering a position group that has been underwhelming in recent years. There is plenty of competition there, but Layne was very successful in college and that could translate into production in the NFL.
Similar to Layne, Diontae Johnson is entering a position group that should be in open competition for starting time come training camp. JuJu Smith Schuster is going to be a starter on one side but the number two receiver across from him should be up for grabs with the departure of Antonio Brown.
Under 1.5 rookie starters
The argument for taking the under is simply that Layne and Johnson might lack the experience to win those roles right away. Both are very talented players and should see the field a lot this upcoming season, but are unlikely to be thrust into a starting role immediately.
Layne has to compete with free-agent acquisition Steven Nelson – an underrated pickup in my opinion – as well as others. Diontae Johnson runs into a similar problem on the other side of the ball. Second-year wide-out, James Washington, could be looking toward a breakout year this season, and the team acquired Donte Moncrief in free agency to provide another option at receiver.
Prediction
Ultimately, I would take the under on this line. If the question was about the number starting mid-season, I might answer differently but at this point. As it stands, however, it’s hard to see more than one rookie rolling out with the starters in week one.
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With the exception of a few players over the years, the Steelers are not known for forcing rookies into action early. While I expect Bush to start week one, it’s hard to see them going with the rookie over a more experienced option anywhere else when the team travels to Foxborough in September.