Sean Barnard dives into the top player prop bets in the Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers matchup on NFL Week 18 Sunday Night Football.

Week 18 of the NFL season will conclude in an AFC North rivalry matchup with a playoff opportunity on the line. The winning team will earn its chance at the postseason, while the loser will end its season and begin an interesting offseason. Despite the success of both head coaches, neither seems to have a certain outlook moving forward, and there was plenty of turbulence across the season for both teams.

These teams faced off just under a month ago for their first matchup of the year. The Steelers produced a 27-22 victory, with Lamar Jackson unable to lead the team on a game-winning touchdown drive after getting the ball back with 1:56 left to play. But Jackson will have a shot at redemption tonight with all the stakes in mind.

Looking at the odds, the Ravens enter as 3.5-point favorites and hold -192 odds on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Steelers hold +160 odds of winning outright, and the game total is set at O/U 41.5 points.

There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action beyond just backing a side. This article will look at my three favorite prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Week 18 Sunday Night Football matchup.

Ravens at Steelers Best Prop Bets

Kenneth Gainwell Over 30.5 Receiving Yards (-111)

Expect a heavy dose of Kenneth Gainwell in this matchup for the Steelers. This is a dream situation and matchup for a player who has emerged as a key part of Pittsburgh’s attack. Gainwell has outplayed Jaylen Warren in recent weeks and has become the clear passing-down back. On the season, he has tallied 109 rush attempts for 537 yards and four touchdowns, as well as 65 receptions for 422 yards and three scores through the air. He leads the Steelers in receptions and ranks third in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

He will now face a Ravens’ team that has allowed 81 receptions for 638 yards to opposing running backs this year, which are the fourth-worst marks in the league. Gainwell tallied six receptions on seven targets in the first matchup with Baltimore, but was limited to 27 receiving yards. It is worth noting that Jaylen Warren added 49 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air of his own in the matchup. The Steelers will also be without their top wide receiver, as DK Metcalf continues to serve his suspension. Expect this to lead to more being put on Gainwell’s plate in the passing game.

Across the season, Gainwell is averaging 4.1 receptions per game for 26.4 yards. He has recorded 30+ yards through the air in six games this season, and is averaging 42.7 receiving yards per game across his past seven matchups. With a clear need for him in the offense, a friendly matchup, and the stakes high, look for Gainwell to record over 30.5 receiving yards tonight. This also could be a prop worth taking a swing on the alternate lines, such as Gainwell to record 50+ receiving yards at +250 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling Over 2.5 Receptions (+127)

Another beneficiary of Metcalf’s absence is Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Steelers signed the former Packers’ standout to a practice squad deal in November, after he started the season in San Francisco, and elevated him onto the roster to reunite him with Aaron Rodgers. Across the four games he has played, Valdes-Scantling has pulled in just five receptions on 14 targets for 46 yards and one touchdown. He tallied three receptions in last week’s game and was targeted nine times in the matchup. This includes targeting him on three consecutive plays with a goal-to-go opportunity in the red zone as Pittsburgh attempted to tie the game with less than a minute to play. 

The need for Valdes-Scantling in the offense is clear, and Rodgers is still showing trust in his reunited teammate. They just have not quite been able to get on the same page yet in his short time in Pittsburgh. Looking at the matchup, the Ravens rank 29th in passing yards allowed and 22nd in net yards per pass attempt.

The Ravens are 3.5-point favorites in the matchup, and if the Steelers are forced to play from behind, it will increase the passing opportunities. While the time with the team is short, the trust from Rodgers is evident, and Valdes-Scantling will see plenty of volume today. Getting +127 odds for him to record at least three receptions for the second straight week is great value, and this is worth considering a ladder of his receptions with odds of +284 to pull in four receptions and +630 odds of recording five receptions, each standing out. Expect the Steelers to need to air the ball out at a high rate and for Valdes-Scantling to be involved against a vulnerable defense.

Zay Flowers Over 62.5 Receiving Yards (-112)

On the other side of this matchup, expect Zay Flowers to headline the production for the Ravens. He leads Baltimore with 82 receptions for 1,078 receiving yards and three touchdowns on the year. No other pass-catcher has recorded more than 408 yards for the Ravens. Flowers is averaging 67.1 receiving yards per game and has tallied over 62.5 yards through the air in 11 of his 16 games played. This includes recording 124 receiving yards against the Steelers in the first matchup and eclipsing this line in three of his last four.

Pittsburgh has struggled defensively all season at an uncharacteristic rate. They enter this matchup ranking 16th in points allowed and 27th in yards conceded overall. The Steelers have been especially vulnerable against the pass, ranking 16th in net yards per pass play, 21st in passing touchdowns conceded, and 29th in total passing yards allowed.

As Lamar Jackson battled through some injury and illness issues over the past month, Baltimore has gotten back to leaning on Derrick Henry at an extremely high rate. This is still the foundation of their attack, and Henry will be heavily involved today. Expect this to result in the Steelers needing to stack the box to slow him down and becoming vulnerable over the top. Flowers has big play potential and will be targeted at a high rate. Look for him to record over 62.5 receiving yards for the 12th time this season in this rivalry matchup.