Steelers vs. Ravens Predictions, Picks & Odds: NFL Week 16, Saturday 12/21
The NFL Week 16 slate features several matchups with major playoff implications, and when it comes to the fierce rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens will all but determine the AFC North. As they get set to kick off in Charm City, we’ve shared our best Steelers vs. Ravens predictions below.
It will ultimately lead to the best bet from our Steelers vs. Ravens picks PLUS a $150 FanDuel Sportsbook sign up offer!
Steelers vs. Ravens Predictions For NFL Week 16, Saturday 12/21
Since these teams met in Week 11, Pittsburgh has had AFC North rivals each weekend leading up to their in-state rivalry this past Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. While they lost that Keystone clash, they still clinched a playoff berth.
However, that now means that they’re only a game up on the Ravens in the division. Of course, it certainly helps that Pittsburgh won that Week 11 matchup against Baltimore. As these rivalries tend to be, it was a tight two-point game, which is why we attacked the total instead, which was an extremely easy under by double digits.
Keep that in mind as we work through both teams to progress to the best bet from our Steelers vs. Ravens predictions for this second matchup of the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Playing Without Pickens
Truthfully, we could have gone with ‘pitiful without Pickens’ for the Pittsburgh storyline, but there’s no need to pile on. The Steelers and their fans are likely quite aware of how different the offense has looked since WR George Pickens went down with his recent hamstring injury. It was one that occurred in practice as well, making it all the more frustrating.
With him off the field in the past two games, the Steelers have gone from one of the best explosive-play teams to among the worst. Now facing a pass defense that can be heavily exploited in Baltimore, they could certainly use his return.
Baltimore Ravens: Momentum Building Time
A Week 14 bye isn’t always welcomed in the NFL, but with how the cards played out for the Ravens, it could end up proving to have been a perfect one. Prior to their bye, they blew an early lead in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at home. They then got to come out of that bye against the New York Giants.
Despite being on the road, Baltimore was a massive 16.5-point favorite! They ended up covering in a 12-point victory, and with their remaining games against the Steelers, Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns, winning out is a very realistic possibility, which would set them up with huge momentum into the playoffs.
Steelers vs. Ravens Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
Despite these rivalries almost always being close, hard-fought battles, the Steelers vs. Ravens odds at FanDuel Sportsbook have Baltimore as clear favorites:
- Point Spread: Pittsburgh Steelers +6 (-108) vs. Baltimore Ravens -6 (-112)
- Money Line: Pittsburgh Steelers (+230) vs. Baltimore Ravens (-285)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 45 (-112) vs. Under 45 (-108)
Steelers vs. Ravens Best Bet: Under 45 Points (-108 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Given what we just noted about these Pittsburgh and Baltimore rivalries almost always being tight matchups, if you forced our hand, we’d have to take the points with the Steelers. However, we don’t have to focus on a side for the best bet from our Steelers vs. Ravens predictions, so we’re instead going to focus on the total.
After all, we already mentioned that the under easily hit for us when these teams met just a few weeks ago, and oddsmakers have barely adjusted things. Ok, they’ve decreased it by four points, which is significant; however, keep in mind that the total went under by 14.5 points when these teams met in Week 11.
That was even with Pickens healthy, who had 89 receiving yards on eight receptions. The last we heard, he may have a grade 2 hamstring strain, which most likely means a month or so of missed time. Even if he is able to take the field, it’s all but a certainty that he won’t be 100% healthy.
With that having been the case the past two games, Pittsburgh QB Russell Wilson has thrown for just 128 and 158 yards. While it was great coming through for our Week 15 player props last Sunday, it certainly isn’t great for Steelers fans. It’s an even worse case given that is how teams can score on Baltimore.
When it comes to the run game, the Ravens allow the absolute fewest rushing yards per game, and it’s not even close. They’ve allowed just 80.7 yards per game on the ground this season, while the next-best team has allowed nearly 90 per game.
Along with both of last year’s meetings seeing just 27 points scored, we’ll happily take another low-scoring game with the best bet from our Steelers vs. Ravens predictions with under 45 points (-108 at FanDuel Sportsbook).
Steelers vs. Ravens Injury Report & Latest News
Given how much of a factor it is in making Steelers vs. Ravens predictions for this week, we’ve already been discussing the one of biggest injury news stories for this matchup - the status of Pickens. We also need to keep an eye on Pittsburgh pass rusher TJ Watt. The Baltimore side of the matchup is about as healthy as they’ve been, and you can monitor all major updates with the Fantasy Alarm NFL injury report.
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Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Beat reporter John Hendrix reports that free agent WR Donovan Peoples-Jones is among the 16 players that the Saints will host for their rookie minicamp.
Peoples-Jones last played regular season snaps with the Lions back in 2023, when he caught 13-of-24 targets for 155 yards. He is highly unlikely to return to fantasy relevance at this point but could perhaps sign on as a special teams contributor.
Titans signed fourth-round pick WR Elic Ayomanor to a four-year contract.
Ayomanor will now begin learning behind Calvin Ridley. Although Ayomanor is unlikely to find a meaningful role in year one, dynasty managers should note his status as training camp gets underway this summer. The former Stanford receiver flashed big-play ability in his two college seasons.
Buccaneers signed seventh-round pick WR Tez Johnson to a four-year contract.
Johnson will serve as a rotational deep-threat option for Baker Mayfield. His thin frame (5'10/154) simply does not lend itself to the repeated hits one incurs in a full-time role. Johnson did earn 100-plus targets in his two seasons at Oregon, though. His big-play style make him a better fit in best ball for now, pending any major on-field breakthroughs.
Giants waived DT Casey Rogers.
Rogers was a 2024 undrafted free agent and logged 33 defensive snaps for the Giants in his rookie season. He is credited with zero tackles and/or sacks. He may find his way onto another roster as a practice squad option.
Vikings signed third-round pick WR Tai Felton to a four-year contract.
Felton is quietly in play to challenge Vikings No. 3 WR Jalen Nailor in training camp. Nailor (5'11/190) caught 28-of-42 targets for 414 yards and six touchdowns in his first season as a starter last year, with the latter category buoying his fantasy productivity. Felton (6'1/183), meanwhile, caught 96-of-143 targets for 1,119 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 2.32 yards per route run in his final college season. Fantasy managers should monitor Felton’s training camp reports this summer, as he could have a matchup-based WR5 role if everything falls into place.