NFL player prop: Tee to green

After losing the three games since Mitchell Trubisky replaced an injured Kenny Pickett, the 7-7 Steelers are turning to Mason Rudolph at quarterback. He’ll try to keep the team’s fading playoff hopes alive like his opposite number, Jake Browning, has done by leading the Bengals to three straight wins in the wake of Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury. As this AFC North rivalry gets renewed, a prominent pass-catcher earns our backing for top prop:

The bet: Over 57½ receiving yards for Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (DraftKings)

Changing his jersey number from 85 to 5 in his fourth season has correlated with reduced production for Higgins. He didn’t catch any of his eight targets in the opener and subsequently missed four games with two different injuries.

But Higgins has come on over the last two weeks, averaging better than 22 yards per catch, scoring two touchdowns, and finishing with yardage totals of 72 and 61. He also represents the No. 1 option now that Ja’Marr Chase is sidelined with a separated shoulder. When Chase missed four games last season, Higgins cleared this number in three of them and topped the century mark twice.

Meanwhile, the Steelers will be dealing with absences of their own at the back of the defense. All-Pro free safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is out with a knee injury, and strong safety Damontae Kazee has been suspended for the rest of the regular season due to repeatedly violating the rules that protect player health.

With an expanded role against a depleted secondary, Higgins should find enough open spaces to deliver the green.