Steelers Odds & Bets

Russell Wilson among Favorites as First QB Benched in 2024

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson is one of the favorites to the be first NFL quarterback benched in 2024.

Published

4 weeks ago

August 17, 2024

Pittsburgh Steelers QB Russell Wilson Mike Tomlin

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Mike Tomlin during practice on Aug. 3, 2024. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Russell Wilson will make his first start in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, in the club’s second preseason game of the 2024 season, and he also remains ahead in the team’s starting quarterback battle with Justin Fields, but the betting markets don’t think Wilson has a very strong grip on the Steelers’ QB1 role.

According to odds posted by BetColorado.com this week, Wilson has the fifth-best odds to be the first quarterback benched in the NFL this season. Wilson has +1250 odds for an implied probability of 7.4%.

Jarrett Stidham of the Denver Broncos has the best odds at +300 (25%), followed by Sam Darnold of the Minnesota Vikings at +450 (18.2%), though the odds were released before Minnesota rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury. Stidham is in a three-way camp battle with former first-round pick Zach Wilson and this year’s first-round pick Bo Nix.

New England Patriots starter Jacoby Brissett, who is attempting to hold off first-round rookie Drake Maye, is third at +450 (18.2%).

The first quarterback on the list that doesn’t have a high-profile rookie behind him is Daniel Jones of the New York Giants. He’s fourth at +700 (12.5%) Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito have been battling to be Jones’ backup.

That brings up Wilson, who was given pole position to be the Steelers’ starter, and despite an early training camp injury, does not seem to be in jeopardy of losing his job to Justin Fields before the start of the regular season.

Tied with Wilson for fifth is Gardner Minshew of the Las Vegas Raiders, who is expected to start over Aidan O’Connell.

The lack of faith in Wilson shouldn’t be too surprising. He was benched last season by Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has benched his preseason starting quarterback in each of the last two seasons. Meanwhile, Fields is rated as one of the top backups in the league.