Steelers Hosting 49ers in Week 1: Moneyline, Spread, Total, and Storylines

The San Francisco 49ers will start the 2023-24 NFL season by facing the Pittsburgh Steelers in a battle of two franchises that have combined for a total of 11 Super Bowl victories.

Despite not knowing exactly which quarterback will be taking the snaps come Week 1 for San Francisco, the 49ers will travel east to Acrisure Stadium as favorites versus Kenny Pickett and the Steelers.

All NFL Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

49ers vs. Steelers Week 1: Moneyline, Spread, and Total

• Moneyline:
  • 49ers: -158
  • Steelers: +134
• Spread: 49ers -3.0 (-110)
• Total: 42

49ers vs. Steelers: Super Bowl Odds and Win Totals

According to the Super Bowl odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, the 49ers (+1000) are tied for the third-shortest odds to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in 2024. For the Steelers, their odds are +4500 to win the next Super Bowl; that leaves Pittsburgh in a three-way tie for 18th.

The 49ers have a win total of 10.5, with the pricing set at -142 for the over. The Steelers' win total sits at 8.5, with the price set at -150 for the over.

49ers vs. Steelers Week 1: Storylines to Follow

• 49ers
  • Who will start at signal-caller in Week 1?
    • Quarterback Brock Purdy took the NFL by storm from Week 12 through the NFC Championship game of last season. Dubbed "Mr. Irrelevant" after being selected by San Francisco with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Purdy delivered by chucking the pigskin for a total of 1,943 yards and 17 touchdowns in the nine games -- including three playoff contests -- where he took majority of the snaps. He also completed 66.5% of his pass attempts. San Francisco went 8-1 during that span, losing only the NFC Championship to the Philadelphia Eagles after Purdy was knocked out of the game with an elbow injury. Still, Trey Lance remains on the 49ers' roster, and considering everything San Francisco sacrificed to draft Lance third overall in 2021, he will almost certainly get a shot behind center if Purdy is not healthy enough to play by September. Additionally, veteran quarterback Sam Darnold was brought in as an insurance policy. All in all, the quarterback competition over the next couple months in Northern California should be fierce.
  • Will San Francisco's defense be just as dominant in 2023-24?
    • Last season, the 49ers were largely led by the NFL's top defense. With talent in all three levels, San Francisco featured the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year in Nick Bosa, who paced the league with 18.5 quarterback sacks. Behind Bosa, the 49ers still boast one of the fastest linebacking corps; Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw are both sideline-to-sideline backers. However, there were departures in the secondary for the 49ers, most notably from their longest-tenured player: Jimmie Ward. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is also gone. Be that as it may, the addition of Pro Bowler Javon Hargrave should give this defensive front that extra bit of octane.
• Steelers
  • How will Kenny Pickett develop in his sophomore campaign?
    • After being selected 20th overall by the Steelers in 2022, Kenny Pickett had a forgettable rookie campaign. Of course, Pickett had the benefit of playing his pro games in the same venue as where he played college ball (Pitt), but that did not necessarily translate into quality production. Pickett played in 13 games last season, starting 12 of them. Through that time, he maintained a 62.9% completion clip but still managed to throw more interceptions (9) than touchdowns (7). Additionally, he has yet to toss more than one touchdown in any single game. At times, Pickett showed flashes of success by extending plays with his legs. On the ground, he collected 237 yards in 2022-23, scoring three times. Can Pickett be the long-term guy for Pittsburgh in the post-Roethlisberger era?
  • What can we expect from Najee Harris?
    • After a thoroughly impressive rookie season in which Najee Harris rushed for 1,200 yards and 7 scores (plus three receiving touchdowns), the back's second year felt a little underwhelming. Harris did not play poorly by any stretch, still churning out over 1,034 rushing yards in 2022-23, but his type of talent warrants higher expectations. There are other threats on the Steelers' offense -- such as receivers George Pickensand Diontae Johnson -- but Harris will have to shoulder the load if Pittsburgh hopes to get back in the playoffs in 2024. Worth mentioning: Harris' carries went down from 307 in his rookie campaign to 272 in his second season. The Steelers would do well to get that number back in the 300-range.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author’s advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.