5 bold predictions for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018

1. JuJu Smith-Schuster will outperform Antonio Brown

Antonio Brown is arguably the most talented wide receiver in the NFL. JuJu Smith-Schuster is good, but he’s not in Brown’s class. That doesn’t mean the second-year wideout can’t blow past Brown’s production level in 2018.

Last season, Smith-Schuster put up 58 catches for 917 yards. Those were excellent numbers for a rookie wideout. The former USC star played so well he made Martavis Bryant expendable. Bryant’s departure alone will lead to significantly more opportunities for Smith-Schuster.

The reason he can out produce Brown comes down to simple math. Opposing defenses are going to double cover Brown at every opportunity. It’s very difficult to double team two wide receivers on the same play. That means Smith-Schuster is going to enjoy plenty of chances to beat defenders one-on-one.

Roethlisberger will want to make tons of big plays in his direction. It’s not out of the question that Smith-Schuster can go over 100 catches for 1,500 yards this season. If he hits those magic numbers, he’ll certainly be Pittsburgh’s highest performing wideout.

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uAgain, the prediction here doesn’t require Smith-Schuster to be better than Brown. He isn’t. It only requires him to accrue more catches and yards. That, is a distinct possibility.