NFL preseason Cowboys vs. Steelers Hall of Fame Game odds, picks: Mason Rudolph, Garrett Gilbert starting quarterbacks; Najee Harris will debut

History has proven that preseason records translate to nothing in terms of the regular season, but with the 2021 NFL preseason kicking off Thursday night from Canton, Ohio, with the Hall of Fame Game between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, we know you are going to bet on it – most books expect action equal to a late-round NBA playoff game. Pittsburgh is a 2-point favorite on the Caesars Sportsbook NFL odds (-130 on the moneyline) with a tiny total of 32.5. Click here for a DFS preview of the game. 

As of this writing, around 70 percent of the spread action at Caesars is on Pittsburgh, probably because the Steelers' quarterbacks who will play Thursday are actually known by fans. Mason Rudolph, a 2018 third-round pick out of Oklahoma State, will start for the Steelers. He has played in 15 regular-season games and started nine with a 5-4 record.

Rudolph is the leader for the backup job to Ben Roethlisberger, who isn't playing, and Rudolph may not even last the full first quarter until giving way to former Washington first-round pick Dwayne Haskins. He was signed by the Steelers in January after the former Redskins gave up on him. Haskins, who has played in 16 regular-season games and started 13 (3-10 record), should finish the first half and reportedly is really pushing Rudolph with a good camp. Joshua Dobbs, he of six career regular-season games (no starts), likely plays the entire second half.

Most Steelers will not play at all, but rookie first-round rookie running back Najee Harris will at least get a look: "He's a rookie," coach Mike Tomlin said. "Man, he needs the process of game preparation and [to] ultimately play. We've got four opportunities for him to do that."

Harris is +1100 to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and probably the No. 1 overall pick in many rookie Fantasy Football dynasty drafts this month. Caesars gives Harris an Over/Under season total of 975.5 rushing yards.

Very few Cowboys starters, if any, will play, either. QB Dak Prescott is healed from his ankle injury but now dealing with a minor shoulder issue. The Dallas QB depth chart thus reads Garrett Gilbert, Ben DiNucci and Cooper Rush and they probably will play in that order tonight. Gilbert's lone NFL regular-season start was Week 9 last year vs. the visiting Steelers, who rallied for a 24-19 win. Gilbert was 21-for-38 for 243 yards, a TD and a pick.

Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin is 31-23 in his preseason career and Dallas' Mike McCarthy is 28-23 – all coming with Green Bay since there was no 2020 preseason. The Steelers are 6-3-1 ATS in their past 10 preseason games and the Cowboys 3-6-1 ATS in their past 10.

We are backing Pittsburgh (and the Over). 

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