What the odds say: Does Fields have a chance to start in Week 1?

With training camp right around the corner, the Steelers quarterback room looks very different this year: Russell Wilson and Justin Fields are in, and 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett is out.

Pittsburgh picked up both new quarterbacks for cheap this past offseason. They signed Wilson to a one-year, $1.2-millon deal after the Broncos cut him and sent the Bears a conditional sixth-round pick for Fields.

Head coach Mike Tomlin said Wilson is the leading candidate to start Week 1 but didn't completely close the door on Fields grabbing the QB1 title.

"Rest assured when it's time to compete, Justin (Fields) will be given an opportunity to compete, and we'll allow those guys to sort themselves out," Tomlin said in March.

Oddsmakers at theScore Bet reacted accordingly.

Wilson is priced at -1000 (90.9% implied probability) to be under center when the Steelers head to Atlanta to take on the Falcons in Week 1. Fields is +550 (15.4 implied probability) to beat out Wilson in training camp.

It makes sense for Fields to spend some time behind Wilson in a backup role. The 25-year-old is still an unpolished NFL quarterback despite playing 40 games for the Bears over three seasons and showing flashes of brilliance, mainly with his legs.

But the argument in favor of Fields is also understandable. After the Broncos gave up a lot to acquire him, Wilson's two years in Denver were a disaster: He posted the two lowest QBRs of his career in the Mile High City. He now enters his first year with the Steelers at 35 years old.

Regardless of the direction Tomlin decides to move in, there's reason for both optimism and concern under center in Pittsburgh.

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