Jets vs. Steelers Prediction, Spread, NFL Preseason Picks for Friday, August 21

The NFL preseason continues with a three-game slate of action on Friday, August 21. The second slate of preseason Week 2 gets underway when the Pittsburgh Steelers host the New York Jets at 7:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network. 

The Steelers started the 2026 preseason with a 28-9 win vs. the Packers in Week 1. Both the Jets and Steelers are expected to play some of their starters for a portion of Friday’s contest. The Jets are favored to win, as New York returns a 1.81x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if it comes out on top.

Below, we'll break down our Jets vs. Steelers prediction and picks for Friday’s NFL preseason game, including the spread, over/under, and key player picks for PrizePicks.

Make your Jets vs. Steelers prediction and preseason picks on PrizePicks now!

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Jets vs. Steelers Prediction, Spread, Over/Under for NFL Preseason – Friday, August 21

The Jets enter Friday’s game as 1.5-point road favorites against the Steelers, returning a 1.81x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.

Here are the full payouts for the Jets vs. Steelers NFL preseason game on PrizePicks.

Make your Jets vs. Steelers prediction on the spread or over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 36 states!

Payouts show potential returns on correct Team Picks predictions. A 2x payout returns $200 on a $100 entry. Lower multipliers reflect outcomes users are picking as more likely. Payouts are live as of writing and subject to change.

Jets vs. Steelers Prediction on Over/Under for NFL Preseason Tonight

Here are the key game stats and trends behind our Jets vs. Steelers prediction on the over/under for Friday's NFL preseason game. 

• Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy announced that Drew Allar and Will Howard will split the quarterback reps against the Jets, as the Steelers will keep Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph sidelined. Howard will get the start, followed by Allar.
• Veteran QB Mason Rudolph drew the start in Pittsburgh’s first preseason game, but was replaced by Howard in the second quarter.
• Pittsburgh put up 28 points against Green Bay in its preseason opener and racked up 385 yards of total offense.
• Meanwhile, New York put up 16 points against Tampa Bay, with starting quarterback Cade Klubnik leading the Jets on two scoring drives in the first quarter.
• The Steelers struggled in pass coverage throughout the 2025 campaign, surrendering the fourth-most passing yards per game (243.9).
• In the 2025 preseason, the Jets averaged 19.6 points per game and topped 30 points in one of their three games. On the other hand, the Steelers racked up 21.3 PPG in the 2025 preseason.

Lock in your Jets vs. Steelers prediction on PrizePicks before tonight’s NFL preseason game.

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Jets vs. Steelers Picks, Player Stats for NFL Preseason on PrizePicks

Here are the top Jets vs. Steelers picks to target on Friday, August 21. Today’s NFL preseason picks for PrizePicks include WR Garrett Wilson, QB Drew Allar, and WR Germie Bernard.

Jets WR Garrett Wilson vs. Steelers: 13.5 Receiving Yards

• The Jets starters are expected to play, but it's unconfirmed how long they will play. That includes QB Geno Smith, who sat out Week 1.
• Wilson caught two of his three targets for 32 yards in the Jets’ preseason opener against the Bucs.
• The former Ohio State Buckeye had his best performance of the 2025 season against the Steelers, with a 7-95-1 stat line on 9 targets in Week 1.
• According to Player Profiler, Wilson registered a 34.3% target share in 2025, which ranked second among qualifying pass catchers.
• Wilson also tallied a 46.4% air yards share throughout the 2025 season, which was limited to just seven games due to a knee injury.

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Steelers QB Drew Allar vs. Jets: 92.5 Passing Yards

• Allar thrived in his preseason debut, completing 10-of-13 passes for 153 yards and 2 TDs against the Packers.
• The former Penn State signal caller also rushed for a three-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
• The Steelers’ third-round pick recorded a 69.6 QBR in his final season with the Nittany Lions, which ranked 26th in college football.
• Allar led Pittsburgh to a touchdown on all three of his drives against Green Bay.
• He spread the ball around to six different receivers, while tossing touchdown passes to WR Kaden Wetjen and TE Riley Nowakowski.
• According to SumerSports, the Jets’ defense registered just a 4.49% sack rate last season, ranking 30th in the league.

Add Drew Allar to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

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Steelers WR Germie Bernard vs. Jets: 22.5 Receiving Yards 

• Bernard caught a team-high 4 receptions for 51 yards and also led the team in targets (5) in the Steelers’ preseason opener.
• The star wideout recorded a 22.7% target share during his final season at Alabama, which ranked 22nd in the country among qualifying pass catchers.
• Bernard set career-highs in receptions (64), receiving yards (862), and touchdowns (7) for the Crimson Tide in 2025.
• The Jets’ defense yielded a league-worst 0.25 EPA per pass play in 2025.

Add Germie Bernard to your PrizePicks Lineup now.

Make Jets vs. Steelers Picks on PrizePicks

While Aaron Rodgers is firmly entrenched as the Steelers’ starting quarterback, Drew Allar and Drew Howard will receive significant playing time in Friday’s preseason contest. Will Allar’s strong preseason continue when the Steelers host the Jets?

Don’t wait until kickoff at 7 p.m. ET tonight — make your Jets vs. Steelers picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

Pick NFL players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on preseason NFL game winners, spreads, over/unders, and NFL futures, now available in 36 states.

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