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The Steelers vs. Patriots Week 1 betting line for the new 2015 season had New England as a -3.5 home favorite despite the likelihood that Tom Brady will not be playing due to a suspension for his allegedly involvement in a scheme to deflate footballs in a Playoffs game versus Indianapolis.
It turns out Brady’s replacement during his four-game suspension, Jimmy Garoppolo, is ranked 4th best backup in the league, this according to NFL.com’s Marc Sessler:
Too high? Not in my book. I'd much rather have an athletic young backup with upside than some 39-year-old game manager. Garoppolo was intriguing last preseason and played well in relief of Brady in a Monday night collapse against the Chiefs. I'm convinced he'll perform well again if Brady's four-game suspension sticks. New England does an outstanding job of preparing young players and Garoppolo showed good decision-making last season. He isn't afraid to throw the ball downfield and we're talking about a coach, in Bill Belichick, who milked an 11-win season out of Matt Cassel.
In terms of Daily Fantasy Sports play, you will want to consider Ben Roethlisberger in games when he is playing at home where he has been an absolute fantasy stud, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid him on the road in New England. Two seasons ago, Roethlisberger flirted with 40 fantasy points on the road against the Patriots. You will get him relatively cheap too starting at around $8200.
- Mary Montgomery, Gambling911.com
