Steelers rookie CB Artie Burns looking forward to defending Odell Beckham Jr.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie first-round pick won't shy away from one-on-one match-ups withOdell Beckham Jr.

Steelers cornerback Artie Burns, who has been assigned primary receivers such as Dez Bryant and Mike Wallace in recent weeks, said he "definitely" wants reps against Beckham when Pittsburgh hosts the New York Giants on Sunday.

"You can't run away from the best, right?" said Burns, who has 37 tackles, two interceptions and nine pass deflections this season. "This is why we're here, for moments like this."

Giants receivers Beckham, Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz comprise one of the league's most lethal play-making trios. They have combined for 136 catches, 1,853 yards, 14 touchdowns and 25 plays of 20 or more yards through 11 games this season.

Beckham owns about half of that yardage total (915) and is fourth in the NFL with eight touchdown catches, two behind league leader Antonio Brown.

The Steelers will find out their defensive gameplan Wednesday, but Burns and Ross Cockrell typically play outside cornerback while veteran William Gay mans the slot, a natural match-up with Cruz.

"You've got to come with everything," Burns said Monday when asked about playing the Giants. "Every coverage in the book. You've got three guys -- you can't just worry about one guy. All three of them at any point in time can make a splash play. We've got to be on red alert. They've got a couple of tendencies, so we have to be aware. They like quick game and stuff like that."

The key against Beckham, according to Burns: Don't let him get started. Once that happens, an avalanche of play-making follows.

"He's going to make plays," Burns said. "No matter what you try to do, just like with guys like AB, he's going to make plays. You just have to limit them."