Thursday Night Football is in the books, but we still have a whole NFL weekend ahead of us. Let’s take a deep dive into the NFL Week 1 slate and discuss the best anytime touchdown scorer bets to make this weekend.
NFL Week 1 – Best Anytime Touchdown Bets
Antonio Gibson +235 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Antonio Gibson seemed to be fading out of the rotation last season as his usage dropped, and he started fewer games. However, he is now Washington’s unquestioned third down change of pace back, and he should get more looks in this offense. The Commanders/Cardinals NFL Week 1 game has a low total, but Washington has a high team total, meaning this is expected to be a low-scoring game dominated by the Commanders. At this price, there is a lot of value backing Gibson.
Gibson only reached the end zone five times last season, but he is a candidate to see a bump in snaps this year. Gibson is more of a weapon, and new OC Eric Bienemy has experience coaching running backs with similar skill sets in KC. Also, being such a good pass catcher, Gibson should be expected to be a safety net for Sam Howell. Considering Washington’s offensive line is bad if Howell is getting pressured, Gibson’s pass-blocking and pass-catching could translate to easy targets. Easy targets could lead to touchdowns or goal-line opportunities if he has the hot hand.
Justin Jefferson +110 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Justin Jefferson is electric, and he has a chance to put on another NFL Week 1 show in the opener against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay has a good defense that did a great job lowering yards to wide receivers, but when it came to the red zone, the Buccaneers allowed the 2nd most passing touchdowns in the NFL. So, while this is not a dream matchup for Jefferson to rack up yards, it is a great matchup for Jefferson to find the end zone.
The Vikings added Jordan Addison this offseason, and he has a chance to be a dynamic WR2, and the best WR Jefferson has played with since his rookie season. Jefferson commands a ton of attention, but Addison should command some himself, leaving more opportunities for Jefferson to reach the endzone. Also, considering this is year 2 of the Kirk Cousins/Kevin O’Connell marriage, I expect this offense to be more efficient and Jefferson’s usage to be more creative. This is a great matchup for Jefferson to find the end zone.
Tony Pollard -120 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
Tony Pollard is now the unquestioned lead running back for the Dallas Cowboys, and he can hit the ground running (no pun intended) against the Giants. What makes Pollard so unique is that he can score on the ground and in the air. It also helps that there is no serious competition for snaps at RB in Dallas. Pollard should be on the field every down, and he has explosive, big play ability that makes him a threat to score from anywhere on the field. -120 is juicy, but Pollard is worth it.
Not to mention, Dallas has moved on to a new offensive coordinator, and the Cowboys head coach has said in the media that he wants to run the ball more. Who’s going to get those carries? Tony Pollard. Considering the Giants’ defense blitzes a lot, Pollard could be used in the screen or quick outlet passing game. That’s on top of Pollard just simply getting carries in the red zone. -120 is too short for someone who will get the bulk of the reps in a game with a total of 45.5 points.
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