NFL Sunday Night Football Touchdown Scorers: Cowboys vs. Steelers
Sunday night, we have a matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Millions of dollars will get bet on this game. However, which touchdown prop bets should you bet? Let's take a look.
Week 5 Sunday Night Football Touchdown Scorer Prop Bets
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Dallas Cowboys First TD Scorer: Jalen Tolbert (+700)
The Cowboys will be without Brandin Cooks for the next few weeks after the veteran receiver recently had knee surgery. Therefore, someone must step up alongside CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson. Tolbert is the most likely candidate after pushing Cooks for the No. 2 wide receiver role early in the season. The third-year pro has averaged 5.7 targets per game over the past three weeks, scoring a touchdown in Week 3.
Lamb will see plenty of Joey Porter Jr. on Sunday night. While the matchup shouldn't keep the superstar receiver from playing well, expect Dak Prescott to look elsewhere early in the game. Meanwhile, the first touchdown against the Steelers has been a passing score in 66.7% of the games this year. Yet, neither touchdown was by the opposing team's top receiver. Furthermore, Pittsburgh hasn't surrendered a touchdown to a No. 1 wide receiver this season.
Pittsburgh Steelers First TD Scorer: Justin Fields (+390)
While the Steelers don't have an elite offense, their quarterback makes things difficult for opposing defenses. Fields has three rushing touchdowns this year, accounting for 100% of the team's total. More importantly, the dynamic quarterback has had the first Pittsburgh touchdown in 67% of the games this season, including back-to-back contests. Unfortunately, the team will be without Jaylen Warren (knee) and Cordarrelle Patterson (ankle), meaning Fields should see an increased workload on the ground.
Many expected the Cowboys to have an elite defense again in 2024. Unfortunately, they have struggled without Dan Quinn. More importantly, Dallas will be without two of their top defenders, as Micah Parsons (ankle) and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) won't play Sunday night. The Cowboys have given up the third-most rushing touchdowns to quarterbacks this year (two), including the first score of the game to Lamar Jackson two weeks ago.
Anytime TD Scorer: Jake Ferguson (+210)
The third-year tight end is Dak Prescott's clear-cut No. 2 weapon in the passing game behind CeeDee Lamb. Despite missing 1.5 games this season with a knee injury, Ferguson is second on the team in receptions (16) and targets (23). Unfortunately, he hasn't found the end zone after having five scores in 2023. However, that could change Sunday night against a Steelers defense that has had issues defending opposing tight ends.
Pittsburgh has surrendered the eighth-fewest receptions to tight ends this season (13). Yet, they've given up the most receiving touchdowns to tight ends (two), including one last week. Drew Ogletree caught his only target for 15 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Steelers in Week 4 despite running only five routes. Meanwhile, Ferguson has averaged 26.3 routes per game and a 29% target per route run rate this year (per Fantasy Points Data).
Anytime TD Scorer: Pat Freiermuth (+240)
Freiermuth had an impressive rookie season, totaling seven receiving touchdowns on 79 targets. Unfortunately, he has struggled to find the end zone over the past two years, totaling four scores on 145 targets in 28 games. However, the former Penn State star had a season-high seven targets and his first receiving touchdown in 2024. Freiermuth leads the team in receiving touchdowns (one). More importantly, he could double his season total in Week 5.
Half of the NFL hasn't given up a receiving touchdown to a tight end this year. The Cowboys are one of those teams. However, they have struggled to slow down opposing No. 2 wide receivers. Jerry Jeudy scored a touchdown against them in Week 1, Rashid Shaheed in Week 2, and Rashod Bateman in Week 3. With Freiermuth being Pittsburgh's clear-cut No. 2 pass catcher, don't be surprised if he finds the end zone Sunday night.
Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.