NFL Week 1 Odds, Picks & Predictions: First Touchdown Scorer (2022)
Check out our top odds, picks, and predictions for first touchdown scorer on Sunday’s NFL Week 1 slate of games.
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(Odds Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Jonathan Taylor (+320)
This is perhaps the chalkiest and squarest play in this market, but at over a 3/1 return, it is still too strong to pass up. The Indianapolis Colts travel to Houston to take on the Texans as eight-and-a-half-point favorites.
Jonathan Taylor’s excellence needs no introduction. He is certainly a heavy favorite to find the endzone at least once against the lowly Texans, evidenced by his -240 line for any TD scorer. So, can he get there first?
Indianapolis’ propensity to run the ball should be amplified against a Houston unit expected to be awful this season. According to PFF, the Texans have the third-worst defensive line and second-worst linebacking unit in football.
Last season, Taylor and the Colts dominated Houston, going 2-0 with a combined score of 62-3. Through those two games, Taylor averaged 144 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and 6.26 yards per attempt.
Over his last three games against the Texans, Taylor has been the first TD scorer twice. Indianapolis will look to establish the run early, which means plenty of touches for Taylor on their first drive. Even if Houston gets the ball first, it is far more likely that they do not score on their first drive. Currently, the race to 10 points market has the Colts listed as a heavy -260 favorite.
Najee Harris (+800)
We are getting some longer odds with this prop as the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals as six-and-a-half-point underdogs. Likely to have a little bit of that infamous “Super Bowl loss hangover†in Week 1, Cincinnati may not have the sharpest start in this game.
While the Steelers will probably have a tough year due to a highly questionable pass offense, nobody is concerned about the potential of Najee Harris and his running ability. Because of the lack of weapons offensively, Harris should once again be the workhorse of this team.
Last season, Harris led the entire league in touches (381) and was second in rush attempts. While their O-Line was not very good, Harris’ talent was still able to propel him to finish fourth in rushing yards (1,200) and yards from scrimmage (1,667).
Even if the Bengals get the ball first, Pittsburgh’s defensive line can tame their immense talent. According to PFF, the Steelers enter the season with the fourth-best defensive line, led by the best edge-rusher in football, T.J. Watt.
Best of luck!
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Tony Sartori is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Tony, check out his archive and follow him @tony_sartori.