Someone must score the first touchdown of the game, and this article will help you increase your odds of hitting on that player based on matchups and team strengths. It features the best selections for the Sunday slate.
I will track my plays here on BettingPros. Let's get to the NFL Week 2 First TD Scorers picks and predictions.
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NFL Week 2 First Touchdown Scorer Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys' offense looked pretty good in their opening loss against the Eagles. They managed 22 first downs, 307 total yards and converted seven out of 11 third downs. Dak Prescott has them playing efficiently, and I expect them to get off to a hot start against the Giants.
The Giants' offense did not look great with Russell Wilson under center, but they are trotting him out to start again in Week 2. Javonte Williams was the Cowboys' lead back last week, carrying the ball 15 times for 54 yards and two touchdowns. He had three attempts inside the red zone and averaged 4.3 yards per carry. I expect the Cowboys to establish the run early, which should help Williams find the end zone.
Pick: Javonte Williams (+600)
Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets
The Bills' run defense did not look good last week, but they were also facing Derrick Henry. The Bills allowed 238 total rushing yards for an average of 8.2 yards per carry. Henry accounted for 169 yards, while Lamar Jackson added 70 on six carries. The Jets are a similar offense, with Justin Fields and Breece Hall in the backfield.
Fields ran 12 times for 48 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Steelers, while Hall had 107 yards on 19 carries. The Jets split up the red-zone attempts pretty evenly between Fields, Hall and Braelon Allen. The latter scored a red-zone touchdown on three attempts, while Hall had two red-zone attempts and Fields had four, scoring twice. Hall is due to find the end zone, and I like his chances against the Bills.
Pick: Breece Hall (+850)
Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions
The Lions did not get anything going on offense against the Packers last week. They managed 13 points and did not score a touchdown until the fourth quarter. The Bears played great defense until the fourth quarter, when they allowed 21 points to the Vikings and lost the game on Monday night.
D'Andre Swift was the second-leading rusher on the Bears, behind Caleb Williams. He ran 17 times for 53 yards and caught three passes for 12 yards. Swift is the most likely to score early in this game and get revenge on his former team, where he spent his first three seasons in the league.
Pick: D'Andre Swift (+950)
Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts
The Broncos and Colts did not play great offenses in their opening game, so it is hard to gauge how good their defenses are. I expect the Colts' offense to struggle a little more against the Broncos. The Broncos managed well on the ground against the Titans, rushing for 151 yards on five yards per attempt. The Colts' area of weakness against the Dolphins was on the ground. They only allowed 78 total rushing yards, but the Dolphins averaged 6.5 yards per carry.
J.K. Dobbins got the bulk of the workload last week for the Broncos, with 16 carries and 63 yards. RJ Harvey was the most effective, running for 11.7 yards per attempt, but Dobbins got all of the red-zone carries. I expect much of the same this week, and Dobbins' effectiveness in the red zone (6.7 yards per attempt) should allow him to find the end zone early.
Pick: J.K. Dobbins (+600)
Philadelphia Eagles @ Kansas City Chiefs
This Super Bowl rematch is the primetime game on Sunday afternoon, and the Chiefs are looking to nab their first victory of the season. The Chargers' passing offense diced them up in Brazil last week. Justin Herbert threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns against their secondary, and the Eagles should look to exploit those same holes.
Jalen Hurts only managed 152 passing yards against the Cowboys, but was highly accurate. He completed 19-of-23 passes, but did not get his top receivers involved in the win. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith should get more looks early in this game. Smith was the leading receiver in the Super Bowl last season, with four receptions for 69 yards and a 46-yard touchdown. He can exploit weak secondaries as good as anyone in the league and is a good longshot bet to score first this week.
Pick: DeVonta Smith (+1200)
