NFL Week 18 First Touchdown Scorer Odds, Picks & Predictions (2023)
Someone must score the first TD of the game, and this article will help you increase your odds of hitting on that player based on matchups and team strengths. It will feature a selection for each game of the Sunday slate.
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NFL Week 18 First Touchdown Scorer Odds, Picks & Predictions (2023)
Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals
Tee Higgins
Odds: +850 via FanDuel Sportsbook
Tee Higgins was involved in the incident on Monday Night Football with Damar Hamlin and seemed upset over it. He said he spoke with Hamlin’s family, which helped him feel better about the situation. The Bengals may try to get him the ball early to get him involved and get his head in the game. He caught the first touchdown against the Patriots in Week 16 and has a favorable matchup this week. The Ravens allow 234.1 passing yards per game, and Higgins draws 6.4 targets per game. His price is below Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Mixon and is a much better value.
Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenny Pickett
Odds: +1600 via Caesars Sportsbook
The Steelers need a win to have a chance at the playoffs, and they will leave it all out on the field. Kenny Pickett has run for three touchdowns this season with an average of 19.7 rushing yards per game. He is facing the seventh-ranked pass defense and the 25th-ranked run defense in the league, so he may be forced to use his legs to make plays. Pickett has a touchdown to interception ratio of six to nine and has not performed well besides the last drive of the previous two games. He will need to use his legs to keep them in this game.
New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills
Damien Harris
Odds: +1300 via DraftKings Sportsbook
Damien Harris performed well in his first game back after a long layoff due to injury. He ran nine times for 32 yards while catching 3-of-3 targets for 18 yards against Miami last week. Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson seemed to split work evenly, and Harris ran hard with the ball when his opportunity came, constantly falling forward and fighting for extra yardage. Harris is well worth a shot at this price despite the Bills being the fourth-ranked run defense in the league, allowing 104.4 rushing yards per game.
Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts
Zack Moss
Odds: Not Listed Yet
Zack Moss has led the Colts’ backfield for three straight weeks and has a favorable matchup this week. The Texans allow 168.6 rushing yards per game, which is last in the league. Both teams do not perform well on offense, but someone has got to get some points, and this is a great matchup to take target. Moss has yet to find the end zone with his new team despite having more than 12 carries in his previous three games. Moss is a good bet to find paydirt first this week against an awful defense. Check the odds here, as they have not been released by the sportsbooks at the time of writing.
Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears
Dalvin Cook
Odds: +360 via Caesars Sportsbook
The Bears are an awful defense against the run. They allow 158.3 rushing yards per game this season and have allowed 210.3 rushing yards per game in their previous three games. The Vikings have not been great running the football this season, but it should be a big part of their game plan this week. In Dalvin Cook’s first meeting with Chicago this season, he ran 18 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns. As the favorite, he is a solid play against this putrid Chicago defense.
Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara
Odds: Not Listed yet
Alvin Kamara is constantly losing touchdowns to Taysom Hill, which is not a huge surprise given Hill’s ability to run with power near the goal line. Hill is dealing with a back injury that is limiting him in practice. Kamara had 16 carries compared to Hill’s 14 last week against the Eagles. Kamara averaged 4.6 yards per carry but did not find the end zone. This week he faces the 19th-ranked run defense in the league, and Taysom Hill is dealing with an injury, so his odds of scoring are much higher than most weeks. Check here for the latest odds.
Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks
Tutu Atwell
Odds: +950 via Caesars Sportsbook
Seattle desperately needs a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. They will also need a Detroit victory over Green Bay to cement themselves in the playoffs if they do their part against the Rams. The Rams have been playing well with Baker Mayfield under center. They are missing many key players but have won two of their last four games with Mayfield. Last week, Tutu Atwell led the Rams in targets with five against a tough Chargers defense. The Seahawks are much more beatable through the air, so Atwell is worth a shot at the right price.
New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles
Miles Sanders
Odds: +380 via Caesars Sportsbook
Jalen Hurts is trending in the right direction to play this week, but the team may be cautious with him if he does. They still have the playoffs to worry about and can lose the division if they lose with a Cowboys win. With a win, they also secure the first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, so this is an important game. The Giants are poor at defending the run and allow 144.8 rushing yards per game. They also surrender the highest yards per attempt at 5.4 yards, which is not good against the dynamic Eagles’ offense. Sanders scored twice in their last meeting, and their game plan should be similar in their second meeting this week.
Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Commanders
Tony Pollard
Odds: Not Listed Yet
The Commanders are bad at stopping the run, and the Cowboys have two capable backs to give the ball. Pollard missed last week’s game due to a thigh injury but has returned to practice as a full participant. He is the change of pace back, while Ezekiel Elliott has handled the work inside the tackles and near the goal line. Each time Pollard touches the ball, it seems he is picking up a big chunk, and his 5.3 yards per carry this season proves that. Pollard’s odds may be a little lower due to missing time last week which is reason enough to play him. Check the odds here closer to game time, as they are not released yet.
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