In what is sure to be one of the biggest games on the Week 11 NFL slate — especially from a playoff picture perspective — the Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Los Angeles for a date with the Chargers in a pivotal primetime matchup for both teams on Sunday Night Football. The Bengals are in pursuit of a playoff berth, while the Chargers are looking to secure their spot. The handicap on this game seems to be a solid spot to buy the Texans given the situation, but that’s not what I’ll be focusing on in this piece.
Be sure to also check out our Bengals vs Chargers predictions, but now let’s take a look at my favorite anytime touchdown scorer picks for this primetime game, which includes a wide receiver and running back.
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, CIN (+105 at FanDuel)
The Bengals passing offense has been excellent all season long, and much of that has to do with the connection between Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase. The former LSU product is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career, having caught 66 passes for 981 yards and a whopping 10 touchdowns to this point. No matter the opponent, Chase has made his presence felt and that should continue on Sunday in the biggest game of the Bengals season on Sunday. Just last week, the Bengals top target caught 11 passes for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns against one of the better teams in football in the Ravens. Chase should be active early and often in this game against a Chargers defense that is taking a major step-up in class this week after games against the Titans, Browns and Saints over the past few weeks. Let’s back Chase to find the end zone once again.
JK Dobbins, RB, LAC (-105 at DraftKings)
Part of the Chargers’ new identity under head coach Jim Harbaugh is running the football and controlling the clock, a tactic that is imperative in this week’s matchup against Cincinnati. Los Angeles can keep Burrow, Chase and the Bengals elite offense off the field with a steady diet of JK Dobbins in this game. Los Angeles is one of the leaders in the NFL in rush-play percentage and 11th overall in time of possession on the season, which fits into what Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman want to do on offense. Dobbins has seen something of a resurgence this season, as he’s amassed at least 85 rushing yards in 4 games, along with 6 touchdowns. The former Ohio State running back now goes up against a Bengals run defense that has been extremely poor to this point in the season. With that in mind, let’s target Dobbins to find the end zone for Los Angeles on Sunday.