After an underwhelming Wild Card Weekend, hopes are high for the Divisional Round in this year’s NFL playoffs, starting with Saturday’s AFC showdown between the Cincinnati Bengals and Tennessee Titans.
This game has had the tagline ‘Henry’s return’ thrust upon it with the rushing king poised to make his comeback and sportsbooks are rightly taking a cautious approach to his odds when it comes to getting in the endzone. Henry’s the +400 favorite to score the first touchdown of the game but with so much talent on the field on both sides, there’s better value to be found elsewhere.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Cincinnati Bengals vs Tennessee Titans
First touchdown scorer: Julio Jones, WR, Tennessee Titans (+1400)
It’s fair to say the Titans haven’t seen much return on their trade with the Falcons for Julio Jones. Since moving to Nashville, Jones has been constantly plagued by minor injuries which meant we have yet to see the best of him in a Titans uniform. However, in Week 18, the old Julio looked to be back as Jones finished the 28-25 win over the Texans with 5 receptions on 8 targets for 58 yards and a touchdown.
If Jones is fully healthy then history has taught us that cometh the hour, cometh the man in the NFL. Getting +1400 on one of the greatest wide receivers in modern NFL history represents value, especially when you look at his playoff record, scoring 6 touchdowns in 8 postseason games. Sprinkle on top the fact the Titans’ WR1 AJ Brown is priced at +850 but has only scored 4 touchdowns all year and you can see why Jones’ odds are attractive.
The Bengals have allowed the opening touchdown in 5 of their last 6 games and have had issues dealing with Jones in the past, giving up an average of 130.5 yards per game in two previous encounters. Cincinnati’s pass defense ranks 24th in DVOA and could prove no match for a player of Jones’ quality.
Anytime touchdown scorer: Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (+195)
It’s not always easy working out who Joe Burrow’s favorite target will be given the amount of choice he has but this feels like it could be a nice game for Tee Higgins. The Titans are likely to put their top corner, Jackrabbit Jenkins, on Ja’Marr Chase and that could make life tricky for Burrow’s traditional favorite.
Higgins had a nice game when the Titans and Bengals clashed last year, finishing with 6 receptions on 9 targets for 78 yards and he enters the divisional round due a big showing after a quiet outing against the Raiders. The Titans have given up 20 touchdowns to wide receivers this season, despite an above-average pass defense, and Higgins appeals to add to the 6 TD receptions he already has.
Check out our same game parlay for the Cincinnati Bengals vs Tennessee Titans (+1360 odds!)
Anytime Touchdown Scorer FAQs
What does “anytime touchdown scorer” mean?
Anytime touchdown scorer is a popular player prop bet that NFL bettors can wager on throughout the season. But what is it, and how do you win?
As the name suggests, placing a wager on the anytime touchdown scorer market is when you tip a particular player to score a touchdown during a game. This can be a rushing or receiving touchdown for an offensive player, or you can wager on a team’s defense/special teams to score a touchdown by interception return and fumble return or kickoff and punt returns.
If your player or defense scores a touchdown, you win! The odds will differ from player-to-player depending on the sportsbooks’ calculated probability of that player scoring.
Does anytime touchdown scorer include passing touchdowns?
Not for a quarterback, no. A player must get into the end zone, himself, in order to qualify as an anytime touchdown scorer. If a quarterback throws a touchdown pass, only the player who caught it counts as the scorer. If Tom Brady throws a touchdown pass to Mike Evans, wagers placed on Evans as an anytime touchdown scorer will cash. However, those placed on Brady as an anytime touchdown scorer will not (unless he also runs for a TD). See below for more on what the anytime touchdown scorer market means for quarterbacks.
What does anytime touchdown scorer mean for a QB?
For a wager on a QB to be an anytime touchdown scorer to cash, he must follow the same rules as a running back, tight end, or receiver. He must get into the end zone himself, either as a runner or a pass-catcher.
In the age of the mobile quarterback, QBs such as Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, and Josh Allen are often seen rushing in for a touchdown on any given Sunday. And don’t forget the occasional Philly Special, either. QBs can sometimes catch passes for TDs, too.
Don’t forget to read our full game previews for every NFL Divisional Round matchup!
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