If there was even a good time for Sean McVay to get the Kyle Shanahan monkey off his back then Sunday’s NFC Championship game would be the perfect time to do it. Shanahan’s 49ers are 6-0 against the Rams in the last six meetings but all good things must come to an end. Will that end come this weekend? The sportsbooks think so with the Rams favored by 3.5 points after an impressive run through the playoffs.
The Rams took down the defending Super Bowl champions on the road in the divisional round in a game that was far more one-sided than the final score suggested. They are now two home games away from lifting the Lombardi trophy and have been on-song on both sides of the ball down the stretch, helping them to go 7-1 in the last 8 games.
The only loss in that time — you’ve guessed it, was a Week 18 defeat to the 49ers at SoFi Stadium. That win for the Niners punched their ticket to the playoffs and they haven’t looked back, knocking off the Cowboys and Packers to get back to the NFC Championship game.
San Francisco’s offense got hot in the second half at times during those wins over the Rams and Cowboys but was ice cold in the Packers game so it’s not easy to know what to expect. The Rams offense has been a little more consistent and has tended to get off to a strong start, scoring the opening touchdown in 4 of their last 5 games. With that in mind, let’s sift through our choices in the touchdown scorer markets.
Be sure to check out our full preview of the San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams here.
First touchdown scorer: Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams (+1100)
Big props if you had Kendall Blanton to score the first touchdown in the Rams’ win over the Buccaneers last week. Blanton, who has only caught 4 passes all year entering that game, was a reminder of how volatile the first touchdown scorer market can be and why it’s often best to seek out the best value options.
I went back and forth between Odell Beckham Jr. at +800 and Tyler Higbee at +1100 when considering my options but couldn’t resist the bigger payout you get with the Rams tight end. Higbee actually scored the opening touchdown in the Week 18 game against the 49ers, 1 of 2 TD passes he caught on the day. Higbee has brought his A-game when it comes to facing the 49ers this year having also grabbed the Rams’ opening touchdown in the Week 10 matchup.
Higbee has managed to hang on to a decent market share in the Rams passing game despite the introduction of Beckham Jr and the insane season Cooper Kupp is enjoying, particularly in the red zone. Higbee is the fourth most targeted Ram in the red zone and has proven ultra-reliable when Matthew Stafford has gone to him, hauling in 12 of 17 passes. His odds, record against the Niners and reliability in the red zone make Higbee a nice option to grab the opening TD.
Anytime touchdown scorer: Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Los Angeles Rams (+130)
I’ve already alluded to my Beckham Jr fandom and feel he’s a safer bet at plus-money to get in the endzone than a lot of other options. There are two many questions over what the 49ers’ offense will look like with Jimmy Garoppolo, Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams banged up. Garoppolo’s performance against the Packers and his first-half showing in the Week 18 win over the Rams — he was 5-of-7 for 29 yards and an interception at one point in that game — is a little unsettling too.
Beckham Jr. feels a far safer choice having enjoyed a rebirth since he left the Browns and moved to LA. Beckham Jr. has 5 touchdowns in 8 games for the Rams, edging above Van Jefferson to become the WR2 on the team. He caught 6 passes for 69 yards against the Buccaneers in the Divisional Round and should have a much better game against the Niners than he did in Week 18.
Beckham Jr. posted only 2 catches in the regular-season finale but should have a bigger role to play this time around having established himself as a trusted target for Stafford. The 49ers’ secondary is the Achilles heel of their defense and if the Rams offensive line can provide good protection — as they did against the Bucs and at times when facing the Niners — then Beckham Jr. should eat.
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 Tua Tagovailoa throws a touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle, wagers placed on Waddle as an anytime touchdown scorer will cash. However, those placed on Tagovailoa 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.
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