Ricky Dimon
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We’re on to Week 7 in the 2020 NFL season, and for the first time in a while we have a normal schedule: one game on Thursday night, one on Sunday night, one on Monday night, and the rest on Sunday afternoon. That’s not to say this week has been entirely unimpacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Sunday Night Football was supposed to be Bucs-Raiders, but the Raiders are dealing with some coronavirus issues so that got moved from primetime to an afternoon slot on the chance that it would be cancelled. That sent the Cardinals-Seahawks NFC West showdown into the SNF slot.
There should be a whole lot of touchdowns scored that particularly contest, which brings us to the subject of this article. What players are the best bets to find the endzone at least once in Week 7? Let’s take a look.
Favored to score – DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks (-112)
Arizona vs. Seattle unsurprisingly features one of the biggest totals of the week at 55. Although the Seahawks’ defense is terrible, quarterback Russell Wilson is playing at an MVP level and Metcalf has been the main beneficiary. The second-year standout has 496 yards and five touchdowns this season, and that’s on only 22 receptions. Wilson has immense trust in Metcalf now, to the tune of 11 targets in their most recent game against Minnesota—which led to six receptions for 93 yards and two scores.
Slight underdog – D’Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions (+135)
Swift cashed last week—twice over, in fact—at +285. The rookie out of Georgia torched Jacksonville for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Swift’s 17 touches were by far the most of the season, whereas Adrian Peterson’s opportunities are becoming fewer and fewer with each game. Detroit is paying a visit to Atlanta this weekend and a shootout has to be expected. No matter that the Falcons actually boast a decent run defense; Swift should be able to do some damage both on the ground and catching passes.
Bigger underdog – Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Green Bay Packers (+190)
Last Sunday’s visit to Tampa Bay proved to be an unmitigated disaster for Green Bay. However, that was probably an aberration as opposed to the rule for Aaron Rodgers and the previously undefeated Packers. They will likely bounce back in a big way, and that also has a lot to do with the opposition—the 1-5 Texans. Houston has surrendered 13 touchdowns through the air, tied for fifth most in the NFL. Rodgers and Valdes-Scantling will likely take advantage. MVS has been targeted 30 times this year, establishing himself as his QB’s second-favorite weapon among the receiving corps.
Longshot – Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs (+285)
If Wilson stumbles, Mahomes could be right there for a second NFL MVP honor. The 2018 MVP and reigning Super Bowl MVP is up to his usual tricks with 15 passing touchdowns compared to only one interception so far this year. He has also found the endzone twice on the ground already in 2020. Denver’s defense is solid, but that means Mahomes may have to improvise every now and then to make something out of nothing with his feet. This is a good value play at +285.
Check out more of our NFL Week 7 picks and previews:
Anytime Touchdown Scorer explained
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 endzone, 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 Rob Gronkowski, wagers placed on Gronkowski as an anytime touchdown scorer will cash. However, those placed on Brady as an anytime touchdown scorer will not. 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 endzone himself, either as a runner or a pass-catcher.
In the age of the mobile quarterback, QBs such as Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson 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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