Ricky Dimon
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We have enjoyed plenty of fun primetime matchups in recent weeks, and this particular Thursday Night Football showdown is no different. The AFC West has been one of the most interesting divisions in the NFL this season, and even though the Kansas City Chiefs have seemingly taken control they are by no means in the clear. In fact, it will be all tied at the top of the division standings if the Los Angeles Chargers get the job done at home on Thursday.
It’s one of the most intriguing contests – and surely the most important – of Week 15. Both teams will be relying on their stars (of which there are many) to step up on the big stage. Who is going to do so by finding the end zone in this one? Let’s take a look at some of the best touchdown scorer bets for Chiefs vs Chargers.
First touchdown scorer: Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs (+850)
I’m not big on favorites in this market, because the first touchdown scorer is generally a crapshoot (there are some exceptions like Derrick Henry, when he was healthy). You can almost always find better value with longer odds. In this case I am going in between the two extremes, as Kelce is not one of the favorites but also isn’t a longshot. At +850, Kansas City’s veteran tight end has great value.
Kelce has gone 4 straight games without a touchdown, but he has 5 for the season and this is a favorable matchup for him to get back on track. It is important to break down the Chargers’ mediocre pass defense, because the unit is much different against tight ends than it is against wide receivers. They have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to WRs and have given up the fifth-most fantasy points to TEs. Only the Eagles have surrendered more touchdowns to tight ends. Look for Kelce to take advantage right away. The red-hot Chiefs have scored the first touchdown every time during their 6-game winning streak and Kelce has been responsible for 2 of those.
Anytime touchdown scorer: Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (+175)
Mike Williams is questionable with a heel injury. Even if he plays, Allen could be Justin Herbert’s go-to guy on Thursday night. That wouldn’t be anything new for the Cal product, as he has received double-digit targets in 5 of the last 6 games. He has been targeted fewer than 8 times only once this season. Allen is coming off a 2-touchdown performance against the Bengals in Week 13 and he will be well-rested for this one after missing last Sunday’s win over the Giants while on the Covid-19 list. Kansas City has the 7th-worst passing defense in the NFL and has allowed 20 TDs through the air.
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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 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 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 endzone 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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