Ricky Dimon
Show Bio
Mercifully, for the first time in three weeks we don’t have to watch the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football. Although the Pittsburgh Steelers vs the Minnesota Vikings may not be a Super Bowl preview, it is an intriguing enough contest between two teams that are fighting for playoff spots. The Steelers are coming off a dramatic win over Baltimore that kept them in both the AFC North and wild-card pictures, while the Vikings suffered a disastrous loss to previously winless Detroit in Week 13.
Can Pittsburgh (6-5-1) stay above .500? Will Minnesota (5-7) come up big in what is virtually a must-win situation? Those are questions that will soon be answered, but for now we are focusing on the individual aspect of Thursday Night Football. Who is going to find the endzone? Let’s take a look at some of the best touchdown scorer bets for Steelers vs Vikings.
First touchdown scorer: Diontae Johnson, WR, Steelers (+750)
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 sort of going in between the two extremes, as Johnson is not one of the favorites but also isn’t a longshot. At +750, Pittsburgh’s WR1 has good value.
Johnson has scored 6 touchdowns in 2021, 3 of which have come in the past 3 games. His 105-yard, 2-TD performance last weekend against Baltimore brought me back from the dead in my fantasy matchup and clinched me a spot in the playoffs. Thank you, Diontae! Minnesota is 23rd in passing defense, 28th in yards per pass attempt allowed, and has given up the 7th-most scores through the air. With the Steelers coming off their biggest win of the season and the Vikings reeling from two consecutive defeats, I look for the visitors to maintain momentum by starting fast on Thursday. Don’t be shocked if it’s Johnson who is responsible for it.
Check out our full game preview for Pittsburgh Steelers vs Minnesota Vikings
Anytime touchdown scorer: Alexander Mattison, RB, Vikings (-125)
Betting on Mattison as an anytime touchdown scorer is contingent on Dalvin Cook being out, so this play will be amended if Cook turns out to be active. Cook is listed as questionable and is not expected to suit up because of a shoulder injury. Mattison stepped up this past Sunday against Detroit to the tune of 22 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown. He has scored in each of the past 2 contests. The Steelers are 27th in the league in rushing defense, dead last in yards per attempt allowed (4.8), and have surrendered the 8th-most rushing touchdowns.
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 Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, 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.
Pickswise is the home of free NFL Predictions and NFL Odds. Check out the latest NFL Prop Bets and NFL Parlays as well as expert NFL Underdog Picks and NFL Computer Picks.
