Two of the most popular NFL bets this season are First Touchdown Scorer and Anytime Touchdown Scorer.
Every week during the NFL season, our experts will give you their prediction on which player they think will score the first TD for every game.
These prop bets can be difficult to predict, but they are a fan favorite among many NFL bettors.
What is a first touchdown scorer bet?
To win this bet, you must correctly pick the player to score the first touchdown in the game — the first player who receives a touchdown pass or crosses the goal line with the ball.
A touchdown scorer is defined as the player in possession of the ball in the end zone and not the player who throws the TD.
What is an anytime touchdown scorer bet?
To win this NFL bet, you must correctly pick a player who will score a touchdown. Similar to first touchdown bets, the player is the one who crosses the end zone himself, not the QB who throws to that player.
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First & Anytime Touchdown Scorer Predictions & Bets for Week 18
Bucs vs. Panthers 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Sean Tucker (RB, Bucs) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+1000)
Tucker has not been getting a ton of touches since Bucky Irving returned, but he is getting work near the end zone. Over the last four games, Tucker has had 7 of Tampa's 9 running back carries in goal-to-go situations. He scored in three straight games before missing out last week. That run of games includes his touchdown against the Panthers in Week 16.
Bucs vs. Panthers Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Tommy Tremble (TE, Panthers) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+475)
Ja'Tavion Sanders suffered a season-ending injury in Week 17, opening the door for Tremble to run more routes. Tremble had a 67.3% route rate in the three games Sanders missed earlier this season, catching 10 passes including a touchdown. The Bucs have given up a touchdown to a tight end in four of their last five games including to Sanders in Week 16.
49ers vs. Seahawks 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Zach Charbonnet (RB, Seahawks) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+650)
The 49ers' run defense remains a concern, and the Seahawks are happy to attack with the running backs as long as the game script allows it — Seattle is 28th in neutral dropback rate. Charbonnet is the short-yardage back for the Seahawks. He has 25 of the 38 running back carries in goal-to-go situations this season, and he has seen 14 of 19 over the second half of the season.
49ers vs. Seahawks Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
A.J. Barner (TE, Seahawks) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+155)
There are no screaming values for an anytime scorer in this game, but at least we get plus odds for Barner, who has been a much bigger part of the offense with Elijah Arroyo sidelined. Barner also has a touchdown in back-to-back games and 5 end zone targets this season. The 49ers have allowed a touchdown to a tight end in six of their last seven games.
Falcons vs. Saints 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Juwan Johnson (TE, Saints) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+900)
Johnson trailed only Chris Olave in Sunday’s win in Nashville, catching all 4 of his targets for a season-high 95 yards. Since Tyler Shough took over as New Orleans’ starter full-time in Week 8, Johnson has ranked second among players who are still with the team, with a 17.5% share of the Saints’ targets. He also ranks second (again, behind only Olave), with a route run on 87% of the team’s red zone dropbacks. The Falcons have been picked apart by tight ends in that 10-week window, ranking 25th in the league with 8.1 yards per attempt allowed to the position.
Falcons vs. Saints Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Audric Estime (RB, Saints) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+195)
Estime made his mark as the Saints’ lead back last week, taking a team-high 14 carries (87.5% of the team’s total) for 94 yards. A chunk of those yards did come on a 32-yard touchdown break in the fourth quarter, but with his recent uptick in volume will go further against Atlanta than it did against Tennessee. The Falcons rank 28th in defensive success rate against the run this season (56.4%) compared to the Titans’ 12th-ranked 60.7%.
Bengals vs. Browns 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Jerry Jeudy (WR, Browns) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+1600)
Jeudy was the only Browns player to register more than four targets or three receptions in Sunday’s win over the Steelers. He took five of his seven targets for 54 yards on the day, leading the team in receiving for the fourth time this season. He’s now clocked the most team-leading receiving performances behind only Harold Fannin Jr, who did not practice on Thursday as he deals with a groin injury. He’ll take his high target volume to Cincinnati in Week 18, where he’ll face a Bengals’ defense that ranks 26th with 13.3 yards per reception allowed to wideouts.
Bengals vs. Browns Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Andrei Iosivas (WR, Bengals) is our pick for the anytime scorer bet (+310)
Andrei Iosivas trailed only Ja’Marr Chase in targets on Sunday, catching four of six for 41 yards. Iosivas ranks third on the team this season, running a route on 81.4% of the Bengals’ routes. Iosivas ranks second on the team in rate of routes run from the slot, lining up there on 56.9% of his plays. He’ll battle a Browns’ team that ranks 29th with 5.4 yards after the catch allowed to slot receivers.
Jaguars vs. Titans 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Jakobi Meyers (WR, Jaguars) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+750)
Despite the uncharacteristic fumble last week, Meyers’ consistent usage over the past four games has made him a valuable target. Since Week 14, Meyers has led the Jaguars' receiving room with a route run on 96.8% of the team’s dropbacks, with 26% of all targets going his way. He’s also seen a team-high four targets in the end zone through those games. Meyers will look to round off his eighth week as a Jaguar on a high note, as he’ll face a Titans’ team ranked 25th with eight receiving touchdowns allowed in the last four weeks.
Jaguars vs. Titans Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Brenton Strange (TE, Jaguars) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+200)
Strange finished his day in Indianapolis with his highest receiving total since Week 12, racking up 54 yards on just three receptions. He did see five targets in Week 17, one of which came in the red zone (making up 25% of the team’s passing targets inside the 20), and he accounts for a third-ranked 16.1% of the team’s total targets in that five-week window. He’ll face a Titans’ team in Week 18 that’s been permeable to tight ends this season. Tennessee ranks 23rd with a 75% reception rate and 19th with 10.4 yards per reception allowed to tight ends.
Texans vs. Colts 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Jayden Higgins (WR, Texans) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+850)
Higgins rolled up a season-high 88 receiving yards on just two catches in Week 17. The majority of these yards came on the game’s opening drive when C.J. Stroud hit him for a 75-yard touchdown pass. Despite his lower-than-average receiving percentage over the last two weeks, Higgins still ranks third on the team with a route run on 61.1% of Houston’s dropbacks. This continued involvement should benefit him in the deep-ball game, as Indianapolis allows completions on passes of 10+ yards 47.4% of the time (ranked 26th).
Texans vs. Colts Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Riley Leonard (QB, Colts) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+500)
With their playoff dreams long dead, the Colts now shift their focus to 2026 and the development of their promising rookie quarterback. Riley Leonard will pick up his first NFL start against the Texans this Sunday, but we've already gotten a small sample size of what this young man is capable of at a professional level. In relief of Daniel Jones back in Week 14, Leonard took one of his two carries for his first NFL touchdown, a six-yard score late in the fourth quarter. The Texans have been a difficult team to run the football against this season, but they rank dead last in the league with 4.20 yards after contact allowed to quarterbacks.
Bears vs. Lions 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Luther Burden III (WR, Bears) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+850)
With Rome Odunze sidelined for yet another week, Luther Burden III led the team with eight receptions including his second career touchdown catch (a 35-yard reception to round out the first quarter). He finished the outing with a team-high 138 yards (a new career-best and his second time breaking 100 yards on the season), and he trailed only Colston Loveland with nine targets on the day. With Odunze missing practice again on Thursday with the same nagging foot injury, Bruden’s increased volume is likely to continue through Week 18.
Bears vs. Lions Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Colston Loveland (TE, Bears) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+145)
Loveland led the Bears with 10 targets in Sunday’s tight loss in Santa Clara, finishing the night with 94 yards and his fifth career touchdown on six receptions. It was his highest total in yards and receptions since Week 9 in Cincinnati, and his target total was a new career high. The Lions haven’t given up many yards to tight ends, but they rank 21st with seven touchdowns allowed to the position on the year. This bodes well for Loveland’s usage, as he currently sits tied with Rome Odunze (who is still listed as questionable) and Olamide Zaccheaus for the team lead in red zone target rate (18.5%).
Broncos vs. Chargers 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Courtland Sutton (WR, Broncos) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+600)
Although he caught just four of them last Thursday, Sutton capped off his fourth consecutive game with double-digit targets (sixth time this season). He’s led the team in receiving yards in each of those last four contests, accumulating 301 yards and a pair of touchdowns in that time. Since this run started in Week 14, Sutton has also led the team in routes run per dropback (90.7%) and target share (27.8%) by wide margins.
Broncos vs. Chargers Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Bo Nix (QB, Broncos) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+275)
Bo Nix notched his fourth rushing touchdown of the season in Kansas City on Thursday, as he took a season-high nine carries for 42 yards. He trailed RJ Harvey for the team lead in Week 17 by just a single yard, and Nix ranks second on the team behind only Harvey in carries through the last four weeks. The Chargers rank 21st on the season, with a score allowed on every 16.25 rushing attempts on average.
Raiders vs. Chiefs 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Isiah Pacheco (RB, Chiefs) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+600)
Kareem Hunt missed practice again on Thursday as he continues to overcome an illness, leaving this backfield wide open for Isiah Pacheco to retake the reins in Week 18. Even with Hunt in the lineup, Pacheco has led the Chiefs in rushing through a team-high six games on the season, including twice in the last three games. If Hunt isn’t able to play this week, Pacheco will likely command the majority of Kansas City’s rushing workload against a Raiders’ defense that ranks 24th with a 58% success rate against the run.
Raiders vs. Chiefs Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Travis Kelce (TE, Chiefs) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+265)
Despite finishing the day with just 36 receiving yards, Travis Kelce led the Chiefs in targets and yards in Thursday’s loss to the Broncos. He’s been a go-to target for third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun, leading the team with a 23.8% share of their passing targets since Oladokun took over for the injured Gardner Minshew. If Kelce continues to be Oladokun’s primary look, he could be primed for a big finale against the Raiders, who rank 19th with a 73.3% reception rate to tight ends this season.
Rams vs. Cardinals 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Colby Parkinson (TE, Rams) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+950)
Parkinson saw seven targets in Atlanta on Monday night, matching the season-high total he saw in Week 14. He caught a team-high six of them (also a season-most) for 53 yards on the day. The sixth-year tight end wasn’t quite able to match that total when these teams last met in Week 14, but he did add a six-yard touchdown reception to the Rams’ blowout win. The Cardinals have had trouble slowing tight ends down since that loss, ranking 24th in the league with 8.7 yards per attempt allowed to the position in the last three games.
Rams vs. Cardinals Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Michael Wilson (WR, Cardinals) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+145)
Back in Week 14, Michael Wilson posted his third of three 100+-yard receiving games through the 2025 season. The young wideout notched 142 yards and a pair of touchdown receptions on 11 catches, leading the Cardinals on the day and kicking off a four-game touchdown streak that is still running as we enter Week 18. Wilson has run 68.4% of his routes lined up out wide this season, where the Rams have given up a 27th-ranked 14.5 yards per reception this season.
Patriots vs. Dolphins 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB, Patriots) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+700)
Stevenson finished his day against the Jets with 102 total scrimmage yards, a mark he hasn’t hit since Week 2. Most of his receiving yards came on his 22-yard touchdown reception at the start of the second quarter, but it was still a very well-rounded performance considering he did it with just 13 total touches. TreVeyon Henderson is still likely to handle the bulk of New England’s rushing burden, but Stevenson’s usage in the passing attack bodes well for his success on Sunday as the Dolphins allow a league-high 89% reception rate with a 19th-ranked 7.4 yards per reception allowed to running backs.
Patriots vs. Dolphins Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Drake Maye (QB, Patriots) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+220)
Maye didn’t look to run very much against the Jets as the passing attack went gangbusters, taking a season-low three rushing attempts for 22 yards. His usage in the red zone makes up for the lack of volume, as he’s just two games removed from a two-touchdown rushing performance on just four touches against Buffalo. He’ll be able to make the most of his relatively low carry share against a Dolphins defense that ranks dead last in the league with 2.83 yards before contact per rush allowed to quarterbacks.
Eagles vs. Commanders 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB, Commanders) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+800)
Rodriguez sat out with a lingering illness in Week 17, but he led the Commanders in carries and rushing yards when they hosted the Eagles just two weeks ago. Most of his rushing yards can be accounted for by his 20-yard break late in the fourth quarter, but he made up for his limited total with a 3-yard punch-in on Washington’s final drive. It was the fifth touchdown in Rodriguez’s last eight games, and his continued red zone usage bodes well for his chances at notching a sixth before the season ends. Rodriguez saw a team-high 45.8% of Washington’s running back carries in the red zone in 2025.
Eagles vs. Commanders Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Will Shipley (RB, Eagles) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+210)
Saquon Barkley is resting in preparation for the playoffs, leaving the Eagles with a mixed bag at running back. Tank Bigsby is still likely to retain the starting share of Philadelphia’s carries against Washington this week, but Will Shipley should still receive a much larger workload than he’s used to as the next man up. Shipley took his pair of carries last week in Buffalo for just two yards, but he’ll have a much easier time finding room to move against this Commanders’ defense. Washington ranks 26th in the league with 3.18 yards after contact per rush allowed and 28th with a -4.34 total defensive EPA against the run.
Steelers vs. Ravens 1st TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Kenneth Gainwell (RB, Steelers) is our pick for the first TD scorer bet (+850)
Gainwell has been an impressive dual-threat back for Pittsburgh throughout this season, but he has been particularly impactful over the team’s last seven games. Since Week 11, Gainwell has averaged 86.5 scrimmage yards per game, with four total touchdowns (one rushing, three receiving). He’s trailed Jaylen Warren in rushing yards through the past two games (beating him for the team’s rushing lead just four times this season), but his receiving capabilities will be a plus in this matchup. The Ravens rank 26th with 7.1 yards per passing attempt allowed to running backs in that seven-game span.
Steelers vs. Ravens Anytime TD Scorer Bet Prediction:
Pat Freiermuth (TE, Steelers) is our pick for the anytime TD scorer bet (+330)
As Darnell Washington exited Sunday’s game in Cleveland with a forearm injury that would eventually condemn him to the injured reserve list for the remainder of the season, Pat Freiermuth overtook the majority of Pittsburgh’s tight end workload. He left Cleveland with a team-high 63 yards on his three receptions, bringing him to a second-ranked 13.7% of the team’s targets and 19.4% of their total yards over Pittsburgh’s last three games. He hasn’t found the end zone since Week 12 in Chicago, but his recent reinstatement as the Steelers’ TE1 should benefit his scoring potential against a Ravens’ defense that ranks 23rd with a 75% reception rate allowed to tight ends.