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We’ve had quite a rough go of it on Thursday Night Football over the last few weeks. The Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders combined to score just two touchdowns and 19 points last Thursday, and the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts weren’t able to find the end zone once a week before.

Let’s hope we finally get some points this week when the New Orleans Saints pay the Arizona Cardinals a visit on Thursday night. So, let’s throw down a few first touchdown scorer bets for Thursday Night Football and pray for some offense.

DeAndre Hopkins +700

DeAndre Hopkins smiles before a game against the Rams.
DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Rams | Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Guess who’s baaaack.

DeAndre Hopkins is set to make his season debut this week after a suspension cost him the first six games of the year. I don’t think the Cardinals will waste any time getting the five-time Pro Bowler involved in the passing game, and he could easily take over as the focal point of this offense right away.

Marquise Brown, who’s been Kyler Murray’s favorite target this season, will be out for this game and the foreseeable future due to a foot injury. Murray should look for Hopkins early and often with Brown out of the lineup, so I’ll take a stab at +700 (FanDuel).

Zach Ertz +1200

In the event that Hopkins gets off to a slow start, Zach Ertz should pick up the slack in Arizona’s passing offense. The veteran tight end has received the second-most targets (51) behind Brown through six games, while no one else on the team has seen more than 24.

Ertz already has two of the Cardinals’ six receiving touchdowns this season. He’s been a consistent target for Murray in the red zone, and I don’t see that changing even with Hopkins returning to the lineup.

Mark Ingram +2300

Mark Ingram may be the No. 2 option in the Saints’ backfield, but he still sees more than enough snaps and touches to make his +2300 price valuable. Even with Alvin Kamara suiting up the last two weeks, Ingram carried the ball 18 times and caught one pass on two targets.

I think Ingram could see even more snaps this Thursday on a short week, so let’s hope New Orleans utilizes him near the goal line early in the game.

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Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.