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It’s almost time for the third primetime weekday game of the NFL season, which means it’s time for the third edition of my first touchdown scorer picks! We nailed Gabriel Davis last Thursday night at a juicy 11/1 price to give us a nice head start, but we struck out on Monday Night Football when Will Dissly walked into the end zone at 32/1 odds in a stunner.

It’s time to get back on track tonight when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC West showdown. There’s no shortage of weapons all over these two offenses, so let’s scroll down the board and target some longshots to score the first touchdown on Thursday Night Football.

Mecole Hardman +1600

Mecole Hardman is in just his fourth year in the NFL, but he’s Patrick Mahomes’ most trusted wide receiver now that Tyreek Hill is getting his tan on down in Miami. The speedster saw six targets in Week 1 and turned them into three catches for 16 yards and a touchdown.

It could’ve been an even bigger day for Hardman, though, as Mahomes admitted after the game that he missed him for what could’ve been two more touchdown passes against the Arizona Cardinals. Hardman is a threat to score from anywhere on the field, and Andy Reid loves to use his speed around the goal line in crossing routes and jet sweeps. I’ll take a shot on the third-highest-priced Chiefs WR here.

Patrick Mahomes +2200

Patrick Mahomes didn’t need to run much in Kansas City’s 23-point win in Week 1, but he’s shown an ability to score with his feet throughout his career. The star QB has scored two rushing touchdowns in each of the last four regular seasons.

The Chargers are going to focus on slowing down the passing game after what they saw in Week 1, which should open up plenty of scramble opportunities for Mahomes. There’s no way he should be priced behind backup running backs Jerick McKinnon and Isiah Pacheco, so I’ll take a chance on him at 22/1.

Jalen Guyton +4600

Jalen Guyton celebrates a touchdown catch.
Jalen Guyton of the Los Angeles Chargers reacts after a touchdown catch against the Kansas City Chiefs | Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images

LA’s wide receiver situation is a confusing one with Keenan Allen ruled out for Thursday night’s game. Mike Williams will be the clear No. 1 weapon, but it’s anybody’s guess who will receive the second-most targets from Justin Herbert.

When uncertainty arises, it creates value in the betting market. That’s why I’m going with the longest shot in Jalen Guyton at 46/1 odds to score the first touchdown. Josh Palmer (19/1) and DeAndre Carter (23/1) should see more snaps against the Chiefs, but this is a complete dart throw if you’re betting on one of them to find the end zone. Give me the huge price on Guyton.

All betting odds courtesy of FanDuel as of 9/15.

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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.