NFL Week 1 Best Bets: TD Props For Saquon Barkley, Omarion Hampton
· Yahoo Sports
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - SEPTEMBER 22: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs for a touchdown against the New Orleans Saints during the fourth quarter at Caesars Superdome on September 22, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Gus Stark/Getty Images)
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Getty ImagesAfter a long offseason and summer of anticipation, the first Sunday of the new NFL season has arrived. A total of 12 games will be featured in the early and late windows, affording bettors a seemingly endless array of options on which to take a stake.
One of the more popular bets to sweat out for both novice and seasoned bettors are touchdown scorer props. With the overwhelming majority of players at full health entering the new campaign, let’s break down a quartet of running backs with a good chance of paying at least one visit to the end zone to open the new season.
Top Week 1 TD Scorer Bets:
- David Montgomery: Anytime TD Scorer (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Bucky Irving: Anytime TD Scorer (+110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Saquon Barkley: Anytime TD Scorer (-115 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Omarion Hampton: 1st Half TD Scorer (+170 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
David Montgomery, Houston Texans (vs. Buffalo Bills)
Bet: Anytime TD Scorer (-110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Even while sharing the Lions backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs the last three seasons, Montgomery still crossed the goal line a whopping 33 times across 45 regular-season games while averaging 3.2 red-zone touches per contest.
Montgomery now moves into what is arguably at least a 1-A role in Houston alongside Woody Marks, one that’s been described as likely to emulate that of former Texans lead runner Joe Mixon’s back in 2024 when he scored 12 total touchdowns and logged 66 red-zone touches.
D-Mont opens his Houston tenure against a Bills defense that surrendered an NFL-high 18 rushing touchdowns to running backs during the 2025 regular season, and Buffalo could be without run-stopping defensive tackle T.J. Sanders for Sunday’s contest due to a knee injury.
Montgomery’s nose for the end zone and the opportunity he should see in a likely competitive game afford him a solid chance to score at least once.
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at Cincinnati Bengals)
Bet: Anytime TD Scorer (+110 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Irving is back to full health following an injury-ravaged 2025 season, and the third-year back is primed to resume his workhorse role at the helm of the Buccaneers’ ground attack.
Rachaad White is now in Washington, and his replacement, Kenny Gainwell, is notably less of a threat to take carries away, especially in the red zone. As a rookie in 2024, Irving logged 46 red-zone touches across 17 regular-season games while still sharing plenty of snaps with White.
The Bengals notably took steps this offseason to address a highly porous run defense that gave up a league-high 147.1 rushing yards per game last season, including 155.2 per home contest. New additions Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen are expected to significantly shore up the defensive front, but Irving should remain the preferred red-zone option for the Bucs in what is expected to be a close game.
Factoring in that Irving also scored three receiving TDs in his abbreviated 2025 season and the Bucs have an implied team total north of three touchdowns, we’ll bank on him getting in on the scoring.
Looking for RB futures bets? Check out Chase Brown and Quinshon Judkins props here!
Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Washington Commanders)
Bet: Anytime TD Scorer (-115 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
Saquon may have taken a sizable step back production-wise last season from a career-best 2024 campaign, but the star back’s role as the head of the ground attack in Philadelphia remains unchanged.
Barkley still produced 1,140 rushing yards and scored nine total touchdowns (seven rushing, two receiving) over 16 games in 2025, amassing over 3.0 red-zone touches (50 total) per contest. The 2018 first-round pick of the Giants decimated the Commanders in his one meeting with them last season as well, recording 132 rushing yards and a touchdown on 21 carries .
Despite head coach Dan Quinn’s reputation as a defensive guru, the Commanders are expected to have their share of struggles on that side of the ball this season. Washington already was tied for third-most rushing TDs given up to running backs in 2025 (16), and they conceded another four through the air to the position.
Barkley can score from anywhere on the field and the Eagles carry an implied team total of just under four touchdowns for Sunday’s late-afternoon tilt, so I’ll back the idea of Saquon crossing the goal line at least once.
Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
Bet: 1st Half TD Scorer (+170 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Hampton thrilled Chargers fans when he was on the field last season, compiling 737 scrimmage yards and five total touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) across nine games.
The 2025 first-round pick was handed 28 red-zone touches in that span as well, with 25 of those coming from the 10-yard line in. Hampton’s 6-foot, 22o-pound frame naturally makes him a very good candidate for short-yardage work, and a season-opening clash against a Cardinals team fully expected to finish with a bottom-half record this season is a great opportunity to bank on a score.
In this Week 1 scenario, I suggest being a bit more nuanced and trying to capture a first-half touchdown specifically. The Chargers are favored by 9.5 points, and if matters play out the way oddsmakers are envisioning, it’s possible Los Angeles has the chance to rest some key players, such as Hampton, in the latter portion of the contest.
As such, we’re banking on a fast start for the Bolts, who are carrying a massive implied team total of 28.5 points, and Hampton scoring with either an explosive run or catch or from in close.
Is Jadarian Price a good Rookie of the Year bet? See latest odds here!
This article was originally published on Forbes.com