Bengals vs Chargers Anytime Touchdown Scorer Picks: Ladd's Not Bad

Ladd McConkey leads Robert Criscola's anytime touchdown picks for Sunday Night Football, as he likes the matchup for the Chargers WR vs. the Bengals pass stoppers.

Robert Criscola - Contributor at Covers.com
Robert Criscola • Publishing Editor
Nov 17, 2024 • 08:24 ET • 4 min read
Los Angeles Chargers NFL Ladd McConkey
Photo By - Imagn Images. Pictured: Ladd McConkey.

An elevated total is on the board for Sunday Night Football, giving bettors making Bengals vs. Chargers anytime NFL touchdown prop picks a little room to get creative.

My Bengals vs. Chargers predictions and NFL picks for the anytime touchdown market will highlight a wide receiver from each team.

Bengals anytime touchdown pick

Ja'Marr Chase anytime touchdown
-110 at bet365

The Los Angeles Chargers are not an easy team to throw against. They've allowed the third-fewest receptions to opposing wide receivers, the eighth-fewest receiving yards, and the 14th-fewest touchdowns to the position.

So why am I picking Ja'Marr Chase to record a TD vs. the Chargers? Because L.A. is even stingier when it comes to running backs.

Opposing RBs are seeing the fourth-fewest attempts per game and the eighth-fewest rushing yards per game in the league. Enemy tailbacks have only crossed the goal-line twice vs. the Chargers this year; once on the ground, and once through the air. Therefore, I can't get to Cincinnati Bengals RB Chase Brown at -110 for an anytime TD.

The Bengals have thrown the ball at the sixth-highest rate in football and sit tied for the NFL lead in passing touchdowns this year. Chase is clearly Joe Burrow's No. 1 read, as he's pacing the league in receptions TDs with 10 after a three-TD night last Thursday.

I also believe the Chargers' numbers against the pass are a bit trumped up, as the most potent passing attack they've faced this year by yards per attempt is 12th-ranked Arizona.


More Sunday Night Football picks from Covers


Chargers anytime touchdown pick

Ladd McConkey anytime touchdown
+187 at bet365

Unlike the Chargers, the Bengals' defense is awful vs. wide-outs. 

Cincinnati is allowing the sixth-most targets per game, the ninth-most receptions per game, and the 10th-most yards per game to the position. The Bengals have allowed nearly a full touchdown per game to opposing WRs, which puts them in the middle of the pack in that department.

Cincy has played some pretty inept passing attacks this year with the Patriots, Panthers, Giants, Browns, and Raiders dotting the schedule. But Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have given capable offenses the blueprint to solving this stop unit.

Los Angeles wide-out Ladd McConkey was targeted just twice last Sunday, but QB Justin Herbert threw a season-low 18 passes as the Chargers overwhelmed a bad Tennessee Titans team. McConkey was averaging 6.5 targets and 4.4 receptions per game prior to Week 10. 

Jim Harbaugh's Bolts have been a run-first team, but No. 1 tailback J.K. Dobbins could have some competition now with Gus Edwards back in the lineup, complicating betting on a running back anytime TD for this side. I expect Herbert to be cut loose anyway, making these McConkey odds that much more intriguing.

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Robert Criscola - Covers.com
Publishing Editor

Robert M. Criscola’s road to becoming a Covers publishing editor began with an internship at Metro New York, which eventually turned into a freelance job at MetroBet covering many sports from a wagering angle, including horse racing. He continued to focus on “The Sport of Kings” by writing for shapperdacapper.com, danonymousracing.com, and informer.fanxt.com before joining the team at the TwinSpires Edge in 2019 as a regular contributor and weekend editor. “Crisco” began writing game previews for Covers in 2022 and joined the editing team in 2023.

His best advice for sports bettors? Bet with your head, not over it.

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