First Touchdown Scorer Predictions for Monday Night Football: Texans vs. Seahawks

The last Monday Night Football doubleheader of the season gives us two cracks at a juicy payout in our first touchdown scorer predictions.

My NFL picks ahead of intriguing matchups feature a longtime prominent red-zone target in Seattle Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp while targeting a weakness in their defense behind rookie Houston Texans rusher Woody Marks as part of our NFL predictions for Week 7.

While Buccaneers vs. Lions has already kicked off, there's still time to tail our first TD picks for Texans vs. Seahawks tonight at 10 p.m. ET from Lumen Field.

🏈 Monday Night Football first touchdown scorer predictions

NFL first touchdown scorer picks for Monday Night Football; odds subject to change.

• Buccaneers pick: Mike Evans, WR (+1000 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Lions pick: Sam LaPorta, TE (+1100 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Texans picks: Woody Marks, RB (+1200 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
• Seahawks picks: Cooper Kupp, WR (+1200 via bet365) ⭐⭐⭐

💰 Best Texans vs. Seahawks first touchdown scorer bets: MNF

Our NFL player prop odds tool shows the best odds for every market across legal sportsbooks in your area.

🐂 Woody Marks, RB, Texans (+1200) ⭐⭐⭐

There's a messy situation in the Texans' backfield. Marks looks like he's ready to ascend to greater heights, especially after his two-touchdown performance two weeks ago. But Nick Chubb is still standing in the way with the veteran getting the slight edge overall for early-down work, though Marks was given more snaps last week.

But that workload divide can play out to our benefit here, as Marks has been thriving in a passing-down role. The shifty back has already accumulated 96 receiving yards on just six catches. That eruption has included a touchdown and a 37-yard reception.

Now a rookie who's quickly establishing his pass-catching ability gets to face a Seahawks defense allowing the the most receptions (43) and second-most receiving yardage (344) to opposing running backs.

A $10 wager on Marks to score first could lead to a $120 profit through these +1200 betting odds at DraftKings with an implied probability of 7.69%.

🟢 Cooper Kupp, WR, Seahawks (+1200) ⭐⭐⭐

Kupp may no longer be at his peak due to injuries and aging, but he's still well-regarded as a red-zone menace. He had scored 17 times across a span of 33 games over three seasons prior to this year.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a clear focus for Seattle while riding high and leading the league in receiving yards. But Smith-Njigba drawing the attention of top Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. lines up nicely for Kupp, who's just one week removed from leading the team in targets. That was one of two games this season when he's drawn nine looks.

Kupp may not possess the downfield ability of his prime anymore. But the Seahawks aren't asking him to be that guy, anyway, and his short-area quickness combined with trusted hands can easily translate to red-zone success.

If Kupp tallies a touchdown for the second straight week and he opens the scoring tonight, a $10 bet using these +1200 betting odds from bet365 would lead to a $120 profit with an implied probability of 7.69%. Our Mike Spector is tabbing another Seahawks wideout to score in his Texans vs. Seahawks player props.

📊 Texans vs. Seahawks first TD scorer odds for MNF

💰 Best Buccaneers vs. Lions first touchdown scorer bets: MNF

Track all of this week's NFL scores for the latest line movement and matchup info.

🧭 Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers (+1000) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Injuries have obliterated the Lions' defensive backfield with Kerby Joseph, Avonte Maddox, and Terrion Arnold all out. That's in part contributing to what's widely expected to be a high-octane affair featuring plenty of scoring, with the best sports betting sites setting the total around 53.5.

Evans, who's set to return from a hamstring injury, is well-positioned to promptly take advantage of that weakness. That's especially true because of the injuries around him, too, with Chris Godwin out and Emeka Egbuka potentially out or playing at less than full health.

That leaves Evans to be a target vacuum against a mid-tier secondary even when healthy, as the Lions rank 17th against the pass. The 32-year-old has made a career out of his contested-catch ability, and just last year he finished among the top 10 with 10 targets inside the 10-yard line. He's logged six seasons with double-digit touchdowns, including during each of the past two.

If Evans hits pay dirt first, a $10 bet at these +1000 betting odds from DraftKings would lead to a $100 payout on an implied probability of 9.09%. Our Phil Wood also likes Evans' chances to go Over 63.5 yards as part of his Buccaneers vs. Lions player props.

🦁 Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions (+1100) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

LaPorta endured a quiet stretch earlier this season when the focus of the Lions' offense was elsewhere, and he put up three straight scoreless outings with under 40 receiving yards.

But he's jolted awake recently while producing 150 yards with two scores over just the past two weeks. LaPorta has been stretching the field and/or scampering after the catch, too, during that recent run while averaging 15 yards per grab.

That shows he doesn't need to be a red-zone focus to score, but he still gets a notable share of the work right around the goal line, which is paycheck-earning time for tight ends. LaPorta has received three targets inside the 10-yard line while converting on two. That's a sizable share of the work, and it comes after he finished fifth among tight ends last season with 17 red-zone targets.

LaPorta scoring first would translate to a $110 profit on a $10 bet through these +1100 odds from bet365, with an implied probability of 8.33%. Our Esten McLaren is also eyeing LaPorta in his anytime touchdown scorer predictions for Monday Night Football.