First Touchdown Scorer Predictions for Week 8: Goedert in Perfect Spot to Keep Riding High

I've teed up my favorite first touchdown scorer predictions tied to the marquee games for the upcoming week of football festivities, which is all part of our NFL predictions for Week 8.

My NFL picks in a market filled with tasty odds include a tight end gobbling up targets, one of the league's premier quarterbacks who's been running plenty, and two role players in ideal situations and getting especially appealing prices.

🏈 First touchdown scorer predictions for Week 8

NFL first touchdown scorer picks for Week 8; odds subject to change.

💰 Best first touchdown scorer bets for Week 8

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

🏈 Giants vs. Eagles first touchdown scorer prediction

🦅 Dallas Goedert (+950) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The connection between Dallas Goedert and Jalen Hurts has been consistent even amid the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive struggles elsewhere.

The tight end has reeled in five touchdown receptions (tied for fifth leaguewide) despite getting minimal usage at times. But he's been making the most of whatever is thrown his way, turning two targets in Week 3 into 33 yards and a touchdown, for example. And his workload has been swinging the other way recently, peaking at 110 yards and another score on 11 targets in Week 6.

Now that usage could get even higher with Eagles receiver A.J. Brown out. Combine that with Goedert facing a New York Giants defense that's given up the ninth-most receptions to tight ends (41), and there's a whole lot to like here, especially after he tore apart the same unit two weeks ago.

A $10 bet using the +950 odds from Caesars could end with a $95 profit, with an implied probability of 9.52%.

🏈 Cowboys vs. Broncos first touchdown scorer prediction

🐎 Marvin Mims (+1600) ⭐⭐⭐

The last-ranked Dallas Cowboys pass defense is so putrid that a surely high-scoring game receiving a total of 48.5 from the best sports betting sites should feature the Broncos spreading the ball around from the start.

That means getting it in the hands of Marvin Mims, who showed an instinct for the end zone with his six touchdowns last season. Mims is a home run threat who's fresh off 85 yards on seven targets last week, both season highs. He was on the field for his highest snap percentage of the season, too (53.1%). The versatile speedster is used as a runner at times as well, turning four carries so far into 36 yards and one of his two touchdowns.

If Mims opens the scoring, a $10 bet at these +1600 odds from DraftKings would lead to a $160 payout on an implied probability of 5.88%.

🏈 Packers vs. Steelers first touchdown scorer prediction

🏗️ Jonnu Smith (+1800) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jonnu Smith continues to be productive while now on the wrong side of 30, and he gets to face a Green Bay Packers defense that's been struggling against tight ends. Green Bay has given up the third-most touchdowns to the position (five) and the most receptions (50).

That matchup bodes well for a tight end whose usage has been rising. He was on the field for 70.2% of the Steelers' offensive snaps last week while taking advantage and scoring his second touchdown of the season. That's a far cry from the 56.5% workload he received early in the year during Week 2. He also tied a season high last week while being given six targets.

A $10 bet using these +1800 odds from bet365 would translate to a $180 payout, with an implied probability of 5.26%.

🏈 Commanders vs. Chiefs first touchdown scorer prediction

🔴 Patrick Mahomes (+1800) ⭐⭐⭐

Patrick Mahomes has always been a selective running quarterback, even if his style lacks some flare and speed. He picks his spots wisely and capitalizes on opportunities, and the signal-caller has been doing that even more this year.

Last season he averaged 19.2 rushing yards per game, a low since 2019. Now he's way up to 35.7 yards per outing and 250 overall, already much of the way to his 307-yard total a season ago. Even more impressively and better for our purposes, he's scored four rushing touchdowns already after totaling only two over the previous two seasons. And now he gets to face a Washington Commanders defense that struggles against the run (ranked 20th while allowing 126 yards per game).

If Mahomes keeps rolling on the ground and scores first on Monday Night Football, a $10 wager using these juicy +1800 betting odds from bet365 would lead to a $180 profit, with an implied probability of 5.26%.