Go deep for these NFL Week 1 TD props

The NFL 2022 season kicks off in just two days! A full menu of bets is up for Bills-Rams this Thursday, including one of the most popular prop types in the industry: touchdowns. We've got two to get our season started.

Allen Robinson TD (+155 FanDuel)

It's hard to fathom what being in this Rams offense must feel like for Allen Robinson; a breath of fresh air after wallowing away with the Bears the past few years. Robinson has caught 40 touchdowns in his eight-year career and will be WR2 behind Cooper Kupp in a Los Angeles offense that saw 41 passing touchdowns in the regular season last year. Buffalo's defense is a strong unit in the league, but their secondary without All-Pro corner Tre'Davious White playing certainly takes a step back. The Bills' safeties are as strong as they come, and there's hope that rookie Kaiir Elam will play well, but this is the clear area of the field to attack for a touchdown bet.

2021 was a lost year for Robinson, but going back a few years, his role as a red zone threat is clear. He was seventh in the NFL in red zone targets in 2020 and was tied for third in red zone looks in 2019. Taking on Robert Woods' and Odell Beckham Jr.'s targets this year, Robinson is expected to be a significant part of this offense. That starts Week 1 with a touchdown with his new team.

Dawson Knox TD (+220 FanDuel)

When targeting the Rams defense for a touchdown, the area of the field that sticks out is in the slot and middle of the field. Troy Hill is back on the Rams this season as the nickel after a rough season in Cleveland. There is hope that back in the defensive scheme that helped him cash in on a contract with the Browns, Hill will step his game up. Perhaps he does, but he, along with safety Taylor Rapp, seem like two potential liabilities in this Los Angeles secondary. Even newly signed linebacker Bobby Wagner had some coverage issues last year. This trio is very likely to be tasked with slowing down Bills TE Dawson Knox, whether he lines up in the slot or inline.

Five of Knox's nine touchdowns last season came from the slot (h/t to the 33rd Team), and the Bills tight end lined up in the slot on 30% of his snaps in 2021. Knox had 18 red zone targets last year, 16th-most in the NFL and fifth among TEs. He has been with Josh Allen for three seasons, catching 14 touchdowns. While receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis are good weekly bets to score, we're looking for value on the board.

Honorable mention: Isaiah McKenzie (+320 BetMGM)

MLB Bet of the Day

Yes, we once again cashed the MLB Bet of the Day last night. That was quite possibly one of the easiest bets we've hit in quite some time. Let's go for another quick and painless win today on the diamond.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Joey Meneses and Kyle Tucker 1+ hit each (+187 FD)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has a hit in 23 of his last 30 games and is averaging 1.5 hits per game against Baltimore this season. The Blue Jays slugger is 4-8 off Orioles starter Kyle Bradish and is hitting better against RHP this year. Joey Meneses has a hit in 25 of 29 games on the year and has piled up 12 hits in his last seven games. He's hitting .429 off lefties this season, which he'll see to start tonight's game in Jose Quintana. Quintana has allowed seven hits in four of his last five starts. Kyle Tucker is hitting .333 against Glenn Otto in 12 plate appearances, is hitting much better against RHP and has a hit in 24 of his last 30 games. He has a hit in 15 of 17 games against the Rangers this season.

In the news ...

Rafael Nadal falls to Frances Tiafoe; U.S. Open is up for grabs — Another massive upset is in the books at the U.S. Open, as world No. 2 Rafael Nadal fell to American Frances Tiafoe in four sets Monday night. Tiafoe, ranked 22nd, moves on to the quarterfinals and is currently +1400 to win it all. We have two matches on the men's side today: Matteo Berrettini vs. Casper Ruud and Nick Kyrgios vs. Karen Khachanov. Kyrgios is the favorite to win the last major of the year, now +150 on DraftKings.

QB news and notes: Mitch Trubisky named starter; Lamar Jackson's contract talks heating up — Pittsburgh officially named Mitch Trubisky its new starting quarterback, as the former No. 2 pick looks to make the most of his second chance. While the Pittsburgh offensive line remains a potential problem area, this roster has solid pieces at wideout and on defense. We're cautiously optimistic that Trubisky can keep the Steelers competitive, and we like Pittsburgh to go over 7.5 wins (-105 DK). Sticking in the AFC North, there's been a lot of contract buzz around Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. The 2019 MVP has set a deadline of before the season to sign any extension, so a deal could be coming this week if the two sides can agree on the guaranteed money. Jackson is +2000 to win NFL MVP this season, and with a less-than-stellar supporting cast, a strong Baltimore season would be attributed right to their quarterback.

A look back on Week 1 of the College Football season — Clemson handled business last night against Georgia Tech, putting a bow on Week 1 of the college football season. Looking for a betting recap of the action? We've got you covered there.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Griffin Carroll