Super Bowl Props: Kupp, Akers Strong First Touchdown Bets

Cooper Kupp #10 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after fielding a punt in the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 26, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Image Credit: David Berding/Getty Images

Super Bowl props are now filling odds boards at sportsbooks from coast to coast, in advance of Sunday’s matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals.

Throughout the week leading up to Super Bowl 56 in Inglewood, California, Props.com will offer up our five favorite Super Bowl props for each teams’ skill position group on offense, as well as our top five defensive, kicker/punter, and special teams props. We’ll also break down five game-specific props; best bets for player to score the first touchdown; and even our favorite cross-sport props.

Yes, consider us your one-stop prop shop for Rams vs. Bengals. So be sure to check back all week for comprehensive and (we hope!) compelling Super Bowl 56 betting coverage.

Next up: Our full breakdown on the Super Bowl props revolving around who will score the first touchdown of the game. 

Super Bowl 56: First Touchdown Odds

Player Position Team Odds
Cooper Kupp WR LAR +550
Joe Mixon RB CIN +750
Cam Akers RB LAR +900
Ja’Marr Chase WR CIN +900
Odell Beckham Jr. WR LAR +1,000
Sony Michel RB LAR +1,200
Tee Higgins WR CIN +1,200
Van Jefferson WR LAR +1,600
Tyler Higbee TE LAR +1,600
Tyler Boyd WR CIN +1,600
Kendall Blanton TE LAR +1.600
CJ Uzomah TE CIN +1,800
Joe Burrow QB CIN +4,000

Odds via BetMGM as of 2 p.m. ET on Feb. 10.

Super Bowl First Touchdown: Where To Bet

First off, if you are betting on first touchdown props, then you need to do it at BetMGM. Of all the major sportsbooks, they continuously have the best payouts on this specific prop. We have been saying this throughout the playoffs, and it holds true for the Super Bowl as well. 

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Super Bowl First Touchdown: The Favorites

San Francisco 49ers free safety Jimmie Ward (left) pulls on the jersey of Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp (right) in the fourth quarter during the NFC Championship Game
Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Is anyone surprised to see Cooper Kupp (+550) at the top of this list? Even though he has the shortest odds of any player, he’s still a quality bet for the first touchdown prop. If you recall, Kupp was the first player to score a touchdown in the Rams’ NFC Championship matchup with the 49ers. The Bengals have allowed an opposing pass-catcher to score the first touchdown in seven of their last nine games. Let that sink in for a moment. It’s very conceivable that Kupp finds paydirt before any other player on Sunday. 

Joe Mixon (+750) has the second-shortest odds for this prop, and it’s easy to see why. The Cincinnati tailback racked up 334 total touches in the regular season, which ranked third in the NFL behind Najee Harris and Jonathan Taylor. He had 39 red-zone rushing attempts and six red-zone receptions. Mixon’s 13 rushing touchdowns ranked fourth-most in the league, as well. Sure, the swagtastic nature of Joe Burrow steals the headlines, but Mixon cleans up the dirty work around the goal line.

Ja’Marr Chase (+900) ranked fourth among receivers with 13 touchdowns in the regular season. Not too shabby for a rookie. Chase is a big-play threat who can rip off a 50-yarder, but he also has precise route-running ability to shake a defender near the goal line. Having said that, his first touchdown price might be too short when considering frequent coverage from Rams All-Pro corner Jalen Ramsey. 

Super Bowl First Touchdown: The Sleepers

Cam Akers #23 of the Los Angeles Rams rushes the ball during the first half of a game against the New York Jets at SoFi Stadium on December 20, 2020 in Inglewood, California.
Image Credit: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Cam Akers (+900) is probably the best value play of the first touchdown prop. Kupp makes for a strong choice, but Akers is right alongside him with nearly double the payout. It’s not a bad strategy to take both while hoping for at least one to hit. Akers hasn’t scored in the postseason, but the volume is encouraging, with 54 carries over his last three games. Watching Akers plunge into the end-zone early isn’t far-fetched at all. The Bengals have allowed their opponent to score the first touchdown in eight of their last nine games. The Rams could extend that trend, with Kupp and Akers serving as the primary candidates. 

The Rams posted the first touchdown in five of their last six games. Odell Beckham Jr. (+1,000) nabbed one of them in the Wild Card victory over Arizona. Beckham has certainly stepped up with fellow receiver Robert Woods succumbing to injury. OBJ has hauled in six touchdowns over his last 10 games. As mentioned earlier, the Bengals have given up the first touchdown to opposing pass-catchers in seven of their last nine games. If Cincy chooses to send more defensive resources to Kupp, then Beckham could find himself open. 

Tee Higgins (+1,200) is a 6-foot-4 red-zone threat who can run fade routes to the corner of the end zone. Having said that, he has only scored in five of 20 games this season. Higgins is undoubtedly a long shot in the first touchdown department, and other peripheral options (view them in the next section) have more appealing odds. In short, I’m not looking for Tee to post a Tee Dee on Super Sunday. 

Super Bowl First Touchdown: The Long Shots

Tyler Boyd #83 of the Cincinnati Bengals runs the ball during the first quarter in the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on November 21, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Image Credit: Chris Unger/Getty Images

Tyler Boyd (+1,600) is an interesting pick to score the first touchdown. His payout is meaty despite being a legitimate pass-catcher in this Bengals offense. Dating to the regular season, Boyd has snagged a touchdown in four of his last six games, so he’s a legitimate threat to find paydirt. If you subscribe to the fact that Ramsey will lock down Chase, then Boyd could emerge as one of the top receiving options for Cincinnati. He’s a first touchdown long shot that could make you look really smart to your friends. 

There are key injuries at tight end. Most notably, Tyler Higbee (+1,600) of the Rams looks extremely questionable. If Higbee is out, then Kendall Blanton (+1,600) picks up steam for the first touchdown prop. Blanton actually scored the first touchdown of the game against Tampa Bay in the Divisional Round. It makes sense that he could see more targets if Higbee doesn’t play. 

Bengals tight end CJ Uzomah (+1,600) is dealing with an injury of his own. All signs suggest that he’ll play through it on Sunday. Uzomah is an interesting red-zone threat who snagged the first touchdown of the Wild Card game against Las Vegas. 

Finally, Joe Burrow (+4,000) is an absolute longshot with a sliver of a chance at coming through. He only ran for two touchdowns throughout the regular season and the playoffs, but there are a few paths for him to score early on Super Sunday. Burrow isn’t lightning-quick, but he’s a gamer and opportunist. He could jump over the offensive line with a 1-yard score or scramble to the pylon while improvising.