Best anytime TD scorer bets for 49ers vs Seahawks on Thursday Night Football

George Kittle and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are good value bets to score a touchdown in this game.

The Thursday Night Football game in Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season features an NFC West clash between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. After a 3-0 start, the Seahawks have dropped back-to-back games, including a 29-20 upset loss at home last week against the Giants. Still, Seattle is currently in first place in the division, partly because the 49ers have struggled to a 2-3 start.

This sets up a pivotal matchup between these teams Thursday. The 49ers are -3.5 favorites against the spread despite being on the road against a team with a better record. The over/under is set at 48.5 total points. That is one of the highest totals on the Week 6 schedule, indicating there should be multiple touchdowns scored. With stars on both sides such as the 49ers’ George Kittle and the Seahawks’ DK Metcalf, there is no shortage of appealing options for anytime touchdown prop bets in this matchup.

Let’s discuss some of the best anytime TD picks in this game, including the best betting odds currently available at the best online sportsbooks. We have found the best odds currently available at the time of writing, but it’s always a good idea to double check multiple sportsbooks to ensure that these are still the best odds before placing any bets. 

George Kittle (+175, BetMGM)

George Kittle has scored touchdowns in three straight games, and we love getting these odds on him to make it four in a row. Kittle is leading the 49ers with 23 catches so far this season (5.8 per game) and has been Brock Purdy’s favorite target in the red zone. He has a team-high nine red zone targets already this season and has scored all three of his touchdowns from inside the 20. For context, Kittle had three touchdowns on 13 targets inside the red zone all of last season.

This also should be a good matchup for Kittle. The Seahawks’ defense has struggled against tight ends so far this season. They have allowed the eighth-most receptions and the fifth-most receiving yards to the positions so far this season. They were also 13th and 6th, respectively, in those some statistics last season. Seattle also has not exactly faced a murderer’s row of talented tight ends that have skewed those numbers early in the season. Besides Sam LaPorta (who had 53 yards against them), the most talented tight end they have faced was Hunter Henry, who torched them for eight catches and 109 yards. Despite those numbers, Seattle has yet to allow a touchdown to a tight end, but that is bound to change sooner or later.

There is always a risk in any 49ers game that Kittle could be used more as a devastating blocker in the run game than as a frequent pass-catching target. But in a game that is expected to be high scoring, he should have enough opportunities in the receiving game to make this an excellent bet. Other players suh as running backs Jordan Mason and Kenneth Walker may be more likely to find the end zone, but they are priced accordingly at less than even money. Kittle has as good a chance as any pass catcher in this game to reach paydirt, but is not priced that way. Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and DK Metcalf all have lower odds at most sportsbooks. Kittle also has much better odds at BetMGM (+175) than at other sportsbooks, where his odds are low as +140 at DraftKings.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (+210, bet365)

Another player who is undervalued in the anytime touchdown markets for this game is Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The talented second-year wideout is leading the Seahawks in receptions so far this season and is a close second to DK Metcalf in targets (40 vs. 43). He is also leading the team with five red-zone targets and is already halfway to the 10 total red zone targets he had in his rookie season.

So far that has only translated to one touchdown this season, which came last week against the Giants. This matchup is a great opportunity for Smith-Njigba to make it two games in a row with a touchdown. He is one of the most productive slot receivers in the league this season, and the 49ers have been vulnerable against slot receivers. He also might be particularly busy given how much the Seahawks’ offensive line has struggled in pass protection this season, ranking 30th in pass block win rate. If Geno Smith is facing consistent pressure from the 49ers’ strong defensive front, then he will be looking to get rid of the ball quickly, which could translate to a high volume of targets for Smith-Njigba. 

A high target rate doesn’t always mean a high likelihood of scoring a touchdown, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. And with odds currently much higher than other players like Brandon Aiyuk and DK Metcalf, Smith-Njigba makes for another solid anytime touchdown bet.

AJ Barner (+900, BetMGM)

For our last pick on this game, let’s go with a longshot bet we like. AJ Barner is no longer the Seahawks’ best-kept secret after he got hyped up on the Monday Night Football broadcast two weeks ago against the Lions. In that game, he caught his first touchdown of the season. We are already seeing the talented rookie from Michigan taking on a bigger role in the offense, which will only continue as the season goes along, including this week.

Barner also could benefit from similar matchup factors as Smith-Njigba, namely by running routes over the middle and being a reliable target on quick throws. Otherwise, there isn’t much deep analysis or statistical breakdowns to offer with this pick. It’s simply a good, young player with an expanding role who is trending up, and offers an upside play at +900.