Rams vs. Bengals 2022 Super Bowl 56 odds: Bettors hammering Ja'Marr Chase as first touchdown scorer

Not all that long ago, each team's primary running back would be the favorites to score the first touchdown in a Super Bowl – a 1-yard plunge or the like. However, the NFL has become such a pass-happy league that Rams receiver Cooper Kupp is the +400 favorite at Caesars Sportsbook to score the first touchdown against the Bengals in Super Bowl 56, followed by Joe Mixon (+625), Cam Akers (+650), Odell Beckham Jr. (+650), Ja'Marr Chase (+650) and Tee Higgins (+800).

"For a wide receiver, that price (on Kupp) is definitely extremely low," said Adam Pullen, Assistant Director of Trading at Caesars Sportsbook. "This year, it doesn't feel as balanced as in years past. Last year, we had Fournette, Gronk, Evans, Godwin, Hill and Kelce. We had Hill and Kelce as +650 co-favorites then, and Kupp is +400 here. That's not a normal price, maybe a more dominant running back could be there. But you can't argue with it, he's had a tremendous year and he scored first (in the NFC title game)." Kupp is also the -195 favorite for an anytime scorer.

However, it's Chase who is taking the most action on this prop so far with 29 percent of all money and 23 percent of tickets. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft had a historic rookie season with 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 TDs and has 20 catches for 279 yards (rookie record) and one TD in these playoffs. Chase is a -108 second favorite to be an anytime scorer.

Beckham Jr. arguably is the most popular non-quarterback in the Super Bowl, and "I think Beckham's going to take a lot of money," Pullen said. "His numbers in the playoffs have improved dramatically compared to what he was doing in the regular season. We've seen that he's seemingly back to his old form and he's been very reliable."

The quarterbacks, Joe Burrow (+2800) and Matthew Stafford (+4000), are longer shots on this prop – they would have to score on a rush or reception or fumble recovery, etc. Burrow had two rushing TDs in the regular season and none in the playoffs. Stafford had zero in the regular season but had a rushing score in each of L.A.'s first two playoff games (neither was the first TD for the Rams).

Los Angeles is the -165 favorite to score the first touchdown of Super Bowl 56 and Cincinnati +109.

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