We are days away from the Washington Commanders opening the 2023 NFL season against the Arizona Cardinals.
Hopes are high for the Commanders in 2023. There’s a new owner, which means no more Daniel Snyder. Eric Bieniemy is in charge of the offense, and Washington finally has an exciting young prospect at quarterback instead of pushing all its chips in on another recycled veteran.
FedEx Field is sold out for Sunday’s opener. And, unlike previous years, it will be Washington fans filling those stands, not fans of the opposing team.
That leads us to which Commander will score the first touchdown of the 2023 season?
Washington has several good choices. Quarterback Sam Howell, running backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel and tight end Logan Thomas are all contenders to score the season’s first touchdown.
According to BetMGM, Gibson is the top pick, as he has +750 odds to score Washington’s first touchdown. Robinson and Dotson are next at +800. Arizona running back James Conner is next at +900, followed by McLaurin [+1000] and Samuel [+1100].
Gibson scored five touchdowns last season [three rushing and two receiving]. In 2023, he will serve as Washington’s third-down back and the Commanders alternative to Robinson, so he will receive plenty of opportunities. Remember, as a rookie in 2020, Gibson scored 11 rushing touchdowns, followed by 10 total touchdowns in 2021. So, he is a solid bet.