RB Jahmyr Gibbs
+170; FanDuel
The Lions shocked many when they selected Gibbs with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Detroit’s clearly high on Gibbs and will utilize him in a variety of formations – just like at Alabama, we should see him in the slot and on the outside.
The Chiefs present a plus matchup as they ranked in the bottom two last year in both receptions and receiving yards allowed to running backs. This could be amplified by the absence of star defender Chris Jones, who continues to hold out. Our Sean Koerner broke down just how much Jones means to the spread.
David Montgomery will also get some work, but Gibbs has the explosiveness to score from any part of the field.
This line opened at +225 at some books. On Wednesday, +170 was the best you can get, but that has since dipped to +150 as of Thursday evening.
If Gibbs scores on Thursday Night Football, we may never see odds above +150 again.
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RB Jerick McKinnon
+195; DraftKings
The Chiefs passing game has a lot of question marks entering Thursday night, and with Travis Kelce reportedly out, McKinnon could be a vital piece for Patrick Mahomes.
The pass-catcher extraordinaire tallied nine receiving touchdowns in 2022. He also had 35 red-zone touches (20 rushes vs. 15 targets).
Shockingly, McKinnon might be the only Chiefs skill player left with a proven track record. Kadarius Toney and Isiah Pacheco are both coming off major offseason surgeries, though both should be in action against the Lions.
I expect Pacheco to get early down work, but I can’t pass on McKinnon given the opportunities he should have in the screen game and on checkdowns.
Last year, McKinnon’s average ATD odds from Weeks 13-18 were +165 – he scored eight touchdowns in that span.
