Lions vs. Vikings Predictions, Picks & Odds: NFL Week 7, Sunday 10/20
Could the NFC Championship Game feature two teams in the same division? Well, based on a 4-1 Detroit Lions and 5-0 Minnesota Vikings, it’s certainly not out of the question. In an NFC North with all four teams with winning records, this matchup is as crucial as ever, and we’re here for it with our best Lions vs. Vikings predictions!
Enjoy the best bet from our Lions vs. Vikings picks or even something outside the Lions vs. Vikings odds with a DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer for a guaranteed $200 bonus as well, which we’ve also shared below!
Lions vs. Vikings Predictions For NFL Week 7, Sunday 10/20
One of the biggest storylines of Week 6 was the Lions' absolute dismantling of the Dallas Cowboys, crushing them 47-9 down in Jerry World. Unfortunately, with that win came the gruesome leg injury to superstar pass rusher Aiden Hutchinson.
That is undoubtedly a blow to a Super Bowl contender, especially now facing the only undefeated team remaining in the NFC off their bye week. That has Minnesota favored in this matchup, but should they be?
We’ll explain why we’re asking that question as we transition into the best bet from our Lions vs. Vikings predictions after going through each side of this NFC North rivalry.
Detroit Lions: Taking Over First Place
Right now, the NFC North is set up to potentially have all four teams make the playoffs! Of course, there is a very long way to go until we can fully consider that, but it truly is unprecedented.
With all four teams at least 4-2, that has the Lions still striving for that first place spot with the Vikings in their way. If they’re able to pull off the upset, both teams will be sitting at 5-1, which means that Detroit will take over the top spot with the head-to-head tiebreaker. Therefore, this truly does feel like the game of the week.
Minnesota Vikings: Using The Rest Advantage
Not only is this already a massive game for both teams, but one side has the clear rest advantage with Minnesota having just had their bye in Week 6. They continue to prove doubters, and even fence-sitters, wrong.
No matter who they beat, they continue to have fans and analysts alike doubt them being true contenders. Whether that’s because of having QB Sam Darnold at the helm or otherwise, the fact remains that they’re one of just two 5-0 teams in the entire NFL.
We’ve only had byes starting in Week 5, but of those first four teams, they went 3-1 following their week off.
Lions vs. Vikings Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
The Lions vs. Vikings odds are nearly identical across most major platforms, but we’re sticking with the latest line at DraftKings Sportsbook:
- Point Spread: Detroit Lions +2.5 (-110) vs. Minnesota Vikings +2.5 (-110)
- Money Line: Detroit Lions (+114) vs. Minnesota Vikings (-135)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 50 (-108) vs. Under 50 (-112)
Lions vs. Vikings Predictions: Detroit +2.5 (-110 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
We’re going to buck a rather significant trend when it comes to the best bet from our Lions vs. Vikings picks. Not only is Minnesota 5-0 in terms of their win-loss record, but they’re also 5-0 against the spread (ATS).
There’s no denying that is impressive, but it’s not as if the Lions are chumps in that regard. Not only are they 4-1 ATS this season, but if we date back to the start of last year, they’re the best in the entire NFL at 18-7 ATS. As if that wasn’t enough, let’s address the question we raised to begin our Lions vs. Vikings predictions.
We asked if the right team was favored, and we don’t believe that to be the case. This is perfectly illustrated in the line movement of this game. After the look-ahead point spread was Lions -3.5, they are not only no longer favored, but nearly underdogs of the same value! That is almost unheard of line movement.
That’s the type of line movement we see when a QB like Lamar Jackson gets injured for the Baltimore Ravens, not when a pass rusher goes down. Both things can be true - Hutchinson is an elite player and is a big blow to the Lions defense, but it also doesn’t warrant a line movement of nearly a touchdown.
We wouldn’t even be opposed to sprinkling a bit on Detroit’s money line as part of your Lions vs. Vikings predictions, but as far as the best bet from our Lions vs. Vikings predictions does, we’re locking in Detroit +2.5 (-110 at DraftKings Sportsbook).
Lions vs. Vikings Injury Report & Latest News
Of course, we won’t see Hutchinson on the Thursday practice report, but you can see who was limited and unavailable below:
DET Lions:
- Carlton Davis III - DNP
- Kevin Zeitler - LP
MIN Vikings:
- Blake Cashman - DNP
- Akayleb Evans - DNP
- Patrick Jones II - LP
- Aaron Jones Sr. - LP
- Harrison Phillips - LP
- T.J. Hockenson - LP
- Dalton Risner - LP
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Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Beat reporter John Hendrix reports that free agent WR Donovan Peoples-Jones is among the 16 players that the Saints will host for their rookie minicamp.
Peoples-Jones last played regular season snaps with the Lions back in 2023, when he caught 13-of-24 targets for 155 yards. He is highly unlikely to return to fantasy relevance at this point but could perhaps sign on as a special teams contributor.
Titans signed fourth-round pick WR Elic Ayomanor to a four-year contract.
Ayomanor will now begin learning behind Calvin Ridley. Although Ayomanor is unlikely to find a meaningful role in year one, dynasty managers should note his status as training camp gets underway this summer. The former Stanford receiver flashed big-play ability in his two college seasons.
Buccaneers signed seventh-round pick WR Tez Johnson to a four-year contract.
Johnson will serve as a rotational deep-threat option for Baker Mayfield. His thin frame (5'10/154) simply does not lend itself to the repeated hits one incurs in a full-time role. Johnson did earn 100-plus targets in his two seasons at Oregon, though. His big-play style make him a better fit in best ball for now, pending any major on-field breakthroughs.
Giants waived DT Casey Rogers.
Rogers was a 2024 undrafted free agent and logged 33 defensive snaps for the Giants in his rookie season. He is credited with zero tackles and/or sacks. He may find his way onto another roster as a practice squad option.
Vikings signed third-round pick WR Tai Felton to a four-year contract.
Felton is quietly in play to challenge Vikings No. 3 WR Jalen Nailor in training camp. Nailor (5'11/190) caught 28-of-42 targets for 414 yards and six touchdowns in his first season as a starter last year, with the latter category buoying his fantasy productivity. Felton (6'1/183), meanwhile, caught 96-of-143 targets for 1,119 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 2.32 yards per route run in his final college season. Fantasy managers should monitor Felton’s training camp reports this summer, as he could have a matchup-based WR5 role if everything falls into place.