Underdog Fantasy NFL Picks Week 8 MNF: Josh Jacobs & Jahmyr Gibbs Picks for Raiders vs Lions
NFL Week 8 wraps up tonight with the Las Vegas Raiders vs Detroit Lions matchup on Monday Night Football. Before MNF kicks off, let's check out top NFL Underdog Fantasy picks for the Raiders vs Lions game. Our top NFL picks today include Raiders RB Josh Jacobs and Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs. As always, keep an eye on the latest NFL injury updates for MNF as both teams have notable names to monitor. Enjoy these NFL Underdog top plays and Monday Night Football picks as you watch tonight's game. If you're making more NFL picks tonight or setting NFL DFS lineups, check out our NFL daily projections. Now, let's dive into the top NFL Week 8 MNF picks on Underdog Fantasy for tonight's games.
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NFL Underdog Fantasy Top Picks
Week 8 Monday Night Football Raiders vs Lions Predictions
Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders – LOWER Than 61.5 Rushing Yards
Last year, Josh Jacobs had a career season with his league-leading 1,653 rushing yards. In 2023, the Las Vegas Raiders running back isn’t anywhere near the same pace. Jacobs has only 347 rushing yards through seven games for an average of 49.6 yards per game. He’s been held under 62 yards in four of seven games while averaging just 2.9 yards per carry. If you want to pencil in a Raiders loss tonight with the Detroit Lions favored by a touchdown at home, then Jacobs' rushing yards have a better chance of being lower. He has 62 or fewer rushing yards in all four losses this season, averaging 38.3 yards in those L’s. When the Raiders have lost, Jacobs has naturally seen a lower rushing workload with the offense throwing more while trailing.
Then we have this tough matchup. The Lions' defense allows just 76.3 rushing yards per game, the second-best mark in the NFL. Plus, opposing No. 1 RBs are averaging only 35.6 rushing yards per game against Detroit. Only one opposing running back has eclipsed 60 rushing yards against the Lions this season. That came last week when Ravens RB Gus Edwards ran for 64 yards. However, that blowout loss to Baltimore was an uncharacteristic result for the Lions and their defense. Expect a bounce-back effort tonight to limit Jacobs and the Raiders offense overall. In Detroit’s five wins this season, opposing lead RBs are averaging only 27 rushing yards per game.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions – HIGHER Than 26.5 Receiving Yards
With David Montgomery ruled out, we can expect Jahmyr Gibbs to take on the lead-back workload for the Detroit Lions again tonight. Last week with Montgomery out, Gibbs logged 65 of the 72 offensive snaps (87%) while backup Craig Reynolds only saw seven snaps. In his bigger role, Gibbs had nine receptions for 58 yards on 10 targets. Yes, some of that receiving production came with the Lions trailing in a blowout loss to the Ravens. Still, it’s encouraging to see Detroit get Gibbs involved more as a pass-catcher.
The Las Vegas Raiders defense has been susceptible to opposing running backs catching passes more often than not this season. It's not a ton, but the Raiders are allowing about 30 receiving yards per game to opposing RBs. In seven games, three opposing RBs have gone for 30+ yards. However, Vegas has yet to face as talented a pass-catching back like Gibbs. When they did go up against good receiving backs, Samje Perine had 37 yards and James Cook had 36 yards – which both came in Raiders losses.
The Lions are dealing with some notable offensive line injuries which could aid in Gibbs having more success as a pass-catcher than a runner tonight. Center Frank Ragnow is doubtful to play, guard Jonah Jackson is out, and guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai is questionable. If the Lions aren't having much success in the run game, they could look to give Gibbs more quick passes and dump-offs just to get him the ball – especially to get him in space and make defenders miss. Plus, stud wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is questionable with an illness and may not be as effective tonight. That boosts Gibbs up a bit more as one of the Lions' top all-around playmakers.
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Other NFL Links:
- NFL DFS Week 8 Monday Night Playbook for DraftKings and FanDuel
- NFL Week 8 Best Bets: Las Vegas Raiders vs Detroit Lions Picks for Monday Night Football
- NFL DFS Player Projections
- Fantasy Football Weekly Matchups
- Fantasy Football Weekly Rankings
Player News
The Commanders will play the Dolphins in Madrid, Spain on November 16.
The NFL appears keen on spotlighting Jayden Daniels and the Commanders after their stunning run to the NFC title game last season. Daniels will lead the hyper-efficient Washington offense into Madrid for the last of the seven 2025 international regular season games. It could be an exciting back-and-forth affair between a high-powered Commanders offense — now with Deebo Samuel — and a Miami offense led by Tua Tagovailoa, De’Von Achane, and Tyreek Hill.
The Vikings in 2025 will have back-to-back international games in different countries.
They will be the first team to play back-to-back weeks in different countries outside the United States. The Vikings will face off against the Steelers in the first-ever NFL regular season game in Dublin on Stepember 28, then play the Browns in London the following weekend. It could be a tough travel schedule for the Vikings, though the Jaguars have played back-to-back international games in recent years. Those games were in the same country, however. The Vikings-Steelers game could be intriguing if Aaron Rodgers is under center for Pittsburgh after trying and failing to generate interest for his services in Minnesota this offseason.
The Athletic’s Ted Nguyen believes Cowboys WR George Pickens could see a “huge uptick” in single coverage this season.
Pickens, who was traded from the Steelers to the Cowboys last week in exchange for draft pick compensation, won’t function as the primary wideout in Dallas. Pickens’ ability to challenge secondaries deep is something the Cowboys have “sorely missed” in recent seasons, Nguyen said. “In Pittsburgh, opposing defenses often doubled Pickens or shaded a safety to his side,” he said. “With the Cowboys, if defenses choose to put a safety over the top of Pickens, Lamb will have more space to work with in the middle of the field. You would expect teams to continue doubling Lamb, which means Pickens could see a huge uptick in one-on-one coverage.” Pickens, according to Nguyen, will only improve the Dallas passing attack if he gives consistent effort. The moody Pickens became widely known for taking plays off — and sometimes giving little effort for an entire game — during his three years with the Steelers. More single coverage, however, could mean more explosive plays for the new Cowboys WR2. In the Steelers’ run-first scheme last season, Pickens was third in targets of more than 20 yards downfield and second in receiving yards on downfield receptions. Pickens had just one drop on 30 downfield looks in 2024.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Saints hosted free agent CB Asante Samuel for a visit Monday.
Samuel, fresh off offseason neck surgery, visited with the Saints Monday as he pursues his next playing opportunity. He has clear connection to the franchise after they hired Brandon Staley to fill their defensive coordinator position, for whom Samuel played under with the Chargers. Fowler adds that Samuel has another doctor visit scheduled for early July, during which time he hopes to gain clearance to resume football activities.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Packers met with WR Jayden Reed’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, to clarify his status with the team.
The meeting comes after the Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round for the first time since 2002 in this year’s draft. Schefter added that the team emphasized Reed’s status as the top option at wide receiver after the selection of Matthew Golden and Savion Williams. “Green Bay’s top receiver” means far less for fantasy than it does in other places around the league considering Reed led the team with just 62.6% of the team’s offensive snaps played in 2024. Reed in 2024 accounted for 16 percent of the Packers’ targets and 16 percent of the team’s air yards. He was targeted on just 19 percent of his pass routes after seeing a target on 23.4 percent of his routes in 2023.
Saints signed QB Hunter Dekkers.
Dekkers spent three seasons with the Cyclones of Iowa State before stepping away from football following an indictment surrounding charges related to sports gambling. He then played his final collegiate season at Iowa Western before being invited to Saints camp. Dekkers spent his redshirt season backing up Brock Purdy at Iowa State.