After
winning eight of their final 10 games to finish the 2022 campaign with a 9-8 record,
the Lions were a popular pick to be a playoff team this season. Last week’s loss in
Baltimore notwithstanding, they’ve largely lived up to the expectations,
leading the NFC North by a game and a half as they host the Raiders to close
out Week 8. With “Monday Night Football” returning to Detroit for the first
time in five years, a new member of the visitors has earned our support for top
prop:
The
bet: Over 21½ receiving yards for Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (DraftKings)
Coming
out of the tight-end factory that is Notre Dame, Mayer was considered by some scouts
to be the best all-around player at the position. But he lasted until early in
the second round of the draft, and now he faces off against one of the two
tight ends taken ahead of him in the Lions’ Sam LaPorta.
Over
the past three games, Mayer has played more than two-thirds of the offensive
snaps and been targeted 13 times. His production dipped last week with Brian
Hoyer at quarterback, but starter Jimmy Garoppolo is set to return from his
back injury. The two have shown a strong connection in their two previous games
together, when Mayer posted totals of 39 and 75 yards.
The
Lions rank 23rd in pass defense, allowing 241 yards through the air per game. They’ve
also given up the third-most receiving yardage to tight ends, with the Ravens’
Mark Andrews going for 63 yards and two touchdowns last week.
Mayer’s
only score this season has come on a two-point conversion, but the breakthrough
is imminent — and he could easily clear this number on his first TD catch.