Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and tight end Sam LaPorta have helped turn quarterback Jared Goff into a top target for NFL DFS picks. Those three skill-position players have consistently been strong assets in the NFL DFS player pool and key pieces in the Lions' 11-1 start heading into a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Green Bay Packers at 8:15 p.m. ET. Goff has helped turn the franchise around and is the QB9 in Fantasy football this season. Should you include the Lions quarterback in your Lions vs. Packers DFS picks? Before locking in any NFL DFS lineups for Packers vs. Lions on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel, be sure to check out the NFL DFS lineup advice, strategy and player stacks from SportsLine NFL daily Fantasy expert Jimmie Kaylor.
Kaylor is a NFL and DFS expert for SportsLine, who opened the 2022 NFL season by winning DraftKings' NFL Showdown Thursday Kickoff Millionaire contest. He edged out over 355,000 other entrants in the contest and also has multiple five-figure tournament wins on his DFS resume. Kaylor, who cashed big all season in 2022, has covered the NFL and college football for close to a decade as a member of the Pro Football Writers of America, and his background as a former college and NFL player gives him a unique perspective when building his fantasy lineups and locking in his betting picks on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel.
Kaylor hit on epic NFL DFS picks for SportsLine members throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In 2022, he was all over Travis Kelce's four-touchdown performance against the Raiders on Monday Night Football, Kirk Cousins' 460-yard, four-TD performance on Thanksgiving Day, and T.J. Hockenson's 13 catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns in Week 15. In 2023, he hit on Ja'Marr Chase's massive Week 5 performance (15 catches, 192 yards, three TDs), D.J. Moore's eight catches for 230 yards and three touchdowns in Week 14, and De'Von Anchane's breakout performance (233 total yards, four TD's) in Week 3.
This season, some of Kaylor's top picks in Showdown DFS slates include Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed, (4-138-1, 33-1), Bills quarterback Josh Allen (263-4), and Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (509-4). Anyone who followed his picks is way up.
Now, Kaylor has turned his attention to Lions vs. Packers on Thursday Night Football in Week 14 and locked in his top daily Fantasy football picks. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Top NFL DFS picks for Packers vs. Lions
One of Kaylor's top NFL DFS picks for Thursday Night Football is Lions tight end Sam LaPorta. The second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft had a breakout rookie season, finishing as TE1 in Fantasy football behind his 10 touchdowns. He hasn't produced to the same level this season, but his usage and touchdowns have increased in recent weeks and he's scored at least one touchdown in three of the last five games. He's also generated at least six targets in three straight weeks. LaPorta is receiving those targets when they count most as well, catching two touchdowns on Thanksgiving.
The Packers are allowing the ninth-most Fantasy football points to opposing tight ends this season while allowing the seventh-most receptions to the position. Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith had 10 receptions for 113 yards last week against Green Bay and George Kittle had six receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown the week before. The Lions may exploit similar matchups and have LaPorta more involved in the game plan outside of the red zone. See who else he's high on here.
Kaylor is also targeting Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed. The 24-year-old only had three receptions on Thanksgiving, but he maximized those opportunities with two touchdowns on receptions inside the red zone. Reed had a 3-yard touchdown and a 12-yard score and his emergence as a threat inside the 20-yard line elevates his value already as a big-play threat with five games of a reception for more than 40 yards this season.
Reed had five receptions for 113 yards in Green Bay's first matchup against the Lions this season. He had a touchdown in the final matchup against Detroit last year in his rookie season. Reed has become Jordan Love's primary target in the passing attack, leading the team in receptions (44), receiving yards (693), receiving touchdowns (six) and targets (58). With the Detroit defense facing a multitude of injuries at the moment with 12 defensive players on IR, Kaylor expects the Packers to scheme Reed open in a pivotal NFC North matchup on Thursday. See who else Kaylor likes right here.
How to set Lions vs. Packers NFL DFS lineups, player pool
Kaylor is also targeting another undervalued player who could explode for huge numbers in Packers vs. Lions. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is, and the rest of Kaylor's NFL DFS picks, at SportsLine.
So who is Jimmie Kaylor including in his optimal NFL DFS lineups for Thursday Night Football, and which under-the-radar NFL DFS picks offer huge value? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NFL DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from an NFL DFS expert who won a prestigious Millionaire Maker tournament, and find out.
