3 best Detroit Lions bets for Week 1 vs. Kansas City Chiefs

The opening point spread has narrowed with the news of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce suffering a knee injury during Tuesday's practice, by a point or two depending on the sports book. Applicable bets have surely shifted toward the Detroit Lions, with the Chiefs facing being without not just one (Chris Jones) but two of their best players on Thursday night.

In the weeks to come, this early space in the weekly Lions' best bets article will review the previous week--good or bad, win, lose or inducing those who followed the bets and lost to yell at me. But since it's Week 1, there's nothing to review.

We posted our Week 1 Lions prop bets on Tuesday. Now, a little over 24 hours from kickoff, we'll widen out to all bets to consider against the Chiefs. The specific sports book will be noted.

3 best Detroit Lions bets for Week 1 vs. Chiefs

Note: Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Over 6.5 receptions (-162, FanDuel; -135, DraftKings)

The Lions' passing offense centers on St. Brown, and in what promises to be a high-volume passing game for Jared Goff it's a little surprising his reception over-under sits where it does. On Draft Kings, an under bet on 6.5 catches isn't even all that profitable (+105).

Over on 6.5 receptions for St. Brown is too easy to bet, even if the game script changes a little for the Lions if Kelce is out.

RB Jahmyr Gibbs, 50-plus receiving yards (+235, FanDuel: +220 DraftKings)

Things obviously change year-to-year. But the Chiefs allowed the most receptions (112) and the fourth-most receiving yards (806) to running backs last season. With a hat-tip to Mike Payton of AtoZ Sports, that yardage was a robust 22 percent of the receiving yardage Kansas City allowed in 2022.

The reception and receiving yardage over-under marks for Gibbs this week still feel low. So I'll go a little more aggressive here, and push to 50-plus receiving yards for the Lions' rookie running back for a bet at pretty nice plus-money.

TE Sam LaPorta, Anytime Touchdown (+290, FanDuel; +265, DraftKings)

An anytime touchdown bet for Lions' running back David Montgomery landed in our prop bets for this week, and it would have been easy to just tack it on with any updated odds as the third best bet here. But I'm moving toward the rookie tight end instead.

The Chiefs allowed nine touchdowns to tight ends last year, tied for fourth-most in the NFL. They were far less generous to the position in terms of catches and yards, and linebacker Nick Bolton (73.8 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus last year) may draw LaPorta as his primary assignment Thursday night.

But it only takes one catch close to or in the end zone to score a touchdown. Even a smallish bet LaPorta gets that done in his NFL debut would turn a solid profit.

Note: Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.