Thursday Night Football Betting Picks: Week 2 Player Props and Parlays (2026)

September 16, 2026

Expert NFL betting picks for Thursday, 9/17/26. Player props, same game parlays, and game picks for Thursday Night Football game between the Lions and Bills.

Hello everybody, and welcome to the Week 2 edition of Thursday Night Football bets and props! The NFL season has finally kicked off, and we at RotoBaller couldn't be more thrilled to bring you some of the best content on the market. We are excited to bring betting content to all those interested in every slate in any given week.

This weekly article will focus on the Thursday night slate, and I will provide several different betting angles for the games scheduled. I will typically provide at least one play on the game's total or spread, as well as at least three player or game props, and a fun single-game parlay. Although this article will be published each week on Thursday mornings, you can always feel free to check out our Discord Channel to see plays posted throughout the week.

This week's Thursday night slate features a matchup between the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, New York. This matchup should provide plenty of goodies for us to try to take advantage of. Without further delay, let's get into tonight's picks for Week 2 of Thursday Night Football!

Thursday Night Football Odds and Spread

Detroit Lions (+5) at Buffalo Bills (-230 ML)

Over/Under (54.5)

Thursday Night Football Game Picks

All odds are courtesy of Hard Rock Sportsbook.

The matchup we have tonight between the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills might be one of the most exciting matchups we see on Thursday Night Football all season long. Both of these teams possess extremely potent offenses, while also having some holes in their defense.

This was especially noted in Week 1, when both teams were involved in high-scoring games, as the Lions defeated the New Orleans Saints 31-30 and the Bills upended the Houston Texans 36-31. Both teams posted 360+ yards of total offense; however, they also both allowed over 380 yards of offense, with the Lions allowing a whopping 469 total yards.

The easy choice here would be to look at the over, and while I think that is absolutely worth playing, I also think that the Bills might be getting a little too much respect here, being favored by more than a field goal. Their rushing defense, which ranked fifth-worst in terms of yards per game allowed, has not improved much, it appears.

Against the Texans, the Bills allowed 124 rushing yards, and the task against the Lions certainly is not any easier. Jahmyr Gibbs carried the ball a whopping 29 times for 156 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Saints, and should be able to run wild against this Bills defense.

I have a hard time laying over a field goal with a defense that cannot stop the run. Even if the Lions get down in this game, the backdoor cover will almost certainly still be there given how potent this Lions passing attack can be. Give me the points with the Lions.

The Pick: Lions +5 (-110)

Thursday Night Football Player Props

Sam LaPorta UNDER 46.5 receiving yards (-115)

There are going to be plenty of overs in this game, I believe; however, Sam LaPorta's receiving yards may not be one of them. Don't get me wrong, I like LaPorta as a pass-catcher in this offense, but the Bills have been able to do a good job against the tight end position over the previous couple of seasons.

In 2025, the Bills ranked best in the league by allowing an average of just 29.6 receiving yards per game to tight ends. Overall, they allowed just two tight ends to go for 47 or more receiving yards in 2025. Last week against Houston, the Bills also performed well by allowing Dalton Schultz to haul in just four of eight targets for 35 receiving yards.

LaPorta, meanwhile, hauled in five of eight targets for 48 receiving yards in Week 1's thrilling win versus the New Orleans Saints. While it was a solid performance, LaPorta needed overtime to eclipse 40 receiving yards, as he hauled in a nine-yard pass on the final drive. This performance also came against a Saints defense that allowed over 50 receiving yards per game to tight ends in 2025.

Jahmyr Gibbs OVER 4.5 receptions (+115)

I think we are getting a good number at solid odds here on Gibbs' receptions, especially considering how high the total sits in this game. Gibbs has taken over the lead back role in Detroit with the departure of David Montgomery, and this was evidenced by the 57 snaps he saw in Week 1, which was more than all but one game in 2025.

While this means he will see more carries, and likely more rushing yards, it also means he will be in on most passing downs, so his receiving props are still more than viable. Last week, Gibbs carried the ball a whopping 29 times, but he also saw five receiving targets and hauled in each of them for 30 receiving yards.

In 2025, Gibbs had five or more receptions in just six games, but I would expect that number to increase this year, with one such game already under his belt. The Bills also allowed a decent amount of receiving production from capable backs in 2025. For instance, each of De'Von Achane, Alvin Kamara, and Bijan Robinson eclipsed this total, with Achane doing it twice.

Goff to Gibbs gets the Lions closer

PITvsDET on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/2hj7JAWG3F

— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2025

If this game turns into the shootout it is expected to be, and the Lions are trailing late, Gibbs should certainly be able to haul in five receptions once again, and at plus odds, I am definitely on board.

Khalil Shakir OVER 44.5 receiving yards (-115)

I debated between D.J. Moore and Shakir here, and while I think both are viable, I am going to take a shot on Shakir at a lower number. Shakir is the number two wide receiver in this offense, and he saw 30 snaps last week compared to D.J. Moore's 42. Shakir also had meaningful contributions, as he hauled in four of six targets for 50 receiving yards.

Josh Allen and Khalil Shakir connect on the first play from scrimmage

Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/r96y4aAbtp

— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026

The number being set to 44.5 is also not a massive number for Shakir. In 2025, Shakir went for 45 or more receiving yards in eight games, including four of the Bills' first five games. This is also a Lions defense that allowed an average of over 155 receiving yards per game to wide receivers in 2025, which ranked eighth-worst in the league.

Thursday Night Football Same Game Parlay

This is a new wrinkle in the article compared to past seasons, where we will build a fun same-game parlay for you all to consider. As these are parlays, it is always recommended to scale down and make these bets a little more conservatively, as we will need multiple legs to go right in order to hit. The legs I like tonight include:

• Lions +10.5
• Game Total OVER 47.5
• Josh Allen OVER 31.5 rushing yards
• Total Odds: +232

We have already discussed the reasons for the Lions to cover here as well as the over, so we are trying to take a bit of a safer route here by teasing both. We have yet to talk about the potential for Josh Allen to run in this game, which is a very plausible option.

Allen rushed for 32 or more yards in eight regular-season games in 2025. Additionally, Allen averaged nearly nine attempts and over 44 rushing yards per game in games where the total eclipsed 50 points, which is the expected outcome in tonight's game, as the total is sitting close to 54 currently. In comparison, Allen averaged just under six attempts and 28.5 rushing yards per game when the score did not eclipse 50 points.

This feels like a spot ripe for Allen to use his legs a bit, and the Lions may allow it. In 2025, each of Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, and Jake Browning rushed for 31 or more yards against this defense.

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